Perioperative practice


learn when they encounter situations that need new knowledge or skills.


Problem centred learning l Adults prefer learning that is focused on real life problems rather than abstract concepts. They want to engage in practical, problem -solving activities that directly relate to work issues or personal challenges.


Motivation l While adults are internally motivated, they also respond to external factors. Learning experiences that respect their autonomy and provide clear benefits are more likely to be embraced.


There are also a number of different learning styles, which are visual, auditory or kinesthetic (tactile). Visual learners rely on pictures. They benefit from graphs, diagrams and illustrations. In addition, the use of video helps them to see what the key messages are. Auditory learners listen carefully when they are learning and draw the majority of new knowledge through their ears whereas tactile learners need to physically do something to understand it. By performing an action for themselves through trial and error these learners experience the most success.


Development of programmes The charity focuses on safe perioperative care, which centres on infection prevention, health and safety in the environment, patient safety, teamwork and accountability, as well as managing risks. The student has a lot to take in over the course of a week, but we try to help by giving them a memory stick with all the


Data from a meeting held in Pretoria in November 2025, convened by the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, identifies that Africa faces a shortfall of more than six million healthcare workers by 2030.


sessions on it. Hopefully, if they need to return to a topic, they can use the resources. If the airline has been helpful with additional weight allowance, we also give each student a textbook to help their future learning. The charity has a basement full of perioperative textbooks, which have been kindly donated by a university library. We share the programme with the contact in Africa before we leave and make any tweaks


or changes as requested. We also need to recognise that many of the facilitators are working full time and need to write any number of sessions to deliver over five days. There have been occasions when the final sessions are being written on the plane and on the day after we arrive following our local briefing! Each day on the programme we focus on a


different broad topic and as indicated, guide the afternoon process of group work, which gives scenarios for the group to work though. Each team selects a writer to reflect the discussion on an A3 sheet, as well as someone to feedback to the whole class.


As we also run webinars sometimes, the


programmes focus on a particular topic and each of the trustees delivers a session or two. These have been very successful, although it is difficult to find a time which suits everyone, considering the time zones which indicate that African countries are often two or more hours ahead of us. We have a group of Clinical Ambassadors that have attended our face-to-face education, who sign up to communicate with their network when we are holding a webinar, or when we distribute as we do, some perioperative articles we think will be of interest. For example, we are currently collecting articles focused on Human Factors for this quarter. We have planned that leadership and management will be the topic for the next collection of articles. They will be sent directly to our Clinical Ambassadors and also listed on our new website under resources.


16 www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I February 2026


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