Being a DESMOND Educator
During a recent Educator Refresher Day an Educator shared a wonderful reflection on her time as a DESMOND Educator, therefore we asked her if we could share this with you - please read on to hear Sue Rhodes’ reflection on being a DESMOND Educator:
“It was back in March 2020 just before the first Covid lockdown in Scotland, that I attended the 2 face-to-face training days to become a DESMOND facilitator. I must admit, I thought that the training would be very much like my previous educational experiences. School days to higher education, the main approach had been dactyl – the ‘expert’ teacher/lecturer at the front of the class attempting to instil knowledge to the class. In fact, my main memory at university isn’t remembering my lectures and what they were saying – rather me writing copious amounts of notes.
I could not have been more wrong about the DESMOND course! The 2 facilitators showed me in these 2 days what adult education should look like- active participatory learning. The curriculum was followed by establishing current knowledge from the participants and then building on this from experiences and discussion from all the other participants. Rather than preaching from the ‘expert’ at the front of the class- the participants were given space to explore what they knew and understand new concepts between them. This involves a much deeper level of learning- to reflect critically on assumptions/beliefs.
The whole day concluded with each participant formulating an action plan. Each identified a topic they have learnt about during the programme that resonated with them, which could facilitate a single behavioural lifestyle change for their diabetes control. It was transformational! Treating adults like adults, which enabled maximising the learning experience to instigate change. It was amazing to witness and see how this approach empowers and potentially brings about lifelong and life changing goals.
We are all familiar with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs- which presents a framework suggesting that human motivation stems from 5 fundamental categories: physiological, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualisation. By delivering DESMOND as a group session, this enables the participants to be held with the commonality of experiences and feel safe to participate and learn from others. There is an authenticity within the group as they are on the journey with each other with their diagnosis of a long-term condition. The expert are themselves- rather that the ones delivering the sessions at the front.
DESMOND has had a profound influence on me. So much so, in August 2020 a brand new position opened where I worked - a Clinical Educator post. I jumped at the chance! At my interview I spoke about my experiences of the DESMOND course- how we need to shake up how we approach educating adults. Needless to say- I got the job.
A main part of my job is teaching Clinical Skills, which I find immensely rewarding - teaching a new skill, so that they become a competent, skilled practitioner.
One of my first learners, who had recently changed their banding, was to teach venepuncture- an expectation from their manager for their job role. This turned out to be extremely challenging as they were extremely needle phobic. I spent 3 one-to-one, 1 hour sessions with them prior to them attending the formal training. A few months later the Advanced Nurse Practitioner came up to me to say that she had signed the competencies off for this person.
As I reflected on this experience, I could see as with the DESMOND method of teaching, that with the right support and journeying with someone, anyone can achieve what they never dreamed they could ever accomplish! I feel very privileged in my job. Being part of the process where people can develop and learn new skills, which not only enables people to have a much more rewarding job, but how this can influence the smooth running of the wards.”