Dr Sharon Marie Weldon
Reader/Associate Professor in Nursing Research and Education
LATEST PROJECTS
Project |01
Project |01 Transient Teams in the Operating Theatre
​
The study addresses a key challenge for the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) and other major organizations across the world by investigating professional communication in ‘transient’ teams - that is, communication between professionals who work on recurring tasks, such as surgical operations, in teams that exist only for the duration of the task, or even only for parts of it. Increasingly healthcare professionals step in and out of such newly formed teams, participating in the performance of complex tasks, often with colleagues whom they have never met before. This can have a profound effect on their work. Members of transient teams do not always know each other well, as they used to when these teams were much more stable. Our observational research in the operating theatre aims to show a glimpse of how this impacts on the communication between nurses and surgeons.
Project |03 The Time Travelling Operating Theatre
​
How different is surgery today from what is was a hundred or even thirty years ago? Where exactly is surgery going? These are some of the questions the time travelling operating theatre aims to explore, allowing the public to experience and respond to simulations of surgery from three different eras: 1884, 1984 and 2014. These events aim to bring together the public, medical professionals, historians and ethicists to discuss what can be learnt from looking back at surgery and how this might help us shape its future.
This project has been given a people award from the Wellcome Trust 2015-2016.
Project |04 Sequential Simulation
​
SqS is the physical re-enactment of temporal aspects of care. Elements of a care pathway are chosen and simulated using scenarios based on patient experiences, real clinicians, clinical settings and props. The aim of SqS is to realistically portray current health systems in order to:
Just a sample of my work. To see more or discuss possible work >>
-
Aid healthcare professionals and healthcare staff to visualise their role within the bigger picture (the care pathway or healthcare related scenarios)
-
Aid patients to understand current health system processes
-
Allow for critical evaluation of the current or new system
-
Test changes and new interventions within a safe environment
-
Open a dialogue between patients and healthcare staff outside of the healthcare setting
-
Give patients an opportunity to voice their concerns/opinions around current /future systems
SqS has the potential to simulate an infinite number of scenarios and care pathways. Its application is wide and researchers and healthcare practitioners are seeing the benefit of such an approach for a range of activities from pre-intervention evaluations and clinical training, to public engagement/participation and public health. Building on our Distributed Simulation (DS) concept (affordable, portable and accessible simulation environments), sequential simulation is flexible and can be undertaken in most settings. The emphasis is therefore on the scenarios ability to achieve the desired objectives.
Project |05 Distributed Simulation (DS)
​
Distributed simulation (DS) is the concept of high-fidelity immersive simulation, made widely available wherever and whenever it is required. DS provides a transportable, self-contained 'set' for creating simulated environments within an inflatable enclosure, at a small fraction of the cost of dedicated, static simulation facilities. High-fidelity simulation is currently confined to a relatively small number of specialised centres. This is largely because full-immersion simulation is perceived to require static, dedicated and sophisticated equipment, supported by expert faculty.
Project |06 Knife crime DS SqS
​
We have created portable (DS) sequential simulations (SqS) of knife crimes to provide a safe space where healthcare professionals, police, stab victims and high-risk groups or target populations can come together. It gives them the opportunity to see and be involved in the complete pathway when someone is stabbed as well as addressing issues that are emotionally poignant (using ‘taboo’ areas such as colostomy). It aims to educate the clinicians, authorities and the participants of all the aspects to consider when this happens. It will enable the healthcare workers and police to learn how to communicate and understand such groups for when they encounter the real thing. It gives the participant’s first aid knowledge as well as a shock factor and knowledge about the possible dangers, and it enables a dialogue between all involved with questions and answers from all sides.
Project |04
Project |04
Project |05
Project |02
Project |05
Project |06
Project |03 VISIOTâ„¢ VIDEO-SUPPORTED SIMULATION FOR INTERACTIONS IN THE OPERATING THEATRE
VISIOTâ„¢ training builds on observational video research.
We spent six months observing and video recording teamwork in the operating theaters of a London teaching hospital. In our research and training, we use social scientific approaches to address team interactions at a more detailed level than is usually done.
Project |02
Project |03
Project |04
Project |05