The Department of Health has released a guide to how medical students can help in the event of pandemic flu. It’s predominantly relevant with final year medics. There’s probably scope for expansion to other potential disasters, although this guidance applies explicitly to this particular disaster.
Examples of clinical activity that may be appropriate for a final year medical student to undertake include• Clerking of patients in emergency or ward settings• Ordering investigations under supervision• Getting the results of investigations• Venepuncture• IV cannulation• 12-lead ecg• urinary catherisation• arterial blood gases• setting up an IV infusion• manual handling, after specific training
These skills listed are taken from Tomorrow’s Doctors where it is stated what practical skills FY1s must be able to perform. The document may also set a precedent in stating that medical students should be paid a wage for work done outside of studying. Medical students will not be forced into doing this work, and must opt in to do it. They will be provided with immunisations. Many clinical medical students have already immunised as a matter of Trust policy around the country. It is unclear whether final year medical students or retired doctors will be called first if there insufficient doctors. It would make sense for the Department of Health to have policy on this. It seems unlikely that swine flu will overwhelm the NHS this winter, but it’s good to be prepared for the future. The document can be found here.
- Dom
