FAQs

Why do I need to hold down the 'Control' (Ctrl) Key
when clicking on the 'Start the Course' link at www.mrsa.no.com?
Internet popups occur when you are 'surfing' the web, and suddenly a new browser window pops up, generally with some form of advertisement. For this reason many users have turned on popup protection software features designed to prevent the vast majority of Internet popups from reaching their screens. One thing to keep in mind, is that some popup windows are legitimate and necessary for performing the intended functionality of a particular webpage. Most pop-up protection software is generally good about knowing which to block, but you may occasionally encounter instances where it blocks something that you don't wish it to.

One or two users have reported problems of this type when clicking on the 'Start the course' link at www.mrsa.no.com. For some reason their pop-up protection software is incorrectly blocking access to the course menu page reached via this link. Either nothing happens or the new window opens and simply freezes.

Most popup protection software vendors are aware of this problem and have implemented a simple over-ride feature to allow to access legitimate sites that use pop-up windows. To use this it is important to hold down the 'Control' (Ctrl) key while clicking the 'Start the course' link once with your left mouse button.

Why is the 'Start the course' link at www.mrsa.no.com not working for me?
Check first: are you holding down the 'Control' (Ctrl) key as you click on the 'Start the course' link? This problem is only reported in four circumstances:

  1. When users switch over to a different PC and try to access the course for the first time using equipment with popup protection features enabled (see above).
  2. When users install new pop-up protection software or change Internet settings, possibly as part of the process of implementing broadband.
  3. When users are operating pop-up protection software that cannot be over-ridden using the 'Control' (Ctrl) key.
  4. When users are working locally due to problems with their Internet connection.

Since all of these problems are caused by your PC Internet settings please contact the local IT Help desk for your network and explain the problem. They may be able to assist you by adjusting your PC Internet settings. If this does not resolve your problem please contact us, stating the type of browser and pop-up protection software you are using. Our help desk team will advise further.

I have worked for the NHS for years. I am well-versed in infection control issues and I am under extreme work pressures - why should I spend valuable time on this course?
We know that all NHS staff are under pressure and we do sympathise; it's true that there's probably little technical content in this material that will come as a complete surprise to many. The problem is that although most people do know what to do in theory, unfortunately we don't always put it into consistent practice, do we? This course is not of the 'how to wash your hands' genre. Rather, it focuses on why compliance with universal precautions is so vital. We believe that this short course offers an interesting and different perspective which might make you think about the difference you personally can make, whilst also reinforcing you in your clinical practice.

Where can I do the course?
You can take the course anywhere you have access to the Internet, which you obviously have just now at least! If your NHS Trust has subscribed to the option of local installation, you will also be able to access the course on any PC connected to the Trust network. That may well mean you can do the course at home one way or the other. If you can neither access the Internet nor the Trust network, we can supply the course pre-loaded on wireless tablet PCs - please enquire of your local IC Team.

Can I do the course with colleagues, or just on my own?
You can do it both ways. We believe that the best way to benefit from the course will be by doing it alongside colleagues, perhaps within a group training session managed by a local Infection Control officer. That way, any points raised by the materials can be openly discussed. Following completion of the course, your IC officer will then give you your personal copy of the post-course Workbook as a memory aide and a way to track your own action plan. Of course, if attending such a session is not an option for you, then the online self-study option will be an excellent alternative; remember to note down the points you wish to discuss with your line manager!

I have recently attended an infection control training session; how will this course fit with that?
What you learned will certainly help you on this course! But you should still do it! This is not primarily a 'how to clean your hands' course, focused on process and procedure - essential though those things are. This course is a 'why you should clean your hands' course – it’s been designed to complement your other IC training activities.

Can the course be customised for local needs?
Trusts licensing the course for intranet installation may request localisation, by adding references to local Policy & Procedure documents to relevant pages of the course. Also, they may insert positioning and contact details pages into the ‘About this course’ module. The cost of such localisation is additional to the Licence Fee and will be quoted for individually upon request.

Why does the course use characterisations and cartoons?
We appreciate that some may find this approach anomalous with the seriousness of the subject. It was not our intention to offend sensitivities here and if we have, we apologise for that. However, The Training Foundation firmly believes that, to be effective, learning must be enjoyable. We only do anything because we want to and the more we can make learning fun, the better our results will be. We are pleased to say that the great majority of feedback has been positive about the way that a serious subject has been packaged with an element of humour. One such comment is reproduced below:

"Fighting the spread of MRSA means that people must change their current behaviour. This delightful on-line course shows the learner how to make small changes that add up to a lot of impact. It’s also fun to do."

Dr Tim Smith
Quality Improvement and Intervention Manager,
Quality and Standards Directorate,
Learning and Skills Council

How does the course fit in with other infection control training activities?
The short answer is, very well!

'MRSA - You can make a difference' doesn’t focus on the ‘how’ of infection control - there are many courses instructing on process and procedure and you have probably attended one or more of these already. Rather, this short, one-hour course focuses on the ’why’. It will reinforce what you know and will complement any other infection control training you may be involved in.

In summary, the course is aimed at complementing routine infection control training rather than replacing it and may be used as a stand-alone awareness course or as part of a wider learning programme.

What is the primary audience for the course?
The course is suitable for all who come into regular contact with patients. It is particularly applicable to clinicians but support staff will also benefit from the underlying concepts. We are currently developing a version of the course specifically for Community and Domiciliary Care (with relevance also to GP and Dentistry practices) and this should be available by the end of October. This will have particular relevance to PCTs. Following this, a version for Support staff (cleaners etc) will be developed.

How are the course quiz scores and the questionnaire results recorded and used?
None of the responses you make on the course are recorded against your name! We want you to be frank in expressing your views and we make you the promise of complete anonymity. We do analyse the feedback we receive by job role and by healthcare facility; this is simply to enable Trusts and SHAs to assess progress in this area.

How do I get my personal course workbook when I have completed the course?
Provided your Trust has subscribed to the Service, your IC team will soon know that you are entitled to receive the Workbook. They will no doubt be in touch! If you do not hear from them fairly soon, we suggest that you contact them – their details will usually be available in the ‘About The Course’ module.

Is there any post-course support available?
Yes, of course! Through your local IC team….

What is The Training Foundation?
The Training Foundation is an independent organisation and works with many large private and public sector organisations to deliver skills to the UK workforce. We have been working with the NHS for six years and 1,200+ NHS trainers have undertaken training programmes and achieved certification with us. We also provide e-learning products. For more information, see www.trainingfoundation.com.

Is this the only IC course available from The Training Foundation?
Our involvement in the MRSA issue was prompted by personal experience as you will see from the very last page of the course, so we have been encouraged by the positive reaction the course is receiving. We are now developing a version of the course addressing workers in Community and Domiciliary Care (with relevance also to GP and Dentistry practices) and this should be available by the end of October. This will have particular relevance to PCTs. Following this, a version for Support staff (cleaners etc) will be developed.

Why did The Training Foundation develop this course?
The main reason was personal. Our Director of Learning Solutions, Les Hobbs, is personally involved. His mother-in-law Olive sadly died from MRSA acquired in hospital, and was the real-life basis of Edith’s characterisation in the course. Les compiled an extensive report which was presented to and accepted by the Hospital Directors, and subsequently became very interested in the subject. It became the trigger for the development, and Les was in fact the lead course author.

A second reason was that we wanted to illustrate how quickly excellent, and customisable, e-learning content can be developed using our own unique Authoring Tool for non-experts, Lobster-online.

How long did the course take to develop?
A decision to develop a course was taken on 13th April 2004 and "MRSA – you can make a difference" was formally launched on 14th July 2004, so, in all, thirteen weeks. The basic phases were as follows;

Total person weeks: 31

How many were in the development team?
Research and consultations – 2
Concepts and structure – 2
Scripting – 2
Graphic design – 2
Authoring – 3
Workbook – 2
Testing, piloting and iterations – 3