10 June 2015
Islanders seeking a change of career are being invited to attend an open day at the General Hospital this Saturday (13 June 2015) to consider a career as an Operating Department Practitioner, working within the operating theatres at the General Hospital.
For the first time, local funding (in conjunction with Education, Sport and Culture ) is available for people who would like to able to train as an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP), which would involve a university placement at Edge Hill University and practical work within the theatres at the General Hospital.
Those interested in this varied and challenging career are invited to come along to the open day, which will be held in the Day Surgery Unit between 9am and noon.
Dynamic environment
ODPs are important members of the operating theatre team. They work in an exciting and dynamic environment, providing care during the anaesthetic, surgical and recovery phases of a patient’s hospital treatment.
The role requires practitioners to have in-depth knowledge and skills in areas such as anatomy and physiology, illness and disease, surgical and anaesthetic procedures, legal and ethical issues and teamwork.
The training on offer will equip the students with the skills required to care for patients undergoing surgery and anaesthesia, and results in registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a qualified OPD.
In Jersey, around 15,000 surgical procedures are carried out each year in the hospital’s main theatres and Day Surgery Unit, and all of them have ODP involvement.
Advocate for the patient
Head of Theatres and the Day Surgery Unit, Judith Gindill said "The ODP role is unique. It is an opportunity to play a key role and be a real advocate for the patient before, during and after an operation. It is a technical, autonomous role and one which has great development opportunities. It is not a nursing role but we seek the same qualities: care, compassion, common sense and sensitivity."
The DSU can be accessed via the Gwyneth Huelin Wing (the Outpatients Department). Parking is available at Patriotic Street car park and there is a limited amount of disabled parking available at the top of the ramp of the Gwyneth Huelin Wing.
Find out more
If you would like to know more about becoming an ODP and cannot attend the open morning event on Saturday, you can:
Phone Judith Gindill via the Hospital switchboard on +441534 442000
Email: j.gindill2@health.gov.je
gov.je