At Ruth Lee, we are dedicated to enhancing the training experience for healthcare professionals through our innovative and realistic training manikins. In this case study, we spotlight Elizabeth Hallows, an Independent Chartered Physiotherapist and Manual Handling Trainer and Advisor, who has been utilising Ruth Lee manikins to elevate her bespoke training sessions.
Meet The Expert: Elizabeth Hallows
Elizabeth is an independent manual handling specialist, primarily working with children and adults with physical and/or learning disabilities. She provides customised training in mainstream and special schools, nurseries, respite centres, hospices, and private homes. Additionally, Elizabeth offers tailored training to healthcare professionals such as Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, and social care assessors. She also carries out manual handling assessments of people with manual handling needs, for the NHS, care providers, case managers and solicitors.
The Challenge: Bespoke Training for Unique Needs
When Elizabeth was approached by a children’s respite facility, the senior practitioners expressed that standard manual handling training did not address the specific needs of lifting and moving smaller children, especially in unique scenarios like trampolines or paddling pools. This prompted Elizabeth to design a bespoke training program that met their specific requirements.
The Solution: Incorporating Ruth Lee Manikins
To facilitate realistic and practical training, Elizabeth needed a tool that could replicate the experience of handling small children. In step our Duty Child manikins, which proved to be an ideal solution due to their varying sizes and weights, as well as, as Elizabeth puts it, their reasonable cost. These manikins allowed Elizabeth to provide hands-on training in diverse scenarios such as moving a child in and out of a bath, a ball-pool, a car, and even from a standing frame or a trampoline.
A Standout Success: Training in a Real-World Setting
One notable training session took place in the home of a child with severe cerebral palsy and bone fragility. Due to the high risk of fractures, it was agreed that using the child for demonstration would be unsafe. Instead, Elizabeth used a 5kg baby Duty manikin, enabling the support staff to practice safe handling techniques without jeopardising the child’s well-being. This session highlighted the critical role of the manikins in delivering effective and safe manual handling training.
Feedback and Future Innovations
The response from Elizabeth’s trainees has been overwhelmingly positive. Many participants in her “train-the-trainer” courses have expressed interest in acquiring our manikins for their own training programs too. Elizabeth plans to continue using these manikins, recognising their indispensable value in delivering practical and effective manual handling training tailored to the needs of small children. She said;
“I don’t know how else I could deliver practical moving and handling sessions around the needs of small children.”
Discover the Difference with Ruth Lee Manikins
Are you a healthcare professional looking to enhance your patient handling training with realistic and effective tools? We offer an extensive range of training manikins designed to meet the diverse needs of the healthcare sector. From the child-sized manikins used by Elizabeth, to specialised manikins for patient handling, emergency evacuation, and bariatric/plus sized patients, we have the perfect solution for your training requirements.
Our manikins are crafted to provide realistic and practical training experiences, ensuring that your team is well-prepared for real-world scenarios. Whether you’re training for routine patient handling, emergency situations, or working with plus-sized patients, our manikins are designed to help you deliver comprehensive and effective training.
Head to the healthcare space on our website to explore our full range of manikins, or get in touch with our friendly team to chat about your specific training needs and get a quote. We are here to help you find the best solutions to enhance your training programs and improve patient safety.
Connect with Elizabeth Hallows
To learn more about Elizabeth Hallows and her expertise in manual handling training, visit her website at elizabethhallows.co.uk. Follow her on LinkedIn for more insights and updates on best practices in manual handling.
In conclusion, Elizabeth Hallows’ use of Ruth Lee manikins exemplifies the impact of innovative training tools in healthcare. By incorporating realistic manikins, she provides bespoke and practical training that meets the unique needs of her clients, ensuring safe and effective patient handling practices.