Karolinska Institutet has launched a new commissioned training programme in plaster casting techniques at Danderyd Hospital. The programme, which comprises 15 higher education credits, is designed to provide participants with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills required to work independently and safely with patients undergoing plaster casting treatment.
Monday 5 October marked the launch of KI’s new commissioned training programme in plaster casting. The programme is being delivered at Danderyd Hospital and is the first university-level programme of its kind in Stockholm. It has been developed in response to a clear need for consistent and quality-assured expertise in plaster casting.
Training focused on everyday clinical practice
The programme has been developed to reflect clinical reality closely and provide participants with knowledge that can be applied directly in their day-to-day work. The course comprises seven modules in which theory is combined with practical skills training. Among other things, participants will delve into anatomy, orthopaedic and hand surgery injuries, acute orthopaedics, wound care, dressing techniques, and various types of plaster casts and orthoses.
Photo: Malin Wirf
“We have really tried to refine the training programme and focus the content on what a plaster technician needs to know. By the end of the course, participants should feel confident in their professional role and be able to return to their workplace with a high level of clinical competence that contributes to safe patient care,” says plaster technician Marianne Brozin Larsson.
An important part of the training is for participants to learn to work independently with various plaster materials, support bandages and orthoses. They are also trained to identify and prevent complications associated with plaster treatment. Patient safety, hygiene, the working environment and personalised communication with patients are recurring themes throughout the course.
“Applying a plaster cast involves much more than just the technical skill itself. You need to understand the injury, the anatomy and the biomechanics, and be able to assess risks and spot when something is not quite right. It is this holistic understanding that we want to give the participants,” says Rickard Lindblom, who is also a plaster cast technician.
Several professions contribute to the teaching
Photo: Andrea Herslow
Teaching is delivered by a multi-professional teaching team comprising, amongst others, experienced plaster cast technicians, orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses. This allows participants to encounter a range of different perspectives on both treatment and patient care.
The training also covers sustainability and the work environment, including material choices and methods that reduce environmental impact. Participants learn to work with various plaster materials and choose the right method based on the patient’s needs.
Photo: Malin Wirf
“We are now at the end of the first week, and the start has been intensive, educational and enjoyable. One of the strengths of the programme is that there is a high teacher-to-student ratio, theory is combined with plenty of practical work, and we learn to apply plaster using different types of materials, from lime plaster to eco-friendly plaster. It is clear that you have really thought the programme through,” says Rada Motpan, one of the participants in the course.
High quality and improved patient safety
There is a great need for trained plaster technicians in Sweden and the rest of the Nordic region. When the programme in Lund was discontinued, a need for training arose that still remains, even after the programme restarted there. KI’s programme has therefore been developed to help secure skills supply in the field.
With the first intake now underway, the aim is to create a programme that not only awards higher education credits but, above all, makes a tangible difference in healthcare settings.
Photo: Johan Adelsjö
“For us, what matters most is what participants know when they leave the course. They should take that knowledge straight back to their workplace and contribute to both high quality and improved patient safety,” says Professor Olof Sköldenberg , at the Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital , and course examiner.
Facts
Why the programme was launched
There is a great need for trained plaster cast technicians in Sweden and the rest of the Nordic region. When the programme in Lund was discontinued, a clear need for training arose, which remains even now that the programme has restarted.
KI therefore launched a 15-credit commissioned programme at Danderyd Hospital, focusing on the knowledge and practical skills required to work safely and ensure patient safety as a plaster cast technician. The programme is delivered both on-site and via distance learning, combining theory with practical training. It concludes with a theoretical and practical examination.
This is what participants will be working with
During the course, participants will learn to work with a range of materials and techniques in modern plaster casting:
- Lime plaster – the traditional plaster material, which is easy to mould and still plays an important role in orthopaedics.
- Synthetic plaster – modern synthetic materials that are lightweight, durable and used for many different types of immobilisation.
- More environmentally friendly plaster materials – materials and methods focused on reducing environmental impact and creating a better working environment for both staff and patients.
- Support bandages and orthoses – used to stabilise, relieve pressure or control movement without always completely immobilising the limb.
- Functional bandages – dressings that provide support whilst allowing some function and movement to be maintained.
- Specialised plaster casts (including total contact casts) – used in specific conditions where the load needs to be distributed very carefully.
The training is not just about being able to apply the materials. Participants are also trained to select the right method for the right patient, prevent complications and assess when a treatment needs to be adjusted or followed up.
