Position overview

Canberra Health Services (CHS) is focussed on the delivery of high quality, effective, person-centred care. We provide acute, sub-acute, primary and community‐based health services, to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and surrounding regions. More information can be found on the CHS website.

The Division of Surgery is responsible for delivering inpatient and outpatient surgical services to the ACT and surrounding region. The Division includes surgical specialties, the ACT Trauma Service, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Capital Region Retrieval Service, the Trauma and Orthopaedic Research Unit and the Pain Management Unit. These Units are supported by administration support officers.

The Canberra Hospital ICU, with annual admission rate of 2500 to 2800 patients, holds unlimited accreditation with the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) of Australia and New Zealand for training in intensive care medicine and has advanced trainees providing after-hours cover. The unit meets all College requirements for training in Neurosurgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery and Trauma. The unit has a strong commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate education and clinical research offering excellent opportunities for clinicians to engage in high-quality academic activities.

The Education & Simulation Post Graduate Fellow (PGF) position is designed for a candidate with a strong interest in medical education, simulation-based training and critical care workforce development. This role provides an opportunity to develop advanced skills in clinical teaching, curriculum development, simulation facilitation and multidisciplinary education within a high-performing tertiary ICU environment.

The PGF will play a key role in the design, delivery, and evaluation of simulation-based education within the ICU and across the broader hospital environment. A core responsibility of the role is to collaborate with Junior Medical Officers (JMOs) to develop simulation scenarios that are responsive to identified educational needs and feedback. This ensures the ongoing relevance and effectiveness of the simulation programme.

Applicants should ideally demonstrate prior experience in simulation-based education, particularly in facilitating structured debriefing sessions. Formal training or certification in simulation debriefing methodologies is highly desirable.

At six months into the role, the PGF is expected to demonstrate the ability to independently design, facilitate, and lead simulation sessions, including conducting high-quality debriefing. The role will allow the candidate to develop higher skills in the field of education and simulation-based training and will support candidates in fulfilling the clinical and non-clinical skills and experience required to hold the education and simulation portfolio in intensive care. The PGF will be rostered as part of the specialist clinical roster and will have support and supervision to mature in that role. The role will have protected education/simulation component and will be expected to report to the ICU leadership team.

Our simulation service is supported by a well-equipped, dedicated simulation facility, including high-fidelity manikins and equipment capable of delivering advanced clinical scenarios. These include Advanced Life Support (ALS), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), Cardiac Advanced Life Support (CALS), cardiac pacing, and echocardiography-based simulations.

The position offers significant opportunities for professional development in the field of clinical simulation. The PGF will have access to a comprehensive suite of in-house training resources, including the NHET Simulation Modules (C2, S3, S9, and S10), and opportunities to engage with a broader network of simulation practitioners. The organisation conducts formal simulation facilitation training courses provided to enhance simulation-based training activities and has a learning and teaching strategy framework which is endorsed by the CHS executive committee.

The successful applicant will be expected to contribute to activities such as leading and coordinating the JMO education program (including morning teaching, journal club, grand rounds, MET reviews and simulation sessions), contributing to multidisciplinary simulation activities, assisting with trainee CICM examination preparation, facilitating local delivery of courses such as BASIC, beyond BASIC, Canberra ICU Course, Canberra Airway Course, Introduction to Procedures in Acute Care (IPAC) and Canberra Critical Care Echo Course.

Applications must be submitted through the e-recruitment system. Applications must include a copy of a current resumé, and a response to the key selection criteria (detailed further below). Where possible include specific relevant examples of your work.

Key responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide competent and efficient clinical management of patients in Canberra Hospital under the supervision and direction of Specialist Medical Practitioners, including acute admissions, in-patient care and procedures relevant to the practice of Intensive Care, attendance and participation in the ICU Medical Emergency Team and ICU referral service, inter-disciplinary consults, and clinical handover.
• Participate in the supervision, training and professional development of ICU junior medical staff, nursing staff, allied health staff and medical students.
• Communicate professionally and effectively with patients, families, and other team members across and outside CHS, work within and support the multidisciplinary clinical team.
• Participate in the consultant roster which includes on-call responsibilities.
• During protected roster time, undertake educational scholarship, quality improvement projects and simulation research in collaboration with ICU and other stakeholders in Canberra Health Services, Australian National University (ANU) and affiliated critical care departments.
• Utilise the available resources in the CHS Learning and Teaching Strategy to enhance the education and simulation-based training programs in the ICU.
• Comply with the policies and requirements of the Medical Board of Australia and the policies of CHS. This includes the promotion and application of workplace relations, workplace equity and diversity, workplace safety, and completion of mandatory training.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

About you

CHS is committed to workforce diversity and to creating an inclusive workplace. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from all diversity groups. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ are particularly encouraged to apply.

Competencies

• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet patients’ needs
• Displays critical thinking skills and forms sound conclusions based on evidence and sound judgement
• Effective communication skills and the ability to develop and maintain networks across Canberra Health Services and with external parties
• Ability to work within multi-disciplinary and management teams and adapt quickly to a changing environment
• Experience in the practice of Intensive Care Medicine
• Strong organisational skills with a high degree of drive
• Good understanding of the principles of quality and safety to deliver exceptional care

Qualifications

Essential

• Registration or eligible for registration as a specialist with the Australian Health Practitioner’s Regulation Agency (AHPRA), with no conditions, undertakings or reprimands.
• Fellowship of the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) of Australia and New Zealand or in process of receiving the admission to fellowship after completion of CICM part 2 exam, college project, required clinical time and all the prescribed courses, learning packages and workplace-based assessment with demonstrated competency in ICU-related invasive procedures.
• Current adult advanced life support certification.
• Recency with Certificate of Good Clinical Practice certification.
• Demonstrated learning and teaching experience in a tertiary ICU
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, lead and supervise teaching and learning.
• Demonstrated well-developed communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and provide leadership where required.

Desirable

• Formal training or certification in simulation and debriefing methodologies.
• Demonstrated commitment to the maintenance and further development of skills applicable to the area of Intensive Care, including involvement in education and simulation-based training.
• Demonstrated understanding of how the National Standards and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks.

Please note prior to commencement, successful candidates will be required to:

• Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.
• Comply with all relevant clinical and/or competency standards.
• Be available for weekend and/or after-hours work.
• Approval for second job will need to be submitted annually. Commitment to second job must not impact on the agreed clinical duties of the specialist at Canberra Hospital.
• Adherence to agreed attendance hours including agreement to annual job planning for clinical operational requirements is required.
• It is expected that the successful applicant will have a track record as a successful member of a clinical team and demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching at all levels including medical, nursing and allied health professional staff and students. There is opportunity to be involved in teaching at the Australian National University Medical School.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you require (key selection criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé, experience and referee reports.

1. Demonstrated commitment to the maintenance and further development of skills applicable to the area of Intensive Care Medicine.
2. Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and provide leadership where required.
3. Demonstrated commitment to teaching at all levels, including medical, nursing, allied health, scientific, postgraduate and undergraduates
4. Demonstrated commitment to quality & safety and experience in QA & QI activities
5. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health, and safety (WH&S) and a positive patient experience. Displays’ behavior consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful, and kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.