Certificate in Cervical Screening for Healthcare Professionals
Course overview
The NHS Cervical Screening Programme guidelines set out minimum training requirements for new sample takers.
Our certificate in cervical screening for healthcare professionals is delivered by experienced practitioners and has evolved over the years to incorporate evaluation and feedback from participants.
The course consists of two days of theory, at our training centre in New Croft House, Market Street East, Newcastle, NE1 6ND, followed by clinical practice with an experienced cervical screening mentor.
The mentor will assess the environment prior to demonstrating to the trainee the correct consultation and sample taking technique with a minimum of two women.
The mentor will observe the trainee take a minimum of five samples and if they and the trainee agree the trainee is safe to proceed, 20 unsupervised samples are undertaken.
The trainee must identify a colleague nurse or doctor to provide professional support during the unsupervised samples. It is important that the professional support is on site when the women are screened, in case any difficulties should arise.
A portfolio must be completed with evidence of the training. This consists of a detailed audit of the 20 samples, an interim assessment at which the trainee must accurately identify features of five cervix, a record of visits to the local cytology laboratory and colposcopy clinic, a short test of knowledge and three reflective written pieces to demonstrate knowledge gained.
An assessment by the mentor completes the clinical element of the training. The assessment will consist of an evaluation of the quality of samples taken and observation of a minimum of three samples taken by the trainee.
This course is only available to registered nurses, nurse associates and physician associates.
Theory content
- The NHS cervical screening programme – overview
- Background to cervical screening
- Anatomy and physiology of the pelvic organs
- Practical aspects of taking cervical samples
- Workshops
- Aetiology of cervical cancer and HPV
- Colposcopy
- Cervical screening sample requests
- Understanding the test results
- Laboratory
- Equality of access to cervical screening
- Cervical screening and learning disability
- Sexually transmitted infections
- Legal and ethical issues
