Module - Sperm Processing and Cryopreservation (SLS337)
STP
Clinical experiential learning is the range of activities trainees may undertake in order to gain the experience and evidence to demonstrate their achievement of module competencies and assessments. The list is not definitive or mandatory, but training officers should ensure, as best training practice, that trainees gain as many of these clinical experiences as possible. They should be included in training plans, and once undertaken they should support the completion of module assessments and competencies within the e-portfolio.
Clinical experiential learning
- Attend clinical appointments to gain experience of the clinical presentation of males requiring fertility preservation (with the permission of patients). Evaluate your experience in terms of both the clinical presentation and patient experience/needs and discuss with your supervisor.
- Visit at least two external referring-sites to review the different clinical settings experienced by patients attending the fertility preservation service. Reflect on your experience in terms of the differentiation between them and consider how this influences your future practice. Discuss the clinical effects with the team at these sites and evaluate with your supervisor.
- Visit an IVF laboratory (other than your own if you are based within one) and discuss their approach to sperm processing.
- Attend appointments at all stages (if possible) of the sperm donor pathway (with the permission of donors). Gain awareness of the processes faced by a sperm donor. Evaluate your experience in terms of both the clinical decisions and donor experience/needs with particular reference to requirements the donor may have for counselling. Discuss with your supervisor and the local BICA-accredited counsellor.
- Review patients’ notes where donated gametes have been used. Review and discuss the patient pathway, including why donor gametes were required, the counselling and consent process. Consider from both the specialist and patient perspectives. All of these experiences should be recorded in your e-portfolio. The following section details the competence and knowledge and understanding trainees must gain. Each competence is linked to the relevant learning outcomes and trainees must demonstrate achievement of each competence for each linked learning outcome.
- Shadow a donor insemination pathway to gain awareness of the clinical situations in which the treatment is used, the monitoring undertaken and patient safety considerations (with the permission of patients where relevant).
- Participate in audits to gain experience of the statutory and regulatory requirements of cryopreservation, including the review of patients with stored material, consent checking, funding streams and any associated financial transactions. Reflect on the importance of audits to comply with regulation and to inform patients of their choices with respect to continued storage. The quality of the process and the importance/options/action.
- Select one case discussion and review in more detail, following patient/donor progress and actual/potential outcomes, to include the clinical presentation, options considered, treatment provided and patient engagement and experience in the process.
- Compare advantages and disadvantages of electronic versus manual witnessing procedures, understanding their limitations and discuss your findings and conclusions with your supervisor.