One Minute Wonders - The Origins

One Minute Wonders are focused educational displays which contain information that can be read and absorbed in just one minute. The clinical day has frequent short, routine pauses which could allow for brief bites of medical education.  The EWTD has had an impact on training and educational opportunities during the working week should be maximised.  The One Minute Wonders have originated around this concept. 

The first One Minute Wonder board was introduced into the Emergency Department of the Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth,  UK in December 2010.  The board was positioned in the ED resus room to take advantage of time spent awaiting blood gas results (60-90seconds) and was welcomed by trainees.   The board displays were focused summaries and contained information that could be read and absorbed within a minute.  The topics of the board were related to Emergency Medicine and displays were changed weekly.    Anything could be featured – ECGs changes, XR diagnosis, new equipment information, interesting cases with discussions, a specific illness, clinical signs, differential diagnoses.  The displays were written by trainees, consultants and nurses  from  the ED. 

Following the introduction of the orginal board, other boards were set up in different departments, specialties and Hospitals that similarly had areas where clinical teams would regularly pause and have the opportunity to read a bite of medical education. Examples included by the kettle in the coffee room, hand over room, where theatre notes were written, where discharge summaries are completed.  Departments hosting boards would share topics between sites resulting in the development of the OMW archive.

Project journal publication

Rowlinson, J. The One Minute Wonder Network The Clinical Teacher 2014;11(5):332-335

Benefits of OMW Boards

The boards are a novel opportunity to provide education, training and CPD to an entire team.  Authors feel they consolidate their knowledge researching and designing a OMW.  The boards can also help with clinical governance, communicating audit recommendations, patient safety alerts, new equipment updates, new guidelines, new services, induction and welcoming of new team members.  Introducing and hosting a board also provides an opportunity to be involved with a  management and medical education project.   

Project awards

- The OMW network was awarded the 2012 Wessex Deanery Notable Practice Educational Quality Award for Innovation.
- First poster prize 6th Annual Wessex Medical Education Conference 2011.