Testimonials

“

Outstanding Performance has unfailingly come up with the goodies over the just over thirteen year history of the Rural Medical Immersion Programme of the Otago Medical School. Janine has consistently provided well trained actors who understand the assessment process we engage them for. They act out and interpret a variety of short clinical scenarios, repeating them faultlessly for each examination candidate in our seven teaching centres. What is remarkable is their ability to stay in role and deliver consistent performances in the face of multiple students, each with different approaches to the same scenario, truly an art. It is a pleasure to work with them.

Dr Branko Sijnja

Director Rural Medical Immersion Programme Otago Medical School

“

We have been working with Janine and her team of actors at Outstanding Performance for quite a few years and continue to be impressed with their amazing communication, collaboration, and professionalism. The actors who provide us with standardised patients for our OSCE’s are adaptable and provide realistic encounters for our post-graduate students at AUT. I have nothing but positive things to say about Janine Knowles and Outstanding performance.

Dr Julie Blamires

Nursing Lecturer AUT

“

...The actors that work with us are extremely talented, taking on complex and emotionally demanding roles. They are reliable, accommodating and always well prepared. Their capacity to deliver a valid learning experience whilst focussing on the part they are playing is an important reason why we continue to work with Outstanding Performance. We consider them to be our partners in delivering each session....

Mr John Dean

Lecturer/Pukenga (Clinical Skills) Simulation Centre, University of Otago

“

Janine has been excellent in recruiting well-briefed actors in our six locations around the country and our task is always made easier, as we can rely on Janine to deliver our needs every time!”

Dr John Hillock (MBChB. FRNZCGP)

Rural Medical Immersion Programme

Case Study 1:

Simulation Centre, University of Otago

We have worked with our colleagues in Outstanding Performance for 10 years. In that time we have involved their actors in a number of challenging learning situations including preparing patients for discharge from hospital to the care of their family and primary health care team, discussing serious illness with patients and working with dying patients.

The actors that work with us are extremely talented, taking on complex and emotionally demanding roles. They are reliable, accommodating and always well prepared. Their capacity to deliver a valid learning experience whilst focussing on the part they are playing is an important reason why we continue to work with Outstanding Performance. We consider them to be our partners in delivering each session.

The value to our students cannot be overstated. The alternative would be to either use lifeless mannequins or to try these skills out for the first time on real patients with the potential for considerable harm to patients, families and clinicians. Student and faculty evaluate these sessions very positively and acknowledge the important contribution of the actors to their clinical skills development.

Outstanding Performance has been extremely adaptable to our changing requirements. During the Covid-19 level 3 restrictions we had to switch a lot of our teaching from face-to-face to Zoom delivery. This required considerable change for the actors involved. The sessions ran well.
We value the emotional honesty of the actors and the integrity that means our students have a challenging but safe learning experience. They adhere to our policies on confidentiality and reflect our values of providing an excellent learning experience for our students. We meet with Janine at least annually to discuss the coming year’s programme and any changes we may be considering.

Mr John Dean | RN, BA (Open), PG Cert. Nursing
Lecturer/Pukenga (Clinical Skills)
Simulation Centre
University of Otago, Christchurch | Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo ki Ōtautahi

Case Study 2:

Academic Leadership Development Programme, University of Otago

Outstanding Performance provides the opportunity for University staff in management and leadership roles to work in groups with professional actors using role play conversations to practice and develop listening and communication skills. Workshops are generally oversubscribed because of the reputation that has been generated over time through word of mouth.

People who attended the workshops comment that they went away with:

- Increased confidence; “I left the workshop with phrases and responses that I could use to in my daily work”

- New insights; “I had not appreciated that how I respond to and talk with other people might be perceived by them in a way that I had not intended”

- New skills; “I have learnt that paying attention to the way in which I stand, breathe and how quickly I talk, all have an effect on building relationships with other people and that affects how we work together to get the best outcomes”

Dr Alison Stewart
Head of Academic Leadership Development Programme
University of Otago