LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf Hospital of the Heinrich-Heine University ...

4.2.5 Institute for Clinical Behaviour Therapy
Department of Behaviour Therapy and Institute
of Clinical Behaviour Therapy (IKV) at the LVR-
Klinikum Düsseldorf – Hospital of the Heinrich-
Heine University Düsseldorf
Director: W. Gaebel
Executive Director: W. H. Strauß
The establishment of a behaviour therapy outpatient unit
and the Institute of Clinical Behaviour Therapy was intended
to assist the integration of behaviour therapy research
projects into the training and continuing education of
psychologists and medical doctors and into patient therapy.
Training and continuing education schemes for employees of
the hospital and other hospitals (including case supervision
and self-awareness training in behaviour therapy) have since
been regularly conducted.
Following years of negotiation with the Landschaftsverband
Rhineland and subsequently the relevant public authority
(the Landesprüfungsamt), the Institute succeeded in
February 2006 in obtaining the official certificate which
allows it to train graduate psychologists who want to go into
general practice. In April 2007, the first course to prepare
psychologists for the state examination in psychological
psychotherapy started with 12 candidates who subsequently,
as part of their training-related activities in the hospital,
significantly extended the Klinikum’s behaviour therapy
range for outpatients and inpatients. Lecturers of the
Institute conducted the training and supervision of the
candidate therapists, also involving them in several studies
which investigated the effectiveness of psychotherapy
approaches for people with alcohol dependence (PASTA and
PITA studies) and persons suffering from schizophrenia
(first-episode study, PREVENT study).
Lecturers of the Institute also organised several national
and international workshops and symposiums. Examples:
s Behaviour therapy in the treatment of persons suffering
from schizophrenia (DGPPN seminars Berlin, 2001,
2002, 2003, Strauss & Conradt, Therapy of Persons with
First-Episode Schizophrenia 2004, 2005, 2006, Conradt)
s Efficacy of Behaviour Therapy in People with Alcohol Dependence
(EABCT-Congress Manchester 2004, Thessaloniki
2005, Oxford 2006, Strauß)
s Efficacy of Behaviour Therapy in People with Schizophrenia
(EABCT-Congress Thessaloniki 2005, Strauß & Conradt)
4.2.6 Internal Continuing Education Courses
Director: Claudia Reichmann
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The Internal Continuing Education scheme (IBF) of the LVR-
Klinikum Düsseldorf has continuously increased its range of
activities over the past ten years. Many of today’s continuing
education courses are structured as cross-occupational
events, strengthening multiprofessional cooperation.
The courses are furthermore designed not only to assist
members of staff in their professional development, but
also to improve the general health of the workforce, thus
becoming an integral element of the human resources
management and structural development policy.
The IBF is conceptually based on existing legal requirements
and economic considerations, new insights from nursing
theory and related academic fields, the continuing
education needs of the Klinikum’s staff and the objectives
of the Executive Board. The curriculum makes clear
which of the courses are compulsory for whom and which
courses have been specifically organised for certain subgroups
and sub-divisions. The paramount objective of
internal continuing education is to give the employees the
opportunity of strengthening and expanding their technical,
methodological, social and personal skills. The IBF at the
LVR-Klinikum Düsseldorf concentrates on:
s Teaching the students how and when (appropriate to
the situation) to apply the methods and techniques that
comply with the principles of modern nursing theory
and related academic fields
s Implementation, reinforcement and evaluation of nursing
concepts, nursing standards and new working methods.
Key concepts: assessment process, nursing records,
national professional standards, therapeutic
group sessions
s Provision of advice to other members of staff concerning
the resolution of complex patient problems and the
implementation of new concepts and methods
s Development of leadership skills, for example through
update training sessions for experienced ward managers
s Provision of advice and support to “influencers”
The continuing education courses are listed in an annual
programme, evaluated and – if necessary, on short
notice – adjusted in line with current requirements. They
aim to provide members of the nursing staff with the
knowledge, skills and behaviour patterns that are required
for certain, particularly complex nursing tasks. The LVR-
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