Supporting Learning and Assessment in Practice

1. Supporting Learning and Assessment in Practice Edge Hill University Liverpool John Moores University University of Liverpool University of Chester

2. Aim To enable mentors to maintain and enhance their level of competence by providing an opportunity for continuing professional development in relation to their role.

3. Learning Outcomes • Debate the professional and legal responsibilities to support learning and assessment in practice. • Discuss the roles and responsibilities in supporting learning and assessment in practice. • Debate the application of assessment strategies and approved assessment processes. • Participate in group discussion to critically reflect on learning and assessment in practice (NMC 2008a).

4. NMC Code • “This Code of Conduct should be considered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s rules, standards, guidance and advice.” • “You must facilitate students and others to develop their competence.’’ • “Failure to comply with this Code of Conduct may bring your fitness to practise into question and endanger your registration.” (NMC 2008b)

5. Delegation and Supervision • “You must establish that anyone you delegate to is able to carry out your instructions.” • “You must confirm that the outcome of any delegated task meets required standards.” • “You must make sure that everyone you are responsible for is supervised and supported.” (NMC 2008b:06)

6. 1 2 3 4 Domains 5 6 7 8 Stage 1: Nurses and Midwives Five principles A B C D E Stage 2: Mentor Stage 3: Practice Teacher Stage 4: Teacher The NMC Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice The Developmental Framework

7. Responsibilities • Placement Providers: • Maintain a ‘live’ local register of mentors and practice teachers • Mentors and Practice Teachers must undergo triennial review • Meet all the Standard requirements (NMC 2008a: Annexe 1) • Map their development • Participate in an annual update • Participate in peer review regarding judgements made in the assessment process • Mentor at least two students within the three-year period

8. Due Regard • All mentors need to be on the same part or sub part of the register as that which the student intends to enter. • The mentor and student need to be in the same field of practice.

9. What is a Sign-off Mentor? The sign-off mentor is required to meet the specified criteria in order to be able to sign-off a student’s practice proficiency at the end of an NMC approved programme. (NMC 2008a)

10. Additional Criteria for Sign-off Mentors • Local register • Same part of register • Clinical currency in same field of practice • Supervision • Knowledge of current programmes • Protected time

11. Ongoing Achievement Record • “The ‘ongoing achievement record’ forms part of the assessment of practice document and needs to be of sufficient detail to enable the sign off mentor to confirm proficiency.” (NMC 2008a:69) • Nursing programmes require a sign-off mentor to confirm a student’s proficiency at the end of the final period of practice learning. • Midwifery programmes require a sign-off mentor to confirm a student’s proficiency at the end of each year. /continued

12. Ongoing Achievement Record(continued) • The NMC requires the student to consent to the sharing of the information normally within their ongoing achievement record. • The student must be kept fully informed regarding the ways in which information is intended to be shared and used. • Failure to consent is incompatible with ensuring Fitness for Practice and therefore the student would be unable to meet programme requirements. (NMC 2008a: Annexe 3)

13. Learning and Assessment in Practice • Formal Assessment Process (Preliminary within five days, intermediate and final interview) • Documentation • Essential Skills Clusters • Supporting Students’ with disabilities • Decision Making

14. Workshop Activities Group discussion

15. References • NMC (2008a) Standards to support learning and assessment in practice. 2nd Edn. London: NMC • NMC (2008b) The Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: NMC • Additional resource: www.practicebasedlearning.org/home.htm