Faculty of Health Sciences
Practice Learning Handbook
2013 Curriculum
Academic Year 2014-2015
CONTENTS:
Page
Number
INTRODUCTION &
PLACEMENT STRATEGY
2-8
SECTION 1 : BEFORE YOU START YOUR PLACEMENT
9 - 11
SECTION 2 : DURING YOUR PLACEMENT
12 - 18
SECTION 3 : AFTER YOUR PLACEMENT
18 - 20
APPENDIX 1
Inter Professional Education whilst in placement
APPENDIX 2
Principles for Placement Experience
APPENDIX 3
Learning Outcomes
APPENDIX 4
Practice Learning Preparation Checklist
APPENDIX 5
Setting Learning Objectives
APPENDIX 6
European Directives and exposure to other fields of
practice
APPENDIX 7
Uniform Policy
APPENDIX 8
Mentor definition
APPENDIX 9
Placement Charter
APPENDIX 10
Management of appeals related to clinical practice
APPENDIX 11
Students awaiting the outcome of an appeal against
assessment failure in Clinical Practice
APPENDIX 12
Student complaints related to placements/practice
1
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Staffordshire University and the Faculty of Health Sciences. We
want your learning experience with us to be an enjoyable and fulfilling one.
Our aim is to provide you with a quality higher education that enables the
integration of theory and practice for delivering nursing care. Nursing is about
engaging in human experience. These experiences involve thinking, acting
and feeling, and as such, knowledge (cognitive), skill (behaviour), and
attitudinal aspects of care are all equally important. Situated learning is
designed to bring together the cognitive, attitudinal and experiential aspects of
learning that facilitate professionalism. It bridges the gap between knowing
what and knowing how by embedding learning in authentic activities (Steinert
2009). This is discussed in your programme handbook and also links to the
Assessment of Practice Learning Record (which incorporates your
Ongoing Achievement Record). This outlines and records your practice
competencies and skills as you progress through the award.
We want you to be a practitioner who will provide care that creates a sense of
security, continuity, belonging, purpose, achievement and significance - for
patients, carers, students and staff (Nolan et al 2006). The care that you
provide will involve enhancing the lives of those you care for and their
significant others, with an emphasis on enabling people to flourish, to feel as
well as they can, and to function to the best of their ability (Keyes and Haidt
2003).
In tandem with this, some of the nursing theories that you will be exposed to
such as Swanson’s Caring Theory (Swanson 1991) provide a focus to enable
you to explain links between theory and practice, caring processes and patient
wellbeing. This caring theory postulates that nurses need to demonstrate that
caring about patients is as important as caring for them.
Throughout your practice experience, we also encourage you to adopt a
holistic approach to nursing care by exploring the concept of evidence-based
nursing practice that allows for critique and interpretation of evidence obtained
from inquiry guided by ethical, personal, aesthetic, and empirical theories.
The need for you as a student to be aware of the inter-relatedness of physical
and mental health is paramount in practice. Thorough assessments of the
physical health condition of individuals with mental health challenges are
increasingly required to maximise mental health. Conversely: when assessing
physical health in patients attention is required to gauge the mental health
status of such individuals.
2
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
Learning in practice accounts for 50% of your Award. This enables you to
meet the professional requirements for registration, and to pursue a wide
range of activities to meet personal, educational and professional learning
needs within clinical practice environments.
You will work with a range of other professionals in practice, and this is an
ideal time to collaborate with and learn from these people. Indeed, part of the
core competencies outlined by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC, 2010)
requires you to demonstrate aspects of this within team working and
Interprofessional Education. Some of these ideas and strategies are outlined
in Appendix 1.
This handbook has been designed to help you gain the most from the practice
learning experiences during your placements. You should use it as a support
document for the beginning of each placement and consult it if any placement
queries arise.
It sets out principles, guidelines and protocols that promote a high quality
learning experience in placements throughout the award. These are based on
best practice advised from the NMC and Higher Education agencies.
The document contains the overall Placement Strategy and 3 sections, which
focus on what happens;
Before, during and after your placement experience. Each section
addresses questions that are frequently asked by students.
3
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
PLACEMENT STRATEGY
Setting it in Context
Placements for your award are spread across Shropshire and Staffordshire,
which are two large counties incorporating rural and urban localities.
Placements can include partner NHS trusts, the independent sector and a
range of voluntary services and social provision. There is a continuing trend
nationally for shorter stays in hospital and institution settings and movement of
care closer to home. Care is increasingly being shared between health and
social care agencies. Changes and reconfigurations of health service
provision result in fluctuations in the available number of placement
allocations, sometimes at short notice. This will have a direct impact on our
placement strategy. Two significant projects are currently in progress:
1. Expansion of placement numbers within the independent sector and
continuing healthcare teams.
2. Inclusion of GP practices within the placement circuit.
The strategy is continually under review to ensure you have exposure to a
relevant breadth of learning opportunities that will contribute to you gaining the
knowledge, skills and attitude to practice in a caring, compassionate,
confident and competent manner.
When putting this strategy into place the following points are taken into
account:
 The NMC require you to complete a total of 4600 hours by the end of
this award.

Half of this time has to be achieved in placement (2300 hours), and half
in theory. Theory and practice are linked throughout the award. What
you learn in practice is essential for your academic studies, and what
you learn in theory is necessary for your practice.

Your progress and attendance in placements is supported, monitored
and assessed by trained Mentors. These are staff who have undergone
a Mentorship Programme to enable them to engage with you about
your learning and to support you in this, as well as to teach and assess
you fairly and rigorously in clinical practice.

There are a total of 8 Practice Learning Periods (PLP) within the 3
years. A Practice Learning Period may include more than one
placement area. You will be provided with a Placement Preparation
session before each PLP starts.

During each PLP you will attend a number of Skills Acquisition for
Excellence (SAfE) days which are part of your theory modules. These
offer time for you to learn clinical skills in simulated scenarios.
4
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon

There will also be an opportunity for you to access your Personal Tutor
for continuing support throughout your placement time, and indeed you
will need to have tutorials with your personal tutor following each
placement to review your Assessment of Practice Record.

There are 6 NHS partner trusts involving hospital and community
settings providing approximately 320 possible allocations.

There are a number of independent sector organisations providing
placements e.g. nursing homes providing approximately 30 possible
allocations.

ALL students must follow the relevant Trust/Organisation Health
and Safety and other policies

There are approximately 2,000 mentors eligible to supervise you in
practice.
The following tables give you a field specific (adult, mental health or child)
picture of how your placement pathway will look. The aim is that 50% of
placement time will be in community settings.
Table1:
Adult Placement Pathway
Practice
Learning
Period
Number of
weeks
Possible Allocation
9 weeks, 317.5 hours
Care closer to Home or Independent
Sector or Community
Acute care settings
Focus- assisting with direct nursing
care
1 x 9-week placement (includes taster
week from block)
Care closer to Home
or Independent sector or
Community hospital
Acute Care settings
Focus- assisting with direct nursing
care
1 x 8-week placement
Care closer to Home or Independent
sector or Community hospital
or
Acute/High dependency
Focus- assisting with direct nursing
care
1 x 8-week placement
1
8 weeks, 280 hours
2
3
8 weeks, 300 hours
Progression point 1
assessment
5
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
8 weeks, 285 hours
Care closer to Home
or
Acute or
High dependency
Focus –Caring for the individual
1 x 8-week placement
Care closer to Home
or
Acute
or
Independent Sector or
Community Hospital or
High dependency
Focus –Caring for the individual
1 x 8-week placement
Care closer to Home
or
Acute/High dependency
Focus –Caring for the individual
1 x 8-week placement
Care closer to Home
or acute or
Independent Sector or
High dependency (all 1st 8 weeks)
4 weeks Elective plus
2 weeks negotiated AL
Focus- Leadership and managing
client groups
Care closer to Home
or
Acute/High dependency
Focus- Leadership and managing
client groups
1 x 12 week placement
4
8 weeks, 285 hours
5
6
8 weeks, 300 hours
Progression point 2
assessment
14 weeks, 425 hours
7
12 weeks, 450 hours
8
Year 3 competency
Entry to the Register
Table 2: Mental Health Placement Pathway
Practice
Learning
Period
1
Number of
weeks
Possible Allocation
9 weeks 317.5 hours
Secondary care settings
(Functional/organic in-patient wards)
Focus- assisting with direct nursing care
1 x 9-week placement(includes taster
week from block)
6
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
8 weeks,280 hours
Secondary care settings/
(Functional/organic in-patient wards)
Focus- assisting with direct nursing care
1 x 8-week placement
8 weeks, 300 hours
Progression point 1
assessment
Primary care
(Community – balance of
functional/organic with PLP1 and PLP2)
Focus- assisting with direct nursing care
1 x 8-week placement
8 weeks, 285 hours
Secondary care
(Acute/rehabilitation/organic in-patient or
community settings)
Focus –Recovery (caring for the
individual)
1 x 8-week placement
Secondary care
(Acute/rehabilitation/organic in-patient or
community settings)
Focus – Wider context of servicesvoluntary/non-statutory services (caring
for the individual)
Student to organise a voluntary
placement to spend 4 hours per week,
to be agreed with the module team &
PLP5 mentor
Secondary care
(Acute/rehabilitation/organic in-patient
settings – balance in-patient/community
with PLP4)
Focus –Psychological interventions
(caring for the individual)
1 x 8-week placement
Specialist services or rehabilitation
settings
1x 8 week placement (1st 8 weeks)
(to have a specialist placement in either
7 or 8)
Focus- Psychological support
(leadership and managing client groups)
4 weeks- elective
2 weeks negotiated AL
Specialist services or rehabilitation
settings
(to have a specialist placement in either
7 or 8)
Focus- Psychological support
(leadership and managing client groups)
1 x 12-week placement
2
3
4
8 weeks, 285 hours
5
8 weeks, 300 hours
6
Progression point 2
assessment
14 weeks, 425 hours
7
8
12 weeks, 450 hours
Year 3 competency
Entry to the register
7
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
Table 3: Child Placement Pathway: Family Centred Care
Practice
Learning
Period
Number of
weeks
Possible Allocation
9 weeks,317.5 hours
Child in the community
Focus- assisting with direct nursing care
1
8 weeks, 280 hours
2
3
8 weeks, 300 hours
Progression point 1
assessment
8 weeks, 285 hours
4
8 weeks, 285 hours
5
8 weeks, 300 hours
6
Progression point 2
assessment
14 weeks, 425 hours
7
12 weeks, 450 hours
8
Entry to the register
8 weeks Health Visitor or
School Health Advisor/Nurse
(includes taster week to Children’s
ward)
Experience of child and maternity care
Focus- assisting with direct nursing care
4 weeks Maternity Care
4 weeks Children’s Ward(includes taster
week from block)
Children’s Ward
Focus- assisting with direct nursing care
Unscheduled care
Focus –Caring for the individual
4 weeks A & E
4 weeks Neonatal Unit/Children’s ward
Focus –Caring for the individual
Students to experience 2 from below list
(4 weeks each allocation)
Community Children’s Nurses,
Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Services CAMHS, Hospice,
Specialist paediatric nurses,
Children’s ward/Day surgery
Children’s ward/Neonatal unit/Children’s
Hospice
Focus –Caring for the individual
Focus- Leadership and managing client
groups
8 week placement as 5 but allocation to
2 different areas (1st 8 weeks)
4 weeks elective
2 weeks negotiated AL
Children’s Ward
Focus- Leadership and managing client
groups
8
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
SECTION 1
BEFORE YOU START YOUR PLACEMENT

Where are the placements?
The Faculty has a large placement circuit of over 300 practice areas covering
Shropshire and Staffordshire NHS Trusts and several independent sector
organisations. You are expected to have experience in a broad range of
areas, regardless of your base, to prepare you to work in a variety of
healthcare settings. This means it will be necessary for you to travel,
sometimes long distances, on routes that are not frequently served by public
transport. You therefore need to consider how you can ensure your punctual
and regular attendance in such placements. You can access travel
information on www.travelinemidlands.co.uk web site.
Placements are planned to provide you with experiences which reflect the
varied communities and situations in which healthcare professionals work.
The majority of health care is no longer delivered in acute hospitals but is in
the community and the independent sector, and hence your placements will
help prepare you to be employed in any of these settings. This includes
nursing homes, private hospitals, community facilities, hospitals and prisons.

Will the placement provide me with a good learning experience?
All placements have an agreed set of standards and minimum requirements to
ensure that the quality of your practice learning experience is maintained. All
placements are subject to an annual educational audit to ensure that these
standards are being met. In order to be accepted as a student training area,
the placement must provide evidence that they can appropriately supervise
students, offer relevant education and rigorous assessment.

How do I know where my placement is?
The Placements Allocation Team provides you with advance notice of your
allocated placement. This will include the allocation area (name of
department/team) and the address and/or name of the Trust, where
appropriate. If you have any specific queries about a placement prior to
starting you should speak to the relevant Placement Lead.
9
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
PLACEMENT LEADS
Kay Tufft
[email protected]
Adult Placements Shropshire
Justina Blinston
[email protected]
Adult Placements Staffordshire
Fiona Phipps
[email protected]
Community Placements Staffordshire
Andrea Wright
[email protected]
Community Placements Shropshire
Louise Bouic
[email protected]
Mental Health Placements
Mary Stringer
[email protected]
Child Placements
DonnaDoherty
[email protected]
Independent Sector Placements
Helen Ashwood
[email protected]

How long will my placement be?
The previous tables show the 8 practice learning periods that make up your
Placement Pathway for your award. Each practice learning period shows the
number of weeks (including total required) you will be allocated, and the type
of area to which you will be allocated.
Negotiated elective placements in the third year (a 4 week period as part of
placement period 7) enable you to develop your clinical skills in a local,
national or international environment of your choice relevant to your field of
practice.
All placements should provide you with the opportunity to experience the inter
relatedness of care with people’s physical, mental, and social circumstances.
This will be reiterated throughout the programme, and although placements
are divided into distinct periods you will find that you learn skills, attitudes,
behaviours and strategies in one area that are transferrable to other areas of
practice.
10
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon

What hours will I be expected to be in placement?
You should read Appendix 2 “Principles for Placement Experience” for full
details of hours, Bank Holidays and Flexible hours in placement.
Recommendations from the Government and Professional Regulatory Bodies
require that you experience the full 24 hour a day, 7 day a week nature of
health care and that placements are long enough to allow you to achieve the
stated learning outcomes (Appendix 3). This means that you must prepare
yourself to work the full range of shift patterns (including nights) across all 7
days of the week. Tables 1 - 3 (above) show you the number of hours you will
be required to be in placement during each practice learning period.
All professionally approved awards need you to meet statutory requirements
e.g. number of hours in practice. An attendance policy (see your Award
Handbook) is therefore in operation and you must complete and have your
attendance verified in your Assessment of Practice Learning Record. You will
need to make an appointment with your Personal Tutor after each practice
learning period so they can monitor and support you in relation to your
performance, progression and attendance.

What do I need to do before going on placement?
You need to:
1. Attend the Practice Learning Preparation session prior to each practice
learning period (see Appendix 4). If you already have experience in
healthcare you may choose to make an APEL (Accreditation of Prior
Experiential Learning) claim for exemption from some placement days.
You can enquire about this at the General Office on either Faculty site.
2. Contact your allocated placement area to introduce yourself, find out
your mentor’s name and access your off duty rota/shifts – which
should be the same as your mentor’s for at least 40% of the time.
3. Ensure you can make travel arrangements to arrive promptly for duty.
Visit www.travelinemidlands.co.uk.
4. If you are in receipt of an NHS Bursary, you have certain entitlements
to claim back travel expenses, or to stay in temporary accommodation
whilst on placement. For further details of the entitlements, please go
to http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Documents/Students/FAQ_14_0612.pdf
5. Spend some thinking about what you wish to gain/learn from the
experience – this is discussed in appendix 10 under ‘setting learning
objectives’ and also in section 2 of this document.
11
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
SECTION 2:
DURING YOUR PLACEMENT
 What will I learn?
Whilst in placement you will be supported in your learning by your mentor.
There is knowledge / skill / behaviour and attitude that you will need to
demonstrate, and this is determined by the NMC Competency
Framework and Essential Skills Clusters (NMC 2010).
This Framework sets out the standards and the related competencies that
every nursing student must acquire before applying to be registered at first
level on the nurses’ part of the register.
There are separate sets of competency requirements for each of the four
fields of adult nursing, mental health nursing, learning disabilities nursing or
children’s nursing.
Each set is detailed in your Assessment of Practice Learning Record laid out
under the following four domains (table 4) which are areas you can focus your
learning on with your mentor:
NMC COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK
Table 4
 Professional values
 Communication and interpersonal skills
 Nursing practice and decision making
 Leadership, management and team working
In addition to these competencies, there are Essential Skills Clusters (ESCs)
(Table 5) which you need to demonstrate that you have achieved in practice
by the end of PLP 3, 6, and 8. Some ESCs will also be subject to assessment
via Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) or simulation.
12
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
NMC ESSENTIAL SKILLS CLUSTERS
Table 5
Care, compassion and communication
Organisational aspects of care
Infection prevention and control
Nutrition and fluid management
Medicines management
The progression points for each year are outlined in Table 6 below and these
are detailed in your Assessment of Practice Learning Record.
NMC PROGRESSION POINTS
Table 6
This happens at the end of year 1
Criteria include
 Safety,
safeguarding
and
protection of people of all
ages, their carers and families
 Professional values, expected
attitudes and the behaviours
that must be shown towards
people, their carers, their
families, and others
This happens at the end of year 2
Second progression point
Criteria include
 Working more independently,
with less direct supervision, in
a safe, increasingly confident
manner
 Demonstrate the potential to
work autonomously, making
the most of opportunities to
extend knowledge, skills and
practice
This
happens
at the end of year 3
Entry to the register
providing you have met the above
progression
points,
NMC
competencies and, Essential Skills
Clusters.
Remember that you will work with your mentor to negotiate, determine and
outline how you can demonstrate that you have met all the requirements. This
will be recorded in your Assessment of Practice Learning Record and signed
by you and your mentor.
First progression point
13
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
SEE APPENDIX 5 – for advice about setting objectives

How will I be assessed in placement?
Clinical assessment has several components:
Formative assessment of clinical This occurs in each of the 8 PLPs
practice
and uses your Assessment of
Practice Learning Record (see
document per year for your field of
nursing). It feeds into your
summative assessment for each
placement.
Summative assessment of clinical This also occurs in each of the 8
practice
PLPs and uses your Assessment of
Practice Learning Record (see
document per year for your field of
nursing).
Objective Structured Clinical
This occurs in year 1 (PLP 2), and
Examination (see OSCE
year 2 (PLP 5). Details for OSCE
Information)
examinations and focus are in the
relevant module handbooks
Profile production
Linked to specific modules and EU
Directive (see Appendix 6 European
Directive Profile). Your profile will
include your
Assessment of
Practice Learning Record, your
EU Directive profile and any Inter
Professional Education evidence
you may have.
Formative assessment: what is it?
Formative assessment is aimed at providing you with feedback which you
can act upon to improve, or to give you an indication about your progress.
The formative assessment in each PLP is conducted by your mentor. This will
be a designated qualified member of staff who can provide on-going
supervision and support for you. They are required to complete the relevant
sections of your Assessment of Practice Learning Record.
14
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
Summative assessment
Your performance in practice will be summatively assessed during each PLP,
following on from the formative feedback.
This summative assessment is designed to allow you time to achieve all the
NMC outcomes within each year of your award / within each progression
point, and all competencies prior to your registration. This assessment is
based on your progress and performance along with the competencies you
achieve in practice.
This form of summative assessment requires your mentor to hold an
appropriate qualification in mentorship and be up to date on the Mentor
Register held by their employing trust. The Clinical Placement Facilitator
(CPF) or equivalent will normally check this but you should also check with
your mentor and/or CPF.
You must share your Assessment of Practice Learning Record and previous
years’ Records with your mentor in each placement. This will help your mentor
assess your individual learning needs from placement to placement. These
Records are used by the Sign-off mentor in your third year as evidence that
you are competent for registration. You cannot be signed off without them.
They are important documentary evidence that you need to keep safe.
You should ensure you keep a photocopy.
Your mentor will observe your practice, question you on each appropriate
competency/domain (for the level you are performing at) and use other
evidence to assess you making a decision to pass or refer you. This is known
as triangulation and it helps provide rigour to the process. You must hand in
your completed Assessment of Practice Learning Record on the specified
deadline date.
You will need to hand-in your Assessment of Practice Learning Record to the
University by the Monday of
 Week 5 in PLP 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7.
 Week 7 in PLP 3 and 6
 Week 11 in PLP 8
All Assessment of Practice Learning Records are checked and analysed by
the relevant University staff and CPFs to ensure mentors have assessed fairly
and consistently using the triangulation of evidence. This allows your Personal
Tutor to give you feedback and also ensures the CPFs can give feedback to
mentors in practice. The feedback is based on the mentor and student’s ability
to complete the document fully, accurately and appropriately. CPFs provide
the analysed results to mentors in their Trusts to assist in enhancing intermentor reliability and improving practice.
15
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
Objective Structured Clinical Examination
There is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination in Year 1. This aims to
test your clinical skills in a safe learning environment. You should take every
opportunity in PLP 1 and 2 to discuss and/or participate in the appropriate and
related clinical skills with your mentor or supervisor. In addition you should
attend the training sessions and practice sessions delivered in the skills
laboratories (during SAfE days).These are part of the NMC Essential Skills
that all nurses must be competent in.
There is also an OSCE in Year 2. It will focus on required ESCs and fall within
the requirements of progression point two. You should take every opportunity
in PLP 4 and 5 to discuss and/or participate in the appropriate and related
clinical skills with your mentor or supervisor. Many areas may not perform a
particular skill in everyday routines so other learning methods to acquire these
skills will be provided e.g. e-learning, simulations, demonstrations and role
play.
In addition you should attend the training sessions and practice sessions
delivered in the skills laboratories (during SAfE days).

What should I wear?
Please read and abide by the Uniform Policy (see Appendix 7).

Who will support me on placement?
There are key staff who will support you in practice. The most important is
your named Mentor who is responsible for supervising, educating and
assessing your performance during the practice learning period (Appendix 8).
You are required to be directly or indirectly supervised by your mentor for at
least 40% of your hours in placement. It is your responsibility to make sure
you are available to mirror your mentor(s) hours wherever possible. When
your mentor is unavailable you should make sure you know who is
supervising you.
Each hospital Trust or Primary Care Trust has a CPF or equivalent employed
to liaise between the University and the Trust. They are responsible for
maintenance of a quality learning experience in placement areas. You can
access them whilst in placement if you have any queries.
Many placements also have an Education Link Nurse system (or
equivalent).This ensures that someone is responsible for the management of
students in a specific practice area. They also have the opportunity to
communicate regularly with the named CPF.
16
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
You will be allocated a Personal Tutor from the start of your course. Your
mentor, if concerned about your progression, non-attendance or clinical
performance, can contact your Personal Tutor directly or via the relevant CPF.
All the placement providers have a Practice Support Team from the
University. Members of each team may provide direct support to targeted
areas and will be working collaboratively on agreed projects and/or initiatives.
They will be a point of contact if you have any queries or concerns. Details of
these teams will be included in your Practice Learning Preparation session.
Both you and the placement staff have a responsibility to abide by the
Placement Charter (see Appendix 9) and the Principles for Placement
Experience (see Appendix 2).

What if I do not pass my clinical practice assessment 1st time?
You will be entitled to a 2nd attempt. You should immediately inform your
Personal Tutor and the appropriate CPF. Develop an action plan with your
mentor to address your weaknesses. This must identify the areas for
improvement and how these could be achieved within the set timeframe. If
you have extenuating circumstances that have impacted on your assessment
then you need to inform your Personal Tutor and follow the University
Policy/procedure: Extenuating Circumstances.

What if I fail my practice assessment at 2nd attempt?
You will be withdrawn from the course. You do have a right to appeal against
the assessment process (see Appendix 10 and 11). The mentor’s clinical
judgement cannot be overturned but if part of the process was not conducted,
or incorrectly done then an appeal may be upheld. This would allow a further
attempt to be carried out (normally in the same area with the same mentor).
You may need to consider if you have any extenuating circumstances which
have impacted on your ability to achieve the outcomes in practice (please see
university Extenuating Circumstances policy).
 What if problems occur in placement?
Wherever possible issues should be raised immediately with your mentor and
/or the relevant CPF. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction you should seek
further advice from your personal tutor.
17
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
If you are the victim of bullying /abuse / harassment
You have a professional responsibility to report this immediately to:
the clinical manager of the area referring to the trust/organisation policy on
bullying and harassment;
AND
to your personal tutor.
This may require you to be moved while an investigation is conducted.
If you witness any form of abuse of a client, poor clinical practice or
professional misconduct
In the case of alleged abuse you should raise an alert immediately directly to
the local safeguarding teams for protection of vulnerable adults and children
(based in Shropshire or Staffordshire Council).
You have a professional responsibility to report poor clinical practice or
professional misconduct immediately to:
Your mentor and/or the clinical manager of the area referring to the
appropriate trust/organisation policy and your personal tutor (see Appendix
12 and refer to Nursing & Midwifery Council (2013) Raising concerns:
guidance for nurses and midwives) http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/NMCPublications/NMC-Raising-and-escalating-concerns.pdf
In addition you may refer to the Public Concern at Work charity
(http://www.pcaw.org.uk/) who can offer you confidential advice and support.
If you are involved in an error or incident in clinical practice
You have a professional responsibility to report this immediately to:
the clinical manager of the area referring to the appropriate trust/organisation
policy and your personal tutor (see Appendix 12, flowchart 3).
18
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
SECTION 3
AFTER YOUR PLACEMENT ENDS

What do I need to do at the end of my placement?
Ensure you and your mentor have completed your Assessment of Practice
Learning Record before you leave the area. It is your responsibility to ensure
that you have this document completed in a timely fashion. Remember your
mentor may have planned holiday or be required to work nights. Therefore
you need to plan at the start of your placement when the documents will be
completed.
You must make an appointment to see your personal tutor for a progress
review meeting at the end of every PLP. Take along your Assessment of
Practice Learning Record as evidence of your performance in practice and
proof of placement attendance for your personal tutor to sign. You should also
use your portfolio content where relevant. You cannot progress to your next
placement without this meeting being signed off by your Personal Tutor.
You will be reminded to complete a Placement Evaluation at the end of each
PLP. These are used as per Figure 1 below. This provides feedback from you
to the placements and contributes towards making improvements where
needed.
Fig1: Processing of Student Placement Evaluations
Student
Student
Council
feedback
Raw data
stored
centrally
for audit
Collation
details to
clinical
areas for
action
19
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
REFERENCES
Keyes, C. Haidt, J. (eds) (2003) Flourishing: Positive Psychology and the Life
Well-Lived. American Psychological Association Press. Washington DC.
Nolan, M. Brown, J. Davies, S. Nolan, J. and Keady, J. (2006) The Senses
Framework: improving care for older people through a relationship-centred
approach. Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) Report No 2. Project Report.
University of Sheffield.
NMC (2010) Standards for pre – registration nursing education
http://standards.nmc-uk.org/PublishedDocuments/Standards%20for%20preregistration%20nursing%20education%2016082010.pdf
Nursing & Midwifery Council (2013) Raising concerns: guidance for nurses
and midwives, NMC, London.
http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/NMC-Publications/NMC-Raising-and-escalatingconcerns.pdf
Steinert, Y. (2009) Educational theory and strategies for teaching and learning
professionalism in, Cruess R, Cruess S, Steinert Y (eds) (2009) Teaching
Medical Professionalism. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge
Swanson, K.M. (1991) Empirical development of a middle range theory of
caring, Nursing Research 40 (3) p161-166.
20
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 1
Inter Professional Education whilst in placement
A key dimension of your professional practice and future career will be
working with others to care and support individuals, families, groups and
communities. The extent to which different healthcare professionals work
together can affect positively or negatively, the quality of the healthcare
patients or service users receive (Zwarenstein et al 2009).
The process of different professional groups working together to positively
impact on health care is termed interprofessional collaboration. The term also
refers to working relationships between branches of the same profession,
between professional, paraprofessional and non-professional personnel, and
between organisations and practice settings (HEA 2011). Working
collaboratively implies a partnership between health and social care
professionals from across disciplines and patients or services users in a
coordinated approach to shared decision-making about patients’ care. The
World Health Organisation identifies a ‘Collaborative Practice-Ready
Workforce’ comprises of healthcare professionals who have learned to work in
an interprofessional team and are competent to do so (WHO 2010). This
acknowledged by UK professional regulatory bodies including the Nursing and
Midwifery Council (NMC) in their standards of education (NMC 2010) and
expectations of professional practice expressed in the Code of Conduct (NMC
2008). It is therefore an essential element of your role and you will be
expected to be competent in such practice.
Interprofessional education is considered an effective strategy to teach pre
and post qualifying students about collaborative practice. The UK Centre for
the Advancement of Interprofessional Practice and Education (CAIPE)
describes interprofessional education; as bringing together two or more
different professions to learn with from and about each other. It is about
educating within practice or educating to enter practice (Barr 2002).
Staffordshire University has centralised the principles of interprofessional
education in the design and delivery of its health and social care academic
programmes, embedding the processes involved. Your undergraduate studies
will therefore include in both theory and practice elements, opportunities to
learn with, from and about other professional groups to enable you to develop
competent, collaborative practice.
The programme draws upon themes common to health and social care
professional practice to support you to learn and reflect upon your shared
professional values, different disciplinary perspectives and distinct
contributions in order to gain insight into the contribution of each and the
benefits to patients or service users of such collective efforts. A common
theme includes a reliance on evidence to inform and support best practice.
Furthermore for care to be safe, effective, timely and compassionate requires
best practice that is characterised by communication, team working within
groups, across organisations and between agencies. Collaborative practice
therefore requires leadership, although this may seem a distant issue for you,
it will be an important dimension of being a qualified nurse. Leadership is as
process that provides direction, aligns people motivating and inspiring them
21
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
(Kotter 1996) with clinical leadership expected to occur ‘From Ward to Board’
(Machell et al 2009). Recent reviews of management and leadership in the
NHS in England identifies changes are required in the current NHS leadership
model to one that is increasingly shared, distributed and adaptive (Ham 2011).
Throughout the programme you will be involved in a range of activities that will
support you to develop your knowledge, skills and clinical practice.
Interprofessional education aims to enhance this learning by placing it in the
context of multi-professional and multi-agency collaborative practice.
References
Barr H. (2002) Interprofessional education today, yesterday and tomorrow: a
review, London: LTSN HS&P
Ham C. (2011) The future of leadership and management in the NHS. No
more heroes. London: King’s Fund, 2011.
Higher Education Academy (2011) Developing Interprofessional Education in
health and social care courses in the United Kingdom: A Progress Report
Occasional Paper 12. London: Health Sciences and Practice Subject Centre
Higher Education Academy.
Kotter, J. (1996) Leading Change. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School
Press.
Machell S, Gough P, Steward K (2009) From ward to board:
Identifying good practice in the business of caring. London: Kings Fund
Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) The code: Standards of conduct,
performance and ethics for nurses and midwives. London: Nursing and
Midwifery Council
Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) Standards for pre-registration
nursing education. London: Nursing and Midwifery Council
World Health Organization (2010) Framework for action on interprofessional
education & collaborative practice. Geneva: The Organization; 2010.
Zwarenstein M, Goldman J, Reeves S. (2009) Interprofessional collaboration:
effects of practice-based interventions on professional practice and healthcare
outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2009, Issue 3. Art. No.:
CD000072. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000072.pub2.
22
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 2
Principles for Placement Experience
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this guidance is to ensure that all students meet the
appropriate professional requirements of practice competencies, hours
and experience through a range of high quality learning environments.
The Faculty and its partner Trusts are committed to providing excellent
clinical practice experience and ensuring appropriate levels of practical
and attitudinal skills, and underpinning knowledge within programmes.
Students will, therefore, experience a programme consisting of 50%
theory and 50% practice. Educational staff, clinical staff and students
are all responsible for monitoring the quality of the learning
environment. Clinical staff are also equally responsible, with university
staff, in assessing that students have achieved the required level of
competency and in confirming that the student is fit for practice and
award.
The following core principles of best practice have been formulated as
guidance for the clinical areas, the university and the student. They are
identified under four aspects which include general principles, models of
placement, the 24-hour cycle of care and bank/agency working. Adherence to
these core principles will help ensure equity and parity of experiences for the
student.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES












All placements must have an educational audit carried out annually by
an audit team consisting of academic staff and clinicians.
Each area must have an appropriate number of suitable mentors.
Students may be allocated anywhere within the placement circuit.
Students are given supernumerary status in all placements.
Students are supported by a named mentor in each placement.
When the student’s named mentor is not on duty the student will be
informed of the designated qualified member of staff responsible for
supervising them that day/shift.
Where the trust has a lone working policy covering students the student
can carry out unsupervised visits to clients homes.
Clinical placements will provide appropriate experience and supervision
to achieve the NMC nursing competencies (NMC 2010), as
appropriate.
Summative assessment of practice will take place in all Practice
Learning Periods (PLPs).
Summatively assessed OSCEs will take place in Practice Learning
Period 2 and 5.
All students should complete a Placement Evaluation form at the end of
each Practice Learning Period.
The students will contact their allocated placement for the name of their
mentor and duty rota 3 weeks prior to commencement of their
23
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
allocation. This must meet the NMC requirement for the student to be
directly or indirectly supervised by their mentor for a minimum period
equivalent to 40% of the allocated hours per week.
MODELS OF PLACEMENT




Creative and innovative models of placement will be used alongside the
traditional allocations to a ward/department.
These will include
following care pathways with specific clients, undertaking placements
with specialist clinicians/teams where appropriate and gaining
experience with staff working within primary care. Each placement area
will have a range of learning opportunities identified and planned for
each student during his/her allocation.
Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own
learning by identifying their strengths and weaknesses and
opportunities provided in each placement. This will be in collaboration
with their mentor.
Students may visit other areas/Departments to access appropriate
learning opportunities but they must not be moved away from their
allocated placement unless there are specific educational reasons for
doing so or service reconfigurations taking place.
Multi-professional/multi-disciplinary learning opportunities should be
used with a client focus. Service user and carer involvement is central
to the learning opportunities presented to students.
24 HOUR CYCLE OF CARE

In order to meet NMC requirements all students must experience the
24-hour cycle of care. Students should, therefore, experience the
normal variety of shift patterns (nights and weekends) and follow their
mentor’s shift pattern where appropriate and feasible.
o The student should work a minimum of 1 weekend in 4 where
applicable and appropriate and a maximum of 2 in 4.
o The student will work a minimum of 3 nights per year, or three
weeks of nights over the three year period.
o Any negotiation regarding the above should be conducted with
the Team Leader/Ward Manager.
o Students should normally work the shift pattern of the placement
area.
Negotiated, flexible hours
Within each year of the programme students can take up to 30 flexible hours
away from the practice experience without compromising practice
requirements, as long as this is negotiated in advance with mentors. This
extra time has been built in, in order to provide some flexibility to manage the
course and students’ personal demands.
24
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
The principles for agreeing flexible hours are as follows:



This will be agreed in advance with mentors and must not be taken if it
compromises the 40% of time needed to be directly or indirectly
supervised by their mentors during the placement.
Flexible hours will not be taken within four weeks prior to the date of
summative assessment.
Flexible hours will be recorded within the Assessment of Practice
Learning and signed as accurate by the mentor. The number of flexible
hours will be monitored by the personal tutor.
It is acknowledged that there may be occasions when the student needs to
take flexible hours as an emergency, for example, with unexpected family
health / care problems. On these occasions, students let placement and
reception at the Faculty of Health Sciences know immediately of the need to
take flexible hours away.



Days off should be together unless agreed otherwise with the student.
Students require a handover report prior to commencement of their
working day.
Students are required to work the set number of placement hours,
irrespective of whether or not the bank holiday(s) fall(s) within the
placement. Bank holidays are included in the annual leave entitlement.
BANK/AGENCY WORKING





Employers must consider the health and well-being of students when
approaching students to work bank/agency shifts.
Students should not commit to working bank shifts if they know it will
compromise their health and safety.
No change of student status should take place whilst the student is on
allocation, i.e. to bank.
Students who agree to undertake bank/agency work outside of the
programmed placement hours should do so only on areas other than
their current placement.
Students must not wear University uniform or their student badge when
working on the bank/agency.
25
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 3
Placement Learning Outcomes
The NMC has set minimum requirements that must be met by the first and
second progression points, as well as core competencies and skills that
you need to achieve. These criteria must normally be achieved during your
practice learning, but some may be met through simulation.
In addition to these, Staffordshire University has identified their own outcomes
(see table below) that students must achieve by each progression point.
These are based on local need, programme design, organisation of learning in
practice, and Staffordshire University’s own Learning Outcome strategy and
Staffordshire Graduate framework. They will make sure that a student is safe
and adequately prepared to take part in the full range of practice learning
opportunities without risk to the public. NMC quality assurance processes will
confirm this through approval and monitoring.
Additional Staffordshire University Learning Outcomes
Year 1
learning
outcomes




Year 2
learning
outcomes





Year 3
learning
outcomes


Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the caring
theories and behaviours that underpin nursing practice.
Assist in the provision and evaluation of nursing care and
begin to recognise when agreed plans of care require
modification
Engage in activities to develop self-awareness and apply the
principles of caring communication with others.
Demonstrate working within the NMC student code of
conduct
Demonstrate the increasing use of self-directed learning
approaches and the development of greater independence
in meeting own learning needs relevant to the scope of
nursing practice.
Undertake directly and indirectly supervised practice and
provide safe and effective person centred care, relating
practice to underpinning theories and concepts.
Reflect on professional values, clinical experiences and
theoretical learning to enhance and challenge professional
practice
Demonstrate the skills necessary to interpret the theoretical
principles required to assess, plan, implement and evaluate
person centred care using interdisciplinary working.
Demonstrate the ability to undertake caring communication
with service users/ carers and colleagues.
Demonstrate the learning ability, qualities and transferable
skills necessary for employment as a graduate nurse.
Emulate and model professional nursing behaviours and
consistently provide safe and effective patient care.
26
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon




Identify and review own personal and professional
boundaries; recognise own learning needs and
independently advance learning and understanding in
response to changing circumstances and scope of the
chosen field of nursing theory and practice.
Exhibit critical thinking and clinical reasoning behaviour
through formulation, provision, prioritisation and evaluation
of patient-centred care in promoting optimal patient
outcomes.
Demonstrate the use of analysis, critical thinking and clinical
judgment in the prioritisation of complex care needs, in
sometimes unpredictable contexts.
Achieve the knowledge, skills and attitude required by the
regulatory body to be registered on the appropriate part of
the NMC register
27
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 4
PRACTICE LEARNING PREPARATION CHECKLIST
This checklist is to be used for the above session and completed by the
lecturer leading this session. Please return it immediately to the relevant
Module Leader for module annual quality monitoring purposes.
DATE OF SESSION
…………………………………………
COHORT/FIELD
…………………………………………
LECTURERS NAME
…………………………………………
TICK
 Fitness to Practice reiterated
 Safeguarding process reiterated
 Raising concerns reiterated
 Uniform Policy reiterated.
 Attendance Policy/Principles for Placement Experience reiterated.
 Appropriate Professional Conduct & Behaviour in Practice discussed.
 Profile development discussed.
 Use of Assessment of Practice Learning Record discussed.
 Placement Learning Outcomes explained.
 SAfE days reiterated.
 3rd years only -Lone visits/ car insurance and personal safety.
 Remind students to access their email regularly.
 European Directives Profile and exposure to other Fields of practice
discussed
State other topics discussed:
28
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
Appendix 5
SETTING LEARNING OBJECTIVES
INFORMATION FOR MENTORS AND STUDENTS
Outcomes are ‘statements of what a learner is expected to know,
understand and/or be able to do at the end of a period of learning’.
In other words, the learning outcomes for a placement are what you have to
demonstrate to your mentor that you have achieved. The documentation that
you complete is the vehicle you use to demonstrate the learning outcomes
which you have agreed.
Definition of Goals and Objectives


Goal: Broad spectrum, complex, organizational, indication of
intentions.
Objectives: Measurable, defined, operational, simple steps, and
specific. Objectives contribute to the fulfilment of specified goals.
Complete with a beginning and an end.
The most well known acronym for setting objectives is the S.M.A.R.T. way.
S.M.A.R.T refers to the acronym that describes the key characteristics of
meaningful objectives, which are Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic
and Time-Bound. This is described below:
Specific
Specific means that the objective is detailed, focused and well defined. That is
the objective is straightforward, emphasizes action and the required outcome.
Objectives need to communicate what you would like to see happen. To help
set specific objectives it helps to ask the following questions:





WHAT am I going to do? This is best written using strong, action verbs
such as conduct, demonstrate, describe, identify, discuss, perform, etc.
This helps your objective to be action-orientated and focuses on what’s
most important.
WHY is this important for me to do?
WHO is going to do what? Who else need to be involved?
WHEN do I want this to be completed?
HOW am I going to do this?
Measurable
If the objective is measurable, it means that the measurement source is
identified and we are able to track the results of our actions, as we progress
towards achieving the objective. Measurement is the standard used for
comparison. For example, your mentor will need to be able to measure your
behavior / actions / in order to know that you are achieving your objectives.
29
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
Achievable
Objectives need to be achievable, if the objective is too far in the future it
might be difficult to keep motivated and to strive towards its attainment.
Objectives, unlike your aspirations and visions, need to be achievable to keep
you motivated. Whilst being obtainable, objectives still need to stretch you, but
not so far that you become frustrated and lose motivation.
Realistic
Objectives that are achievable may not be realistic. However, realistic does
not mean easy. Realistic means that you have the resources to get it done,
and you will need to think about what these resources might be.
Time-Bound
Time-bound means setting deadlines for the achievement of the objective.
Your mentor will then also have a timescale to work towards. Deadlines create
a sense of urgency. Without this you might reduce the motivation and urgency
required to execute the tasks.
THREE TYPES OF LEARNING
Knowledge, Skills and Attitude
It is important to recognise that nursing is not simply about what you
know and what you can do, but how you are with people you care for.
Any type of learning involves three aspects:
1. Knowledge – knowing something, and knowing why we do what
we do – linking in to evidence based practice
2. Skills – being able to safely perform the tasks that we need to
perform and knowing how to do what we do safely and according
to the appropriate policy or guideline
3. Attitude – this is about our values and how we behave with
people. This domain includes the manner in which we deal with things
emotionally, such as feelings, values, appreciation, enthusiasms,
motivations, and attitudes towards others.
30
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 6
European Directives and exposure to other Fields of practice
Placement Handbook European (EU) Directives section
Health care is a rapidly changing field where patients/service users have
increasingly complex needs. This means that during your Nurse Education
you will be working with patients/service users who have a variety of needs
due to factors such as their illnesses, conditions or personal circumstances. It
is essential that you are aware of, and sensitive to these differences, and are
able to provide high quality and compassionate care that meets
patients/service users wide ranging needs. In doing so it will ensure that you
facilitate and empower patients/service users to function and feel as well as
possible (Keyes and Haidt 2003). In order to do this well you need to actively
consider different aspects of Nursing as related to your field, and in order to
demonstrate you have done so you will need to produce a profile of evidence.
By doing this you will meet the requirements of the European Directive
2005/36/EC (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) 2010).
The directive itself explicitly requires Adult Nursing students to undergo a
range of nursing experiences that are essential to the achievement of the
professional qualification of Registered Nurse; it enables Adult Nurses to work
as a nurse within any European Union member state. Although there is not
the same formal requirement for mental health and children’s fields, there is a
need for awareness of these areas. Consequently, it is expected that all
students across all fields will undertake learning related to areas identified by
the NMC (2010):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
General and Specialist Medicine
General and Specialist Surgery
Child Care and Paediatrics
Maternity Care
Mental Health and Psychiatry
Care of the Older person and Geriatric care
Home Nursing and additionally
Learning Disabilities
The profile, which will need to include evidence of the range of learning
activities you have undertaken, is necessary in order to demonstrate that you
have met the requirements of the EU directives aspect of your Award. Your
evidence must demonstrate your theoretical and practice based learning, in
relation to the areas identified below, as evidence that you have met the
requirements of the EU Directives. As your profile focuses on both theory and
practice it will assist you in linking together your theoretical and practice based
learning. It will also require you to think about patients holistically and to
consider the complexity of their circumstances. As exposure to maternity care
will be limited, maternity focused simulation and sessions will be delivered
within the generic practice modules. It is expected that you will negotiate with
your mentor a range of learning experiences that will enable you to meet the
requirements of the Directives.
Further details can be obtained from the document ‘Profile of Evidence of
Achievement of European Union (EU) Directives and Field Awareness’.
31
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
Progress will be assessed by your personal tutor and module leader, from
whom additional guidance can be sought. It is important to note that progress
will need to be demonstrated in the profile documentation and completed in
order to qualify at the end of the Award. It must be verified by your Personal
Tutor at the end of each Placement Learning Period.
References:
Keyes, C. Haidt, J. (eds) (2003) Flourishing: Positive Psychology and the Life
Well-Lived. American Psychological Association Press. Washington DC.
Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010) Standards for pre-registration
nursing education. London: Nursing and Midwifery Council
32
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 7
Uniform Policy
THE WEARING OF UNIFORM
Uniform should always be clean, in good condition and appropriately fitting
when commencing duty.
Black, flat shoes and dark socks must be worn with tunic and trousers.
Cardigans must be grey in colour and must not be worn when attending to
patients/clients or carrying out clinical procedures.
Hair must be off the face and worn above the collar and in a clean, neat and
tidy style. Long hair must be tied back and secured with a plain band. Beards
must be neatly trimmed. Nails must be kept short and nail varnish must not
be worn. Make-up should not be excessive.
Name badges must be worn at all times during practice and must be clearly
visible. No other badges may be worn.
Uniforms should not be worn outside the hospital unless on a community
placement. The wearing of uniform outside the clinical area is not acceptable
unless travelling to and from placement in a private vehicle in which case it
must be covered completely by a coat.
Please note that strong perfumes/aftershaves must be avoided when in
clinical practice.
Jewellery must not be worn on duty with the exception of:
a)
b)
c)
Plain wedding ring
One plain stud in each ear - nose, tongue and facial studs must not
be worn on duty.
Wristwatch – providing it is not worn whilst attending to patients/clients
Please note that the Trusts reserve the right to ensure that student nurses and
midwives abide by their uniform policies. Non-compliance will mean you
cannot remain in placement and hence on the course.
Any religious uniform/dress requirements need to be discussed with the
personal tutor and appropriate Infection Control Team.
Uniforms should be returned to the
withdrawal/completion of the Programme.
Faculty
Office
reception
on
Be aware that the uniform policy may differ between organisations where you
are on placement.
33
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 8
Nursing and Midwifery Council: supporting learning and assessment in
practice
Role Definitions
The NMC identify the following requirements for effective practice learning for
pre-registration nursing and midwifery students
NMC Requirements
Advice and guidance
Every student has a named mentor for each
period of practice learning.
Mentors should be allocated prior to
commencement of a placement.
Whilst giving direct care in the practice setting
at least 40% of the student’s time must be
spent being supervised (directly or indirectly)
by a mentor/practice teacher. 10 When in a
final placement this 40% of the student’s time
is in addition to the protected time (one hour
per week) to be spent with a sign-off mentor
(paragraph 3.2.6)
At all times students must be directly or
indirectly supervised in the practice setting.
The mentor’s responsibility is to plan and coordinate the student’s whole learning
experience, determining the amount of direct
supervision required by the mentor, and what
experience may be through indirect
supervision (student working independently).
Some experience may be supervised by
others (other professionals, mentors or
practice teachers). The named mentor is
accountable for their decisions to let the
student work independently or with others.
Support and supervision may be provided by
, for example, other mentors, practice
facilitators, practice teachers or link tutors,
with due regard to the part of the register and
field of practice. Where necessary,
inexperienced mentors should seek support
from a sign off mentor who has met the NMC
additional criteria for assessing proficiency.
The mentor should have access to a network
of support and supervision to enable them to
fulfill their mentoring responsibilities, assist
them in making complex judgments regarding
competence such as failing a student and to
support their professional development.
10 In some NMC approved programmes there is a specified requirement for the amount of practice that
is supervised to exceed 40%
NMC 2008a, 3.2.4. (selected elements)
Mentor
“ a NMC mentor is a registrant who, following successful completion of an
NMC approved mentor preparation programme - or comparable preparation
that has been accredited by an Approved Educational Institution as meeting
the NMC mentor requirements – has achieved the knowledge, skills and
competence required to meet the defined outcomes.” (NMC 2008a, 2.1)
A mentor: “facilitates learning and supervises and assesses students in a
practice setting”.
(NMC, 2008a,5)
A mentor is “accountable [to the NMC] for confirming that students have
met, or not met, the NMC competencies in practice”(NMC 2008a, 2.1.2)
Important note
Only mentors who have been prepared to assess student performance in
practice and are therefore accountable for their decisions can pass, refer or
fail a student (NMC 2008a, 3.2.5).
An associate mentor role is sometimes referred to e.g. RCN toolkit 2007
although this is not a NMC defined role, this is someone who has not
34
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
undertaken a mentor preparation course or who has not been successful in
undertaking a mentor preparation course (as required in stage 2 outcomes) so
therefore cannot formatively or summatively assess learners.
Sign off mentor
A mentor who “makes judgments about whether a student has achieved the
required standards of proficiency for safe and effective practice for entry to the
NMC register.” (NMC 2008a, p6)
“Whilst all mentors may assess individual competencies, only those who have
met additional NMC criteria to be a sign-off mentor are entitled to sign-off
practice” (NMC 2008a, p11).
“All midwives who undertake mentor preparation programmes are required to
have met the additional sign-off criteria” (NMC 2008a,5.2.2) including having
been “supervised on at least 3 occasions for signing off proficiency by an
existing sign-off mentor during the programme”. (NMC 2010, p1)
A sign-off mentor confirms “that students have met, or not met the NMC
standards for proficiency in practice and are capable of safe and effective
practice.” (NMC 2008a, 2.1.2); proficiencies “are defined within the standards
of proficiency for each of the three parts of the register. Fitness to practice is
demonstrated by meeting all NMC proficiencies and other requirements by the
end of the programme” (NMC 2008b.5).
Practice Teacher
“a registrant who has gained knowledge, skills and competence in both their
specialist area of practice and in their teaching role, meeting the outcomes of
stage 3 of the standards, and who facilitates learning and supervises and
assesses students in a practice setting” (NMC 2008a, p46)
Every SCPHN student will have a named practice teacher. (NMC 2008a, 3.3
& 3.4)
Triennial review
To be maintained on the live mentor register, the individual practitioner must
meet requirements of triennial review in respect of the standards identified
(NMC 2008a, p12).
Preceptorship
“the process through which existing nurses and midwives provide support to
newly qualified nurses and midwives” (NMC 2008a, p46)
“The NMC recommends strongly that all ‘new registrants’ should have a
formal period of preceptorship of about four months but this may vary
according to individual need and local circumstances. Formal preceptorship is
dependent upon ‘new registrants’ having easy access to a named individual
with due regard to the same part of the register and field of practice, who can
be called upon to provide guidance, help, advice and support” (NMC 2006,
p2)
35
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
References
NMC (2006) Preceptorship Guidelines.Circular 21/2006.Oct 3 2006.
London:NMC
NMC (2008a) Standards to support learning and assessment in practice.
London: NMC
NMC (2008b) The Code: Standards for conduct, performance and ethics for
nurses and midwives. London:NMC
NMC (2010)Professional Practice and Registration Committee. Sign-off
mentor criteria. PPRC/10/06.Feb 10. London: NMC
36
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 9
Placement Charter
Both the University and its Partner Trusts are committed to nursing and
midwifery education through the provision of high quality practice placements.
A student nurse/student midwife/student health visitor may expect the
following standards on a placement of four weeks or more:

All students are entitled to negotiate a pre-placement visit.

A placement profile/induction pack will be available to all students at the
commencement of their placement.

The designated mentor will, wherever possible, be on duty for the first shift
of the student’s placement. Where this is not possible, a qualified
individual will be identified as responsible.

An initial interview will be conducted during the first week of the placement
and dates for mid-point and final interviews arranged at that interview.

All students will be supervised directly or indirectly by their mentor for 40%
of their placement time and be supervised by a designated qualified
member of staff for the remainder.

The mentor will have the qualifications and experience required by the
professional/statutory bodies.

All clinical placements will undergo annual educational audit to ensure the
quality of the clinical learning environment is maintained.

All clinical placements will display the names and contact numbers of their
University contacts and Clinical Placement Facilitator or equivalent role
holder.

All students will adhere to the Trust/PCT’s relevant policies and
procedures, including Moving and Handling.
Signature of Trust Educational Lead
Organisation name
Date
37
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 10
MANAGEMENT OF APPEALS RELATED TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Appeal comes in to Faculty
Associate Dean - Learning and Teaching
Facts/feedback obtained from:
Field Lead or Academic Group Lead,
Education Lead for Placement Area/Trust (or designated senior manager),
Personal Tutor,
Module Leader
Recommendation to uphold or reject sent to
Dean of Students
Decision made by Dean of Students and
communicated to the student and
Faculty
Associate Dean - Learning and Teaching
Feedback to (list as above)
Appeal Upheld
Referral Upheld or Fail
Remove from placement
pending any request for
informal meeting
Student
continues with
further attempt
Informal meeting
Appeal Upheld
Referral Upheld
Withdrawn from Award
38
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 11
Students awaiting the outcome of an appeal against assessment failure
in Clinical Practice
Whilst awaiting the outcome of an appeal against failure in assessment of
practice learning, it is desirable that, should the appeal be upheld, the student
is not disadvantaged in the retake of the assessment or in her/his overall
progression on the course.
Students awaiting the outcome of such an appeal are enabled to continue in
practice in their current placement. This is to ensure that students are not
disadvantaged if their appeal is upheld, however, the following criteria must be
followed in all cases.
1.
The placement area must agree to continue to place the student whilst
the appeals process is underway.
2.
The student must be directly supervised at all times by an appropriate
mentor until the results of the appeal are known. This is in order to
facilitate client and student safety.
If the student is successful at appeal arrangements will be made to facilitate a
retake of the assessment. If the student is unsuccessful at appeal they will be
discontinued from clinical practice immediately and withdrawn from the award.
39
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
APPENDIX 12
STUDENT RAISING A CONCERN RELATED TO
PRACTICE PLACEMENTS
GUIDANCE NOTES FOR ACADEMIC STAFF

Ask the student to explain their concern about the placement or practice.
Decide which categories the issues raised fall into.
 If it is alleged abuse (safeguarding issue) follow Flowchart 1
immediately.
 If it is related to placement experience quality (e.g. professional training
issues, out of date practice being witnessed, poor procedural
techniques, weak supervision/mentor support) follow Flowchart 2.
 If it is a concern regarding witnessing poor practice or professional
misconduct follow Flowchart 2A.
 If the student was involved in an error or incident follow Flowchart 3.
Please note the student can only be suspended from practice if
agreed by the Head of School (Nursing & Midwifery) and Trust
Educational Lead.
 If the student is alleging that a member of placement staff has bullied or
harassed them, advise the student to follow the relevant organisation’s
policy on Bullying/Harassment in the workplace. The Personal Tutor
will support the student through this process. The relevant Practice
Support Lead will liaise with the appropriate Trust Educational Lead
(during Educational Review Meetings) to ensure due process was
followed. The Academic Group Lead can then provide feedback to the
student.

Help the student prioritise the issues succinctly. You as the Personal Tutor
may resolve minor issues at this point and record on a Student Contact
Record sheet that this was done.

Discuss procedures that will be involved and support they can access.

Inform the student of possible implications/responsibilities.
40
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE FOR FLOWCHART 1. SAFEGUARDING
Introduction
This additional guidance sets out what is required of both students and the
University in relation to allegations of abuse witnessed on placement or in the
University.
It draws together guidance from professional bodies, Local Safeguarding
Children Boards & Safeguarding - Protection of Vulnerable Adults to inform
your practice.
If the concern is about the potential abuse of vulnerable adults, an Adult
Protection referral must be made.
You may find that you need to raise an alert with the safeguarding team for
the locality where the patient resides if they are not normally resident in the
area.
Please also refer to:
http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/adultcarer.nsf/open/ABA6AF49A3A7361E80257
0A4004DB532 or
http://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Resources/Documents/i/InteragencyProcedur
esFinal2aug10.pdf
If the concern relates to a child or children then the Local Safeguarding
Children Board procedures must be followed (a copy will be found in all
Trusts).
Please
also
refer
to:
www.shropshire.gov.uk
or
www.staffordshire.gov.uk
The Responsibility of the University
The University has a responsibility to;






Act in the public interest by ensuring that all referrals have been
satisfactorily acted upon.
Fully investigate any allegations that name students or university staff
as an alleged abuser.
Ensure that all placements offer high quality learning experience.
Consider the discontinuation of the placement where poor standards of
care are identified.
Provide the appropriate support to students or staff making referrals.
This may include attending meetings with the student or on the
student’s behalf.
Work with the relevant Safeguarding Boards to ensure that training to
staff and students is provided in line with the Board’s training.
The Responsibility of the Student
The student has a responsibility to;

Ensure that any concerns of potential abuse to a vulnerable adult
are reported immediately through the adult protection process
41
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon







(directly or with support from their Personal Tutor/a member of
academic staff).
Make one referral immediately when more than one issue has
been identified. This will enable the investigation to begin quickly
and the immediate protection plans to be put in place.
Ensure that any concern of potential abuse to a child is reported
through the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.
Work in accordance with the relevant professional Codes of
Conduct.
If appropriate, attend relevant investigation meetings.
Work in a personalised way maximising choice and control for
people using services.
Work in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act at all times.
In the event of identifying a potential unlawful deprivation of liberty,
make the placement aware and submit an adult protection referral.
The student will not:
 Refuse to pass on information regarding abuse of a vulnerable adult
or child.
 Pass any information about the referral to the alleged abuser or the
organisation to which the referral relates.
 Abuse anyone in their care.
Responsibility of the University Staff
University staff have a responsibility to:
 Ensure that any concerns of potential abuse to a vulnerable adult or
child are reported immediately through the appropriate protection
process.
 Support the student.
The Reporting of Potential Abuse
It is preferable that the person who has witnessed the alleged abuse
completes the referral form. If the student does not feel able to do this alone
they must do so with the support and guidance of their Personal Tutor or an
available member of academic staff.
Consideration should be given to the planned future use of the placement by
the Head of School and the placement provider. In considering the continued
use of the placement the University will consider;
The seriousness of the issues raised.
The impact on the education of students.
The management action taken or proposed.
42
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
FLOWCHART 1 SAFEGUARDING:
Student Concerns of Alleged Abuse in Placement/Practice
1. Student makes a referral to the relevant Council Safeguarding team within
24 hours of witnessing or becoming aware of alleged abuse.
2. Student seeks Personal Tutor support if they wish.
NB If Child Protection Issues – follow the Local Safeguarding Children Boards
policy
Student must complete an Adult Protection Referral form (obtained from
Council web sites) including names, dates and details. Student can request
that the Personal Tutor organise an alternative placement, if appropriate, in
liaison with the relevant Placement Lead.
Student sends referral form or details to relevant Council within 24 hours and
registers the referral with the call centre (number on relevant web site)
If an academic member of staff has been made aware of the referral being
made they should inform the relevant Academic Group Lead, Head of School
and Practice Learning Improvement Co-ordinator that it has been submitted.
A Practice Placement Concerns Record Form should be completed by the
academic member of staff.
Safeguarding Team (Council) investigate and liaise with the student directly.
Head of School to raise at subsequent placement provider meetings to
ascertain outcomes. Relevant Academic Group Lead provides written
feedback to student.
43
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
FLOWCHART 2
Student Concerns regarding
professional training issues
placement
experience
quality
or
It is in the best interest of all concerned if issues can be resolved informally at
source. The student should discuss her/his concerns initially with the
supervisor/mentor and/or placement manager. However, in some
circumstances this may be difficult, inappropriate or the student may not be
able to do so.
Personal Tutor records student’s concern(s) on a Student Guidance and
Support/Contact Record and completes a Practice Placement Concerns
Record Form. Actions must be agreed for each issue, where possible. This
may resolve the concern. If not;
Personal Tutor may either visit the area to resolve or inform relevant liaison
staff to resolve (Clinical Placement Facilitator where appropriate)
Actions taken with support from appropriate Practice Support Team, CPF and
placement staff.
Practice Support team confirm to Head of School, Practice Learning
Improvement Co-ordinator and relevant Personal Tutor what actions were
taken and if concerns are resolved.
Personal Tutor sees student for feedback to ascertain student is satisfied with
the actions and records this in the student file.
44
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
FLOWCHART 2A
STUDENTS WITNESSING POOR PRACTICE OR PROFESSIONAL MISCONDUCT
Student concern received by an academic member of
staff
Practice
Placement
Concerns
Record Form
completed
by the
academic
Academic gathers as much detail as
possible from the student e.g. names,
dates, times, where allegations took
place, other witness names
Full details forwarded to Practice Learning
Improvement Co-ordinator, PLIC (or relevant
Academic Group Lead, AGL), who appoints
an Investigating Officer and agrees timescale
for investigation or forwards to placement
provider to investigate
Practice Learning
Improvement Coordinator follows
Algorithm/Risk
Assessment Tool for
removal of a Placement if
necessary
Investigation Officer (I.O)
completes investigation within
agreed timescale
I.O sends complete report and recommendations to Head
of School, PLIC and relevant AGL to implement.
PLIC informs placement provider of required
recommendations for practice.
AGL provides feedback in writing to the student.
45
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon
FLOWCHART 3
Student Errors & Incidents in Practice Placement
Trust and Faculty Action
Placement staff notify a Line Manager
(and Supervisor of Midwives where
appropriate), the student and the Faculty of
Health Sciences (within 48 hrs.)A Practice
Placement Concerns Record Form should
be completed by academic member of staff.
Student may be suspended from practice
by Dean or nominee. Practice Learning
Improvement Co-ordinator informed
Student offered
support and/or
directed to
appropriate advice /
advisor.
Placement
staff follow
their policy
Practice Learning Improvement Co-ordinator
appoints an Investigating Officer within 48
hours. Head of School and Academic Group
Lead informed.
Summary Report done (within agreed
timescale). Sent to Academic Group Lead
and Practice Learning Improvement Coordinator.
No case to answer –
All parties informed formally by
Academic Group Lead.
Case to answer – Follow Fitness to
Practice policies.
46
Practice Learning Handbook
Revised Sept 14
V Nixon