Engaging with stakeholders in the development of a trans-national education (TNE) nursing curriculum Simon Sikora International Lead for Undergraduate Programmes Long Term Conditions Theme, School Of Health and Social Care Edinburgh Napier University

What follows.. Background to the BSc (Nursing) in Singapore How we consulted with stakeholders Using the National Student Survey Feedback from our partners Challenges and successes Feed-forward for next time

Background Collaborative ‘top-up’ (diploma to degree) programme – delivered in Singapore by ENU lecturers (so-called ‘Fly-in faculty’ model) Recruiting 80-120 students per trimester Students are from across Singaporean cultures, employed, working shifts, with family commitments and typically little recent academic experience Programme needs to fulfil the needs of students, the nursing profession, and patients/clients in Singapore

Consultation Process NSS undertaken annually with students (since 2013) Current Students (Focus Groups / Online Evaluation) n= 137 Alumni (Focus Groups / Online Evaluation) n= 112 Alumni-employers in Singapore (Online Evaluation) n = 46 Singapore Nursing Board lead (1:1’s) Nurse Leaders in Singapore (1:1’s) Singapore-based Curriculum Reviewers (SNB requirements)

SNB Professional nursing body in Singapore Responsible for maintaining professional educational standards and nurse registration 4 yearly programme re-approval Without approval - no programme Meticulous scrutiny

National Student Survey Pan-UK survey – 27 key questions focussed on student experience Results are published nationally and widely applied to University league-tables Adopted /adapted in 2013 for BSc (Singapore) and undertaken annually since then Samples range from 25-40% of active students – delivered electronically (‘Novi Survey’) and on paper

Novi Survey - NSS

NSS: Feedback More face to face input Flexibility for student demographic Unfamiliarity with assessment methods Underlying academic skills Increased specificity to Singapore clinical environment

Nurse Leaders and Employers Moving to an integrated care model (as in the UK) Clinical priorities: Older Person, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Seeking greater autonomy in their graduate nurses Focus on evidence-based practice, clinical leadership and particularly ethically- and legally-cognisant practice

Evaluation – Students and Alumni Online evaluation using ‘Novi Survey’ in early 2016 131 current students and 106 alumni responses Likert scale with free text sections Sought information on current programme Asked to identify priorities and challenges for nursing and healthcare in the coming decade No significant difference between groups

Results – Students and Alumni Liked ‘flying faculty’ model Flexibility in delivery More online sessions helpful More variety in Assessment Opportunities for formative feedback Confidence and skill development Improved career prospects

Challenges SNB: Hands-on approach and inconsistency Parallel bureaucracies Access to clinical staff (conflicts of interest) NSS return rates inconsistent Change of academic partner at the ‘last’ moment Student confusion and anxiety Multiple approval processes required Academic conduct

Successes The programme looks like the feedback suggested it should Several expressions of ‘good practice’ noted during academic and professional approval processes including consultative processes Greater focus on suitability for Singapore nursing and its clientele Applications being received for the new programme with new partner

Lessons Cultural differences, but with many shared professional values and understanding Marathon, not a sprint Plan a reasonable start-date – and then begin 6 months prior to that Avoid assumptions – clarity in communication Share the experience

Thank you. School of Health & Social Care Simon Sikora, International Lead for Undergraduate Programmes s.sikora@napier.ac.uk +44 (0)131 455 3415 School of Health & Social Care