Northern Ireland Practice and Education Council for Nursing and Midwifery Lesley Barrowman Barbara Bradley

NMC Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice

New framework Developed to give better assurances to NMC that students undertaking programmes have been supported and provided with appropriate supervision and assessment of competency by practitioners with the necessary knowledge and competence Implemented for students who commence programmes from 1 September 2007

Developmental Framework Stage 1 – Newly qualified registrant Stage 2 – Mentor for pre-registration students Stage 3 - Practice Teacher for post- registration students Stage 4 – Teacher Recognition of prior learning across stages 2,3 and 4

New framework Four developmental stages, each with eight domains Working relationshipsWorking relationships Facilitation of learningFacilitation of learning Assessment and AccountabilityAssessment and Accountability Evaluation of learningEvaluation of learning Environment for learningEnvironment for learning Context of practiceContext of practice Evidence-based-practiceEvidence-based-practice LeadershipLeadership

Five Underpinning principles Mentors and practice teachers must Abe on relevant part or sub-part of NMC register Bmust have developed their own competence Chold appropriate professional qualifications Dhave been prepared for their role and met NMC outcomes Ethose intending to record a teaching qualification must complete an NMC approved programme or be accredited by NMC

Assessment of competence – pre-registration nursing All students will be assessed during their programme by mentors prepared for role Students can only be assessed for entry to the register (at the end of their programme) by sign off mentors or practice teachers For midwifery programmes all mentors must meet sign off mentors requirements

Sign off mentor Sign off mentors must demonstrate additional competence Supervised on 3 occasions Supervised on 3 occasions Clinical currency Clinical currency Understand accountability Understand accountability Knowledge of programme requirements Understanding of NMC requirements Placement providers will determine when above is met and annotate on the register

Responsibilities of Trusts Maintain an up to date register of mentors, sign off mentors and practice teachers, Make provision for annual updating in collaboration with education providers Triennial review of mentors/practice teachers Appraisal of competence Access to support and supervision for mentors and practice teachers Provide disability equality training

Responsibilities of Trusts 40% of student’s time spent being supervised directly or indirectly by mentor/practice teacher who must keep records Time with student to engage in learning activities Final period of practice learning - one hour per week with sign off mentor in addition to above Access to sign off mentor/practice teacher where students are failing

NMC approved Mentor Programmes Must enable mentors with a minimum of one years experience to meet the required NMC outcomes Minimum academic level 2 10 days, minimum 5 days protected learning time Learning in academic and practice setting, including work-based learning under supervision of trained mentor/practice teacher AP(E)L up to 100% Normally completed within 3 months

NMC approved Practice Teacher Programmes Must enable practice teachers with a minimum of two years experience to meet the required outcomes Minimum academic level 3 Learning in academic and practice setting, including work-based learning under supervision of trained practice teacher 30 days protected learning time AP(E)L up to 100% Normally completed within 6 months

NMC approved Teacher Programmes Must enable teachers to meet the required outcomes One academic year in length Minimum academic level post-graduate Learning in academic and practice setting, including work-based learning under supervision of a teacher with a recorded NMC teaching qualification Include 12 weeks teaching practice (360 hours)

NIPEC Project DHSSPS has requested that NIPEC project manages the implementation of the new NMC standards in Northern Ireland.

NIPEC Project Aim To facilitate service and education programme providers in meeting the NMC Standards and ensure that sufficient mentors and practice teachers are in place at 1st September 2007 to meet NMC requirements

NIPEC Project Objectives To ensure that service providers have an infrastructure in place that enables them to meet NMC standards To ensure that service providers have developed a system to enable current mentors and practice teachers to be mapped against NMC requirements

NIPEC Project Objectives To ensure that service providers develop a database for use in each locality to maintain a register of mentors and practice teachers, accessible to education providers To ensure that service and education programme providers have arrangements in place for further development of current mentors and practice teachers unable to demonstrate that they meet NMC standards.

NIPEC Project To ensure that programmes developed for mentors and practice teachers meet service needs for a regionally developed programme that will prepare adequate numbers of mentors and practice teachers to support students To ensure that preparation programmes for mentors and practice teachers are approved in accordance with NMC requirements in a timely manner.

NIPEC Project To facilitate the development of quality assurance systems that will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the structures and processes implemented to meet NMC standards To explore the resource impact of meeting NMC requirements.

Methodology Appoint a full time Project Manager Set up a Steering Group with responsibility for ensuring the project progresses to plan and that arrangements to meet the new NMC standards are implemented across the HPSS, where relevant, the Independent Sector, and Education Providers.

Methodology Set up a Project Group, accountable to the Steering Group, to address regional aspects of the implementation of NMC requirements and take forward the organisational changes in their respective organisations. Implementation of the NMC requirements will be realised through the Project Group members.

Methodology NIPEC will primarily be facilitating HPSS Trusts, the Independent Sector and Education Providers in ensuring that NMC standards are met within the required time-frame