1. V150 Prescribing for Community Practitioners Practice Learning and Assessment

2. Practice learning and assessment for V150 programme
Review:
learning outcomes and assessment strategies
practice learning and assessment documentation and verification of competence to practise as a V150 prescriber
Confirm:
role and responsibilities of mentor
role and responsibilities of student

3. Points to consider… Generic course
Theoretical knowledge base NOT therapeutics course
Principles to be applied to student’s area of practice
Students require to fulfil all elements of attendance including theoretical and practice learning

4. The programme
Standards of proficiency for nurse and midwife prescribers (NMC, 2006)
Learning outcomes same as V100 and V300 relevant to level of competence and scope of practice
Attendance at university and in practice has been agreed by the line manager on application form (20 days in total)

5. Learning Outcomes In relation to the patient In relation to medicines
In relation to legal and ethical frameworks
In relation to the context
In relation to public health
In relation to children and young people

6. Assessment strategy Pharmacology exam
(same exam as V100 students)
1.5 hours
Pass mark pharmacology 80%
Pass mark numeracy 100%
Portfolio of evidence 2,750 words
Competency profile

7. Practice learning and assessment documentation – in webfolio
Competency Profile - template & exemplar
Practice log - template & exemplar
Personal Formulary template
Learning Contract template & exemplar
Prescription template

8. Competency Profile
Based on NMC (2006) practice standards for prescribing
Students…
All competencies to be met
(cannot put ‘not applicable’ - e.g. for computerised prescriptions)
Discuss this with your mentor when back in practice

9. Confirming practice experience and log
Students must log 65 hours in practice related to prescribing, to be confirmed by Mentor
For example, can include:
Working with patients under direct and indirect supervision of mentor
Discussing prescribing decisions following patient consultations
½ day with another V150 prescriber
½ day with a community pharmacist
Time with a Dr or Nurse Practitioner to focus on consultation structure
Time with NMP Lead
½ day with HV or other to inform LO6

10. Learning with others Students…
Look at practice competencies and identify where they can best be met
Identify specific learning outcomes to help the person they are spending time with to prepare
Identify how achievement of learning outcomes will be recognised / measured
Discussion of visit between Mentor and student when next meet

11. Personal (P) formulary
Negotiate and identify priorities for student’s prescribing practice
Develop competence and confidence in prescribing these medicines and products
Add to this list by continuing negotiation
Registrant’s own boundaries to practice
Cognisant of legal parameters for prescribing
Submitted as part of Competency Profile

12. Learning contracts Students… Identify
What you already know
What you need to know (use self-assessment, Mentor assessment)
How you will acquire the knowledge
How will you measure that you have acquired the knowledge/skills you needed?
Recommend one learning contract for each of the programme Learning Outcomes
Learning contracts (plans) to be completed by mid-way
Submitted as part of Competency Profile

13. Mentor’s role Practising as a prescriber
Must have sign-off mentor status which is current
Facilitating student’s practical experience
Ensuring protected time (for role as a Mentor)
Supporting appropriate levels of confidence
Raising any concerns in practice with the tutors in a timely manner
Identifying if they can no longer continue to mentor the student

14. Assessing competency in practice
Mentor responsibility and accountability for signing (or not) Competency Profile
Formative assessment - throughout
Summative assessment
Is this record needed for future reference?

15. What if the Mentor has concerns?
Discussion with student
Contact the student’s Personal Tutor
Formation of action plan in conjunction with PT and student
Review of action plan at specified intervals
Discussion with student’s manager and / or NMP Lead
Failing to fail??

16. Student’s role Development of own practice...
... that is specific to Community Practitioner Nurse Prescribing
(supporting competency profile and also portfolio presentation)
Additional private study to develop theoretical understanding of practice
Working with mentor to achieve application of knowledge and understanding to practice
If a change of mentor is required, identifying new sign- off mentor in practice, and notifying the Programme Lead

17. Academic presentation
Portfolio of student’s work: evidence and critical discussion
Evidence - “what happened” in clinical practice
- plus prescriptions x 2
Critical discussion - written in academic style, discusses theoretical concepts underpinning practice presented in evidence (2,750 words)

18. Developing academic work
For some, academic writing at Level 6 is challenging
Formative LO1 to be submitted for feedback
Portfolio Compilation Guidance provided
Further guidance for each Learning Outcome - written and in class
Programme team can discuss a plan of the student’s work or a short extract
Recommend academic advice sought from tutors - student responsibility to request tutorial support
Viewing other students’ work? - issues arising

19. Academic malpractice Attempt by a student to gain an unfair advantage
Cheating
Plagiarism
Collusion
Fabrication / falsification
Please note:
students cannot re-use another student’s or their own work previously submitted for assessment)
need to consider the professional implications of malpractice

20. NMP Leads Recommend students confirm to the NMP Leads:
their start of the programme
ask whether there are prescriber forums which they can access during the course
their results - whether pass or for re-submission
other issues of concern as appropriate

21. V150 programme team Claire Callaghan, NMP Programme Lead
Sue Harness, CSP Programme Lead
Anna Billing, Senior Lecturer
Mark Magas, Pharmacist, Senior Lecturer
Sam Whittle, Health Visitor Programme Lead
Lisa Bailey, Programme Administrator
NMP Leads

22. Queries? claire.callaghan@cumbria.ac.uk anna.billing@cumbria.ac.uk
Now…
or …
as the student progresses….