In order for a practice learning environment or experience to be considered safe and effective all those who play a part in education must be given the support to do so. What this means will vary from protected or supported time to carry out their duties, to having the correct training and preparation to carry out their roles, and having access to student and other programme documentation.
The AEI, with its practice learning partners, must make sure the correct support is in place, for all those who play a part in education.
Relevant NMC standards for this section
R2.4: comply with NMC Standards for student supervision and assessment
R2.14: regularly review all learning environments and provide assurance that they are safe and effective
R3.7: are allocated and can make use of supported learning time when in practice
R4.3: receive relevant induction, ongoing support and access to education and training which includes training in equality and diversity
R4.4: have supported time and resources to enable them to fulfil their roles in addition to their other professional responsibilities
1.6: students are made aware of the support and opportunities available
to them within all learning environments
3.6: ensure that students are supernumerary
3.4 ensure that nursing associate students have protected learning time5 in line with one of the following two options:
3.4.1 Option A: nursing associate students are supernumerary when they are learning in practice
3.4.2 Option B: nursing associate students, via work-placed learning routes:
3.4.2.1 are released for a minimum of 20 per cent of the programme for academic study6
3.4.2.2 are released for a minimum of 20 per cent of the programme time, which is assured protected learning time in external practice placements, enabling them to develop the breadth of experience required for a generic role, and
3.4.2.3 for the remainder of the required programme hours, protected learning time must be assured.
References
4: Nursing associate students are not required to have placements in each field of nursing, but should, through their education programme, benefit from experience of children and adults, and people who use services /patients with mental health conditions and learning disabilities, and understand the most significant factors to be aware of when providing care to different people who use services
5: Protected learning time is designated time in which students are supported to learn. All students are appropriately supervised until they have demonstrated proficiency in aspects of care. Supernumerary status is one approach to protected learning time
6: The 20 percent specified here is not the total sum of theoretical learning students will need to undertake, please see standard 2.7 which requires equal weighting of theory and practice in the curriculum.
4.2: liaise, collaborate and agree the necessary approach to the preparation, education, training, ongoing learning, support and expertise necessary for practice supervisors, practice and academic assessors that support SCPHN and community nursing SPQ student learning and assessment*
*This links directly to Part 1: Standards framework for nursing and midwifery education and in particular requirement 4.7
