Who are practice and academic assessors and how are they prepared?
Practice assessors and academic assessors can be registered nurses, midwives, and nursing associates, or in the case of prescribing programmes, any suitably qualified and experienced prescriber. [There are also additional requirements as set out in the Standards for post-registration qualifications for those who will fulfil the role for SCPHN or SPQ programmes.]
Practice assessors assess a student’s practice learning within a practice learning experience or series of practice learning experiences. Academic assessors collate and confirm student achievement in the academic environment for each part of the programme, as well as working with the practice assessor to confirm the student’s progress in their practice learning. The academic assessor will work with a nominated practice assessor to make recommendations for progression for the student they are assigned to.
The academic assessor role is similar to the practice assessor role in many ways; but given that learning and assessment is structured differently in the academic environment, the academic assessor role is expressed to reflect this difference. Students may have on-going course work and assessments that are conducted by those delivering the academic learning, such as lecturers. The academic assessor is expected to ‘collate’ and ‘confirm’ the student’s academic and practice learning outcomes for the part of the programme they are assigned to the student, before recommending them for progression on to the next part of the programme.
They will have been prepared and supported to take up their role and will have current knowledge and expertise relevant for the proficiencies and programme outcomes they are collating and confirming.
Relevant NMC standards for this section
6.3: nursing students are assigned to practice and academic assessors who are NMC registered nurses with appropriate equivalent experience for the student’s field of practice
6.4: midwifery students are assigned to practice and academic assessors who are NMC registered midwives
6.5: specialist community public health nurse (SCPHN) students are assigned to practice and academic assessors who are NMC registered SCPHNs with appropriate equivalent experience for the student’s field of practice
6.6: nursing associate students are assigned to practice and academic assessors who are either an NMC registered nursing associate or an NMC registered nurse
6.7: students studying for an NMC approved post-registration qualification are assigned to practice and academic assessors in accordance with relevant programme standards
9.1: academic assessors collate and confirm student achievement of proficiencies and programme outcomes in the academic environment
for each part of the programme
9.2: academic assessors make and record objective, evidence-based decisions on conduct, proficiency and achievement, and recommendations for progression, drawing on student records and other resources
9.3: academic assessors maintain current knowledge and expertise relevant for the proficiencies and programme outcomes they are assessing and confirming
9.4: the nominated academic assessor works in partnership with a nominated practice assessor to evaluate and recommend the student for progression for each part of the programme, in line with programme standards and local and national policies
9.5: academic assessors have an understanding of the student’s learning and achievement in practice
10.1: are working towards or hold relevant qualifications as required by their academic institution and local and national policies
10.2: demonstrate that they have achieved the following minimum outcomes:
10.2.1: interpersonal communication skills, relevant to student learning and assessment
10.2.2: conducting objective, evidence based assessments of students
10.2.3: providing constructive feedback to facilitate professional development in others, and
10.2.4: knowledge of the assessment process and their role within it
10.3: receive ongoing support and training to reflect and develop in their role
10.4: continue to proactively develop their professional practice and knowledge in order to fulfil their role, and
10.5: have an understanding of the proficiencies and programme outcomes that the student they confirm is aiming to achieve
R3.8: are assigned and have access to a nominated practice assessor for
a practice placement or a series of practice placements in addition
to a nominated academic assessor for each part of the education
programme, in accordance with the NMC Standards for student
supervision and assessment
S4.1: Theory and practice learning and assessment are facilitated effectively
and objectively by appropriately qualified and experienced professionals
with necessary expertise for their educational and assessor roles
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
4.6: ensure the student is assigned to an academic assessor who is a registered healthcare professional with suitable equivalent qualifications for the programme the student is undertaking
4.5: ensure practice and academic assessors:
4.5.1: have undertaken a period of preceptorship in line with the NMC
principles for preceptorship as SCPHNs or community nurses with
a SPQ or,
4.5.2: can evidence prior learning and relevant practice assessor
experience that enables them to engage in fair, reliable and valid
assessment processes in the context of SCPHN and/or community
nursing SPQ
