UOS Practice Supervisor Workbook

Practice Supervisor
Workbook

University of Suffolk

VERSION 1 2020

Contents Page 2
Opening Narrative Page 4
Unit 1 – NMC Education Standards Page 8
Unit 2 – NMC Roles and Responsibilities Page 11
Unit 3 – Creating a positive learning environment Page 15
Unit 4 – Raising Concerns Page 19
Unit 5 – Identifying and assessing Page 24
Unit 6 – Service User Contribution Page 30
Unit 7 – Equlaity and Diversity Page 37
Unit 8 – Coaching for Learners Page 41
Unit 9 – Feedback and Communication Page
Final Instructions Page
Answer and Reflection sheet

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Opening narrative

Background

In 2016, following approval by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), there began a
programme of work that would reform nursing and midwifery education. This work would
make sure that any standards are outcome-based, proportionate, flexible, future-
focused and emphasise public protection. The work in this area also sought to reflect
the changing landscape in which nurses and midwives work, and to anticipate what
people will need nurses and midwives to know and be capable of doing safely and
effectively. It also seeks to reflect changes to the way nursing and midwifery education
is delivered, particularly in the context of new and flexible routes into nursing (such as
apprenticeships and nursing associates). As part of this programme of change, the
Council asked to develop a new suite of education standards. These were to be
comprised of new outcome focussed nursing and midwifery proficiencies and new
standards for the delivery of education and training that would apply to all approved
education institutions (AEIs) delivering all NMC approved programmes. These
standards were also to include a new approach to student learning and assessment.
Taken together, these would establish the basis of the future requirements for safe and
effective nursing and midwifery education and practice in the UK.

From September 2019, the new standards are to be introduced.

Standards for student supervision and assessment

The NMC Standards for student supervision and assessment set out the expectations
for the learning, support and supervision of students in the practice environment. They
also set out how students are assessed for theory and practice.

These standards aim to provide approved education institutions (AEIs) and practice
learning partners with the flexibility to develop innovative approaches to nursing and
midwifery education, while being accountable for the local delivery and management of
approved programmes in line with the standards.

Public safety is central to the standards. Students will be in contact with people
throughout their education and it’s important that they learn in a safe and effective way.

Each of the described roles must be in place for education institutions and practice
learning partners to meet these standards. Additional roles may be introduced in line
with local or national requirements. The Standards for student supervision and
assessment are outcome-focused and allow for local innovation in programme delivery;
they are designed to work across all programmes and in all settings. Student
supervision and assessment can be flexible, provided the education institutions and
practice learning partners meet these standards. Students in practice or work-placed

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learning must be supported to learn. This may include being supernumerary, meaning
that they are not counted as part of the staffing required for safe and effective care in
that setting. The decision on the level of supervision provided for students should be
based on the needs of the individual student. The level of supervision can decrease with
the student’s increasing proficiency and confidence.
The training
The following training has been designed to provide practice supervisors with the
knowledge and skill to achieve the role effectively. Anyone wanting to progress onto the
role of Practice Supervisor needs to complete further training.
The requirement of this online training is to complete each unit (1-9), with a reflection
and evidence of activities and tasks. Once complete, this must be reviewed as per your
organisations local policy and requirements.

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Unit 1 – NMC Education Standards
Introduction
The focus of this unit is to update you with the new Nursing and Midwifery Council
Standards 2019.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you will be able to

1. Understand the new NMC Standards.
2. Apply the new standards to your work environment

The Nursing and Midwifery Council
What we do
Better and safer care for people is at the heart of what we do, supporting the healthcare
professionals on our register to deliver the highest standards of care.
We make sure nurses, midwives and nursing associate have the skills they need to care
for people safely, with integrity, expertise, respect and compassion, from the moment
they step into their first job.
This is part of our role as regulators of the nursing and midwifery professions.
However we don't:

• Regulate hospitals or other healthcare settings
• Regulate healthcare assistants
• Represent or campaign on behalf of the professionals on our register
• Set levels of staffing

We believe learning doesn't stop the day nurses, midwives and nursing associates
qualify.
To promote safety and public trust, we require professionals to demonstrate throughout
their career that they are committed to learning and developing to keep their skills up to
date and improve as practitioners.
We want to encourage openness and learning among healthcare professions to
improve care and keep the public safe. On the occasions when something goes wrong
and people are at risk, we can step in to investigate and take action, giving patients and
families a voice as we do so.

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The 2019 standards

Our new standards of proficiency represent the skills, knowledge and attributes all
nurses must demonstrate.

They have been updated to take into account the changes taking place in society and
health care, and the implications these changes have for registered nurses.

There are now seven platforms within the new standards of proficiency for registered
nurses which are important to understand because they:

• Represent the knowledge, skills and attributes that all registered nurses must
demonstrate when caring for people of all ages and across all care settings.

• Reflect what the public can expect nurses to know and be able to do in order to
deliver safe, compassionate and effective nursing care.

• Provide a benchmark for nurses from the European Economic Area, EU and
overseas wishing to join the register.

• Provide a benchmark for those who plan to return to practice after a period of
absence.

What are the seven platforms?

• Being an accountable professional
• Promoting health and preventing ill health
• Assessing needs and planning care
• Providing and evaluating care
• Leading and managing nursing care and working in teams
• Improving safety and quality of care
• Coordinating care

Activity 1

Watch the NMC standards video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KKMtJyFqq4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3InOolvGUw&list=PLhezMZgA_y1-
6jpikqCGINp44BoIF5Zic

Only watch the first 6 minutes of the above video!

Using the Standards

It is important to read both sets of standards, Future nurse: Standards of Proficiency for
registered nurses and Realising professionalism: Standards for education and training
together.

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The latter consists of:
Part 1: Standards framework for nursing and midwifery education;
Part 2: Standards for student supervision and assessment; and
Part 3: Standards for pre-registration nursing programmes

Reading both sets together provides a complete picture of:
• • What nurses need to know and be able to do, by the time they register
with us
• • What approved education institutions (AEIs) and their practice placements
partners must provide when delivering education and training courses.

Activity 2
Have a look at the NMC website and the different publications:
https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-nurses/
Which publication explores and guides on:

1. Assessing students?
2. Developing a curriculum?
3. What graduate nurses should demonstrate?

Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional Reading
The Nursing and Midwifery Council webpage accessible at: www.nmc.org.uk
Rowntree. D, (2015), Assessing Students, How Shall We Know Them?, E book
published 2015, Routledge, London
Reference List
Nitsuga. D, (2019), Standards NMC; Standards for student supervision and
assessment: Role of the assessor, Accessible at:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3InOolvGUw&list=PLhezMZgA_y1-
6jpikqCGINp44BoIF5Zic&index=1
NMCvideos, (2018), How to use our education standards, Nursing & Midwifery Council,
Accessible at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KKMtJyFqq4
Nursing and Midwifery Council, (2019), Standards for nursing, Accessible at:
https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/standards-for-nurses/

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Unit 2 – NMC Roles and Responsibilities
Introduction
The focus of this unit is to update you with the new supervision and assessing roles
within the Nursing and Midwifery Council Standards 2019.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you will be able to

3. Understand the difference between the roles.
4. Recognise the requirements of the Practice Supervisor role.

Standards for student supervision and assessment
Our new Standards for student supervision and assessment have been in effect since
28 January 2019 and set out our expectations for the learning, support and supervision
of students in the practice environment. They also set out how students are assessed
for theory and practice learning.
Why these standards matter
These standards aim to give approved education institutions (AEIs) and practice
learning partners the flexibility to develop creative approaches to education, while still
being accountable for the local delivery and management of approved programmes in
line with our standards. The structure of the standards follow the student journey:

• Effective practice learning
• Supervision of students
• Assessment of students and confirmation of proficiency

Using the standards
It's important to read these standards along with the other parts of Realising
professionalism: Standards for education and training

• Part 1: Standards framework for nursing and midwifery education
• Part 3: programme standards for the course that is being delivered

the relevant standards of proficiency.
• Future nurse: Standards of proficiency for registered nurses and Standards for

pre-registration nursing programmes.

Reading them together provides a complete picture of:

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• What nurses, midwives and nursing associates need to know and be able to do,
by the time they register

• Expectations of education institutions and their practice learning partners for
delivering NMC-approved programmes for nurses, midwives and nursing
associates.

The new roles

Practice Supervisor

Practice supervisors’ role is to support and supervise nursing and midwifery students in
the practice learning environment. All students must be supervised while learning in
practice environments. Practice supervisors can provide supervision in different ways.
These depend on different things – it’s the AEI’s responsibility to decide what
supervision is appropriate, with its practice learning partners.

Factors that AEIs and their practice learning partners should take into account when
considering the way in which supervision may be delivered include:

• Public protection
• Student learning needs – both the level of learning required (student

competence) and the student’s programme outcomes
• Student and practice supervisor equality and diversity needs
• Availability of practice supervisors and their skills and knowledge.

Practice supervisors should also be able to judge what kind of supervision and support
they are able to provide.

Practice Assessor

Practice assessors assess and confirm the student’s achievement of practice learning
for a placement or a series of placements. This does not mean that practice assessors
must make an assessment of each individual environment or placement. Practice
assessors do not need to be physically based or employed in each or any of the
environments in which the student is placed. The practice assessor assesses the
students overall performance for their practice learning, taking account of whether or not
the relevant proficiencies and programmes outcomes have been met, and if they display
the required values of their profession. They must have sufficient opportunities to
observe the student across environments in order to inform their decisions.

A nominated practice assessor will also work with the nominated academic assessor to
make a recommendation for student progression. However not all practice assessors
will be required to perform this aspect of the role.

Academic Assessor

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Academic assessors collate and confirm the student’s achievement of proficiencies and
programme outcomes in the academic environment for each part of the programme.
The academic assessor role is structured slightly differently to the practice assessor
role. The academic assessor role is expressed to reflect this difference. The nominated
academic assessor will work with a nominated practice assessor to make a
recommendation for student progression. The two assessors must take this decision
collaboratively, taking into consideration the student’s learning and achievement across
theory and practice.
Activity 1
Continue to watch the NMC video, from 6 minutes until 22 minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3InOolvGUw&list=PLhezMZgA_y1-
6jpikqCGINp44BoIF5Zic&index=1
Reflect on what you believe your role will involve as a Practice Supervisor, and what
you can bring to the role.

Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional reading:
For more information on the roles and responsibilities of the roles, please visit:
https://www.nmc.org.uk/supporting-information-on-standards-for-student-supervision-
and-assessment/

Reference List:
NMCvideos, (2019), The role of the practice and academic assessor, published 8th
February 2019, accessible at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3InOolvGUw&list=PLhezMZgA_y1-
6jpikqCGINp44BoIF5Zic&index=1

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Unit 3 – Creating a positive clinical learning environment

Introduction

The focus of this unit is to consider your workplace as a learning environment.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to

5. Recognise the NMC (2019) requirements of learning in relation to creating an
environment for positive learning.

6. Consider the literature surrounding the clinical learning environment
7. Identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for your workplace

as a positive clinical learning environment.

Learning Environments, Effective and Safe

Effective learning places the student at the centre of the learning experience. Students
are given the opportunities and space to take responsibility for their own learning, to
seek out learning experiences and develop their own practice, without compromising
public safety. The level or form of practice supervision can decrease or change with the
student’s increasing proficiency and confidence.

An effective learning environment is one which provides opportunities for meaningful
learning experiences that contribute to a student meeting their learning outcomes. This
can mean a variety of things depending on the student’s learning outcomes, their stage
of learning, and the environment in which they are learning.

An effective learning experience can take place across different environments, allowing
students to learn and consolidate a set of skills across different settings and situations.
Learning experiences should include the full spectrum of care relevant to the student’s
area or field of practice.

The culture within an effective learning environment values learning, and all people
within the learning environment should understand their role in enabling learning. An
effective learning experience also takes account of any equality and diversity
considerations, or reasonable adjustments that need to be made to student learning and
assessment.

A safe learning experience is dependent on both the safety of the learning
environment(s) and the culture within it. All learning environments should meet the
relevant standards and regulatory requirements for the course that is being delivered.

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People must be protected from potential harm that may arise from a students practice.
This includes students being given the correct training and preparation for practice
learning and making sure students are not placed with patients whose needs are
outside of their capability, without appropriate support and supervision. In a safe
learning environment students must also be protected from potential risks to their
safety, while having opportunities to practise the skills required to build proficiency.

Activity 1

Before being able to create a positive learning environment, you firstly need to
understand some of the standards. Click on the link below, and scroll to page 10.

https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/education-standards/programme-
standards-nursing.pdf

Read the following standards: 3.3 3.5 3.6 3.7

Note if these are already achieved in your environment, and keep for your SWOT
analysis.

Different Learning environments

Students should be given the opportunity to learn and provide care across a range of
different learning environments that will enable them to meet their learning outcomes
and experience the variety of care situations. We do not specify what constitutes a
learning environment. These environments should include a mix of acute and
community as relevant to the programme.

Environments can also include ‘non-traditional settings’ such as prison wards, or
working with the armed forces.

Students should be provided with a variety of learning experiences across and within
learning environments. There are a number of different learning experiences that can
be delivered within learning environments, using different methods such as group
learning, one to one learning, peer to peer learning, classroom learning, simulation and
direct patient care.

Learning experiences do not need to be confined within a particular environment, or to a
particular episode of care. A learning experience can follow a person’s episode or
experience of care, and can involve a student being assigned to a service user
throughout their treatment or care, across environments.

Learning experiences should also have an interdisciplinary and interprofessional
learning context, including learning with and from other professions where relevant.

Have a read of the following article:

https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.uos.idm.oclc.org/doi/full/10.1111/jan.12861

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Following the concept analysis, 4 attribute characteristics stood out. Physical space,
psychological and interaction factors, organisational culture, and teaching and learning
components were identified.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis is a useful technique for understanding your strengths and
weaknesses, and for identifying both the opportunities open to you and the threats you
face. What makes SWOT particularly powerful is that, with a little thought, it can help
you uncover opportunities that you are well-placed to exploit. And by understanding the
weaknesses of your learning environment, you can manage and eliminate threats that
would otherwise catch you unawares. Things to consider for each area:

Strengths

• What advantages does your area have?
• What do you do better than anyone else?
• What resources can you draw upon, and that others can't?
• What do colleagues, in your area see as your strengths?
• What feedback have you received that shows why you are good?
• What makes your area unique?
• Consider your strengths from both an internal and external perspective.

Weaknesses

• What could you improve?
• What should you avoid?
• What are people in your area likely to see as weaknesses?
• What factors stop students from coming to your area?
• Again, consider this from an internal and external perspective: do other people

seem to perceive weaknesses that you don't see?

It's best to be realistic now, and face any unpleasant truths as soon as possible.

Opportunities

• What good opportunities can you spot?
• What interesting trends are you aware of?

Useful opportunities can come from such things as:

• Changes in technology and treatments on both a broad and smaller scale.
• Changes in government policy related to your field.
• Changes in social patterns, population profiles, lifestyle changes, and so on.
• Spoke opportunities, other professions that are involved in your area.

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A useful approach when looking at opportunities is to look at your strengths and ask
yourself whether these open up any opportunities. Alternatively, look at your
weaknesses and ask yourself whether you could open up opportunities by eliminating
them.
Threats

• What obstacles do you face?
• What are other similar areas, or other organisations doing?
• Are quality standards or specifications for your job, products or services

changing?
• Is changing technology threatening your position?
• Do you have staffing or culture problems?
• Could any of your weaknesses seriously threaten your area?

Activity 2
Using these and other factors within your environment complete a SWOT analysis of
your environment and recognise how it could be improved.

Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional reading:
For further information on the NMC guide to learning environments, please read NMC
Learning environments and experience guide, accessible at:
https://www.nmc.org.uk/supporting-information-on-standards-for-student-supervision-
and-assessment/learning-environments-and-experiences/
Reference List:
Flott. E and Linden. L, (2016), The clinical learning environment in nursing education: a
concept analysis, Journal of Advance Nursing, Vol 72, (3), pp501-513
Nursing & Midwifery Council, (2018), Realising Professionalism: Standards for
education and training, Part 3: Standards for pre-registration nursing programmes,
published 17th May 2018, Accessible at:
https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/education-standards/programme-
standards-nursing.pdf

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Unit 4 – Raising concerns

Introduction

The focus of this unit is to understand what a concern is and how to raise them.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to

8. Consider the literature surrounding raising concerns.
9. Understand how to raise a concern and support others.

Raising concerns

All individuals involved in the delivery of a learning experience or within a learning
environment have a responsibility to raise any concerns about that environment and
student learning. For nurses, midwives and nursing associates, this should be done in
line with our Raising concerns guidance. All people within a learning environment have
a responsibility to raise concerns about any impacts to public safety that may arise. This
can include any concerns about learning experiences, the culture of an environment or
the care that has been provided.

All learning environments must have in place clear processes for raising concerns and
should signpost students, and all relevant people, to these. The AEI, with its practice
learning partners, should also have the capability and processes for managing
complaints and concerns that have been raised about student learning, and student
learning environments.

Students should also feel supported when raising concerns. For example, students
may have witnessed poor care, or been asked to complete a task that was beyond their
capability without proper support or training. Students should be supported to raise
concerns and provided with appropriate information on how to do so.

Students who do raise concerns should be protected from harassment or ill
consequences as a consequence of raising concerns

Activity 1

The NMC Raising Concerns (NMC, 2015b) guidance:

https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/guidance/raising-concerns-guidance-for-nurses-and-
midwives/

Answer the following questions

1. Identify what is a concern?

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2. Identify who you would discuss a concern about a student with?
3. How would you document them?

What is a concern?

A concern has many different definitions; however it is the way that the word is used
that defines it, for example:

Concern is worry about a situation – an uncountable noun

If something concerns you, it worries you – a noun

A concern is a fact or situation that worries you – a countable noun

Someone's concern with something is their feeling that it is important – variable noun

Depending on how your concern may be represented, will therefore depend on how it is
expressed and documented.

Fitness to practice

As a practice supervisor, you will be involved with raising concerns and fitness to
practice, as well as supporting students on action plans, and feeding back to the
practice assessor. The academic assessor should also be aware of any concerns
regarding student performance, including any concerns that may have been raised in
the practice environment or by practice assessors.

You may have a role to play in developing, and making recommendations for an action
plan for a student who is struggling to achieve their programme outcomes, and this
process will depend on a number of different factors, such as the student’s stage of
learning, the academic assessor’s involvement in it, and any policies or procedures
within their AEI for improving student performance.

If a student has not met the required actions in the action plan and it becomes apparent
that they will not improve, the practice assessor and academic assessor should take
any appropriate action, which may include recommending the student be failed on that
part of the programme, or that they do not progress. This should be done through
discussion with the nominated practice assessor, following any academic processes set
in place by the AEI and their practice learning partners.

If there is an immediate concern or risk to the public from the student’s
performance the academic assessor must take appropriate action, such as
recommending the student for removal or suspension from a learning
environment or course. This should be done through the appropriate process
(such as fitness to practice) as set out by the AEI, and should involve the practice
assessor.

Students with disabilities are entitled to have reasonable adjustments considered in
relation to their practice learning. However, while reasonable adjustments may be made

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to the way that a student meets a competency or standard, the competency or standard
itself cannot be adjusted. Therefore a decision will need to be made before a student
starts a course, and at relevant points within the programme, as to whether they will be
able to meet all the competencies of the course, taking into account what reasonable
adjustments can be made if for example they have a disability.

Organisational policy

The NMC standard for student supervision and assessment, point 1.4, explains the
following:

Approved education institutions, together with practice learning partners, must ensure
that there are suitable systems, processes, resources and individuals in place to ensure
safe and effective coordination of learning within practice learning environments.

Have a look at your organisations policies on how to raise concerns.

At the University of Suffolk, we have a raising concerns flow chart, which guides our
practice partners and colleagues when raising a concern about a student. It also
explains the difference between raising a concern and fitness to practice.

Activity 2

Make yourself familiar with the flowchart guidance for raising concerns:

https://www.uos.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Cause%20for%20Concern_1.pdf

Answer the following scenarios:

A) If you had a student that was constantly late for their shift, what would you do?
Consider how you would manage the situation? Who would your report to? How
would you document the situation? What resources would you need? Would you
need to raise a concern?

B) If you have a student that shouted at a patient’s relative, what would you do?
Consider how you would manage the situation? Who would your report to? How
would you document the situation? What resources would you need? Would you
need to raise a concern?

Why we don’t raise concerns

There have been many reviews into why we don’t raise concerns and fail students,
however it was Kathleen Duffy and colleagues in 2003 that brought this issue
mainstream when they completed a review, which has continued to be reviewed and
challenged throughout the years. These highlight and focus on why assessors and
other staff don’t raise concerns and address fitness to practice issue, therefore
resulting in failing students in placement. There were many commonalities between
the different years and explanations.

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Activity 3
Name 3 reasons as to why you think assessors would not raise concerns and follow
through with failing a student? Reflect on how you would manage some of these
explanations.

Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional reading:
Bauchmann. L et al, (2019), Failing to Fail nursing students among mentors: A
confirmatory factor analysis of the Failing to Fail scale, Nursing Open, Vol 6, (3), pp966-
973. Accessible at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/nop2.276
Duffy.K, (2003), Failing students: a qualitative study of factors that influence the
decisions regarding assessment of students’ competence in practice, Caledonian
Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community
Health Glasgow Caledonian University, Accessible at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/251693467_Failing_Students_A_Qualitative_
Study_of_Factors_that_Influence_the_Decisions_Regarding_Assessment_of_Students'
_Competence_in_Practice
Timmins. L et al, (2017), Reluctance to fail nursing students in practice‐implications for
nurse managers, Journal of Nursing Management, Vol 25, (7), pp489-490. Accessible
at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jonm.12508

Reference List:
Nursing and Midwifery Council, (2015), Raising concerns: Guidance for nurses,
midwives and nursing associates: Our guidance on raising concerns, NMC Publication,
Accessible at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/guidance/raising-concerns-guidance-
for-nurses-and-midwives/
University of Suffolk, (2019), Cause for concern flowchart, PowerPoint presentation.
Accessible at: https://www.uos.ac.uk/sites/default/files/Cause%20for%20Concern_1.pdf

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Unit 5 – Identifying and assessing learning needs

Introduction

Think about your introduction to this module, you will have all had different needs, for
example for some it will have been a while since you studied, for others it will be the IT
systems, for some it will be something else. Well it’s the same with our students when
they join us in clinical practice.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this unit, you will be able to

1. Define what a learning need is
2. Identify ways in which we can assess learning needs

Learning needs

Learning needs are the gaps between the learner's current level of knowledge and
skills, and the level of knowledge and skills required to perform a task or a set of
tasks. Learning needs need to be assessed to be able to identify and prioritise
information for the purpose of setting goals and objectives, planning instruction, and
evaluating learning. The aim of the assessment is to:

• Ensure that optimal learning can occur with least amount of learner stress and
anxiety

• Prevent needless repetition of known material
• Save time and energy on the part of the learner and teacher
• Increase motivation to learn

Some of the steps that the assessor needs to consider, within the assessment needs
are:

• Identify the learner(s)
• Choose the right setting
• Collect data about the learner(s)
• Collect data from the learner(s)
• Prioritise needs
• Determine availability of educational resources
• Assess organisational tasks and goals
• Consider time management and staffing issues

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Activity 1
Think back to when you were a student:
How did your mentor assess your learning needs?
How much were you involved in the process?
Can you think of 4 ways you could assess your learner’s needs?

The term “learning styles” speaks to the understanding that every student learns
differently. Technically, an individual’s learning style refers to the preferential way in
which the student absorbs, processes, comprehends and retains information. For
example, when learning how to assess someone's needs, some students understand
the process by following verbal instructions, while others need to physically be involved
in the process. This notion of individualised learning styles has gained widespread
recognition in education theory and classroom management strategy.
Individual learning styles depend on cognitive, emotional and environmental factors, as
well as prior experience. In other words: everyone’s different. It is important to
understand the differences in students’ learning styles, so that best practice can be
implement.

Activity 2
Watch this video about learning styles and learning needs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDMfr4Q8qeg
Do you know your own learning style? If not, find this out and record your answer.
Reflect on your environment and how students’ needs can be taken into consideration?
How do you meet your needs when supervising and teaching students?
What are the corporate needs of your student? (HEI, NMC, Employer)

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Learning Objectives
Another method to be able to recognise a student's learning need, is to understand what
learning objectives are required, during your period together. Although there are many
different methods and classifications, many have been recited. Blooms Taxonomy is
often the most common model used.
Bloom’s Taxonomy is a classification of the different objectives and skills that educators
set for their students (learning objectives). The taxonomy was proposed in 1956 by
Benjamin Bloom, an educational psychologist at the University of Chicago. The
terminology has been recently updated to include the following six levels of learning.
These 6 levels can be used to structure the learning objectives, lessons, and
assessments of your course.

Remembering: Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from long‐
term memory.

Understanding: Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages
through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing,
and explaining.

Applying: Carrying out or using a procedure for executing or implementing.

Analysing: Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how the parts
relate to one another and to an overall structure or purpose through differentiating,
organizing, and attributing.

Evaluating: Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking
and critiquing.

Creating: Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole;
reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning,
or producing.
Like other taxonomies, Bloom’s is hierarchical, meaning that learning at the higher
levels is dependent on having attained prerequisite knowledge and skills at lower levels.
You will see Bloom’s Taxonomy often displayed as a pyramid graphic to help
demonstrate this hierarchy. We have updated this pyramid into a “cake-style” hierarchy
to emphasize that each level is built on a foundation of the previous levels.

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Blooms Taxonomy

Learning objectives, within Blooms verb chart

Bloom’s Level Key Verbs (keywords) Example Learning Objective
Create design, formulate, build, By the end of this lesson, the
Evaluate invent, create, compose, student will be able to design
generate, derive, modify, a care plan for a patient.
Analyse develop.
choose, support, relate, By the end of this lesson, the
Apply determine, defend, judge, student will be able to
grade, compare, contrast, determine whether using
argue, justify, support, dressing 1 or dressing 2 would
convince, select, evaluate. be more appropriate for a
particular wound.
classify, break down, By the end of this lesson, the
categorize, analyse, diagram, student will be able to
illustrate, criticize, simplify, differentiate between
associate. shockable and non-shockable
heart rhythms.
calculate, predict, apply, By the end of this lesson, the
solve, illustrate, use, student will be able to
demonstrate, determine, calculate a simple drug
model, perform, present. calculation.

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Understand describe, explain, By the end of this lesson, the
Remember paraphrase, restate, give student will be able to
original examples of, describe the survival chain for
summarize, contrast, BLS.
interpret, discuss.
list, recite, outline, define, By the end of this lesson, the
name, match, quote, recall, student will be able to recite 3
identify, label, recognise. different drugs used within the
area.

Activity 3

Using Blooms Taxonomy, think about possible learning objectives within your area and,
reflect on how each of these can be used to identify a student’s learning need?

Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional Reading:
Rowntree.D, (2015), Assessing Students; How Shall We Know Them?, Routledge,
London, eBook, Accessible at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315798462
Suskie.L, (2018), Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide, John Wiley &
Sons, Accessible at:
https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=7vhJDwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA13&dq
=assessing+learning+needs&ots=-i715GlC5r&sig=7Ckyz7hldj8ebIi5KGXrpgd-
TAA#v=onepage&q=assessing%20learning%20needs&f=false

Reference List
Becker. D and Tannehill. J, (2015), The importance of understanding your learners
needs, Accessible at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDMfr4Q8qeg
Shabatu. J, (2018), Using Bloom’s Taxonomy to write effective learning objectives, Best
Practices, Course Design, published 19th March 2018, Accessible at:
https://tips.uark.edu/using-blooms-taxonomy/

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Unit 6 – Service user contribution
Introduction
The focus of this unit is to consider the service user contribution in your workplace.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to

10. Understand the service user’s involvement within Health and Healthcare
Education

11. Reasons for service user involvement
12. Ethical considerations when involving service users
13. Benefits of service user involvement to learners

Let’s remind ourselves of who the service user is and their contribution within
your organisation.

What is a service user?
Who do you see the service user as within your organisation? There are many different
ways of describing the service user. Below you will find how the Health Care
Professions Council and the Nursing Midwifery Council define service users.

Health and care professions Council (HCPC) - We use the term ‘service user’ as a
broad phrase to refer to those who use or are affected by the services of professionals
registered with the HCPC.

(www.hcpc-uk.org 2019)

Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) - People accessing health or social care services, and
anyone supporting the needs and circumstances of these people.

(www.nmc.org.uk)

Professional Body requirements
• General Medical Council
• Nursing and Midwifery Council

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• The Health and Care Professions Council

All call for service user involvement within pre and post registration programmes.
All the professional bodies state that there must be active engagement with service
users throughout the whole curriculum; teaching, assessment, curriculum development
and evaluation

Benefits to learners
There are a number of benefits to learners whilst working with service users. Can you
think of some?

• Supports interprofessional learning
• Promotes collaboration
• Improves communication
• Increases students understanding of the patient journey
• Learning becomes real, practical and relevant
• Increases student confidence

An interesting journal article on service user involvement in teaching and learning with
student nurse’s perspectives of its value:

Kuti, B. & Houghton, T. 2019, "Service user involvement in teaching and learning:
student nurse perspectives", Journal of Research in Nursing, vol. 24, no. 3-4, pp.
183-194.

If you have access to the University of Suffolk’s library or have an Athens password you
can view the article on these platforms. To access online please click on the following
web link.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1744987119837594

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Dr Ruth Strudwick at the University of Suffolk gives information on a project based on
service user engagement and its value:

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/32_r.strudwick_uni_campus_suffolk_1.pdf

Ethical considerations
What ethical considerations do we need to be aware of whilst working with service
users? Can you think of any?

• Autonomy
• Consent
• Remuneration
• Empowerment
• Confidentiality
• Power/Coercion
• Appropriateness

There are a number of key ethical issues that need to be considered when involving
service users in education:

▪ Patients should not be there to decorate. They should be central and given the
opportunity to lead and direct educational developments

▪ Their feedback should make a difference. A service user is the only source of
information regarding a student’s ability to have compassion, care, respect and
dignity, competence, communication and ‘soft’ skills – all of which are an
essential part of any competency assessment. Competence is more than being
able to perform a skill.

▪ As a Practice Supervisor/Practice Assessor you must explain what you are
asking service users to do. They must be able to make an informed decision to
be involved in the assessment process.

Challenges
Let’s look at what the challenges could be when working with service users in
education.

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▪ Service users are unsure of what constitutes a good practitioner
▪ Reluctant to give negative feedback
▪ Uncertainty of formal involvement in student assessment
▪ Fear of retribution
▪ No agreed format for gathering service user feedback
▪ Effect of ill health on ability to assess appropriately
▪ Lack of training and support
▪ Students and mentors do not see the value
▪ Reduction in student confidence and motivation
▪ Student could become totally focus driven in practice
▪ Subsequent changes in student-patient relationship
▪ Selection of service users to give feedback
▪ Additional pressure on students, mentors and service users

Activity 1 – The importance of the service user contribution within the curriculum

The Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) released new standards for education and
training in 2018, to be implemented 2019-2020. Within the documentation service user
involvement is referred to as follows:

• ensure programmes are designed, developed, delivered, evaluated and co-
produced with service users and other stakeholders

• All learning environments optimise safety and quality, taking account of the
diverse needs of, and working in partnership with, service users, students and all
other stakeholders.

• ensure that service users and representatives from relevant stakeholder groups
are engaged in partnership in student recruitment and selection

• a range of people including service users contribute to student assessment

Access the Standards Framework for Nursing and Midwifery Education for further
information:

https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/education-standards/education-
framework.pdf

Although the HCPC are not entirely prescriptive about who service users are, they do
give information regarding service user involvement within the curriculum and for
education providers.

Watch the video by the HCPC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=VMlQ0Je2jSw

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Think of 3 ways service users can be involved with learners within your working
environment

Activity 2 – Reasons for service user involvement
Service users often tell us why they want to be involved. Here are some of the reasons
articulated:

• Able to give back for the services they have received
• Willingness to share experiences
• Getting the message across
• Campaign for better services
• Improve communication
• Patient-focussed care
• Service improvement
• Feeling valued
• Making a difference

Watch the video by the Patient and Client Council as to the reasons for service user
involvement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4kA_1FAd3Q
Do you think the role of the service user is meaningful?

Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional reading:
Bombard, Yvonne; G Ross Baker; Orlando, Elaina; Fancott, Carol; Bhatia, Pooja; et
al. (2018) Engaging patients to improve quality of care: a systematic review.
Implementation Science; London Vol. 13,

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https://search.proquest.com/docview/2090636647/F70EDC4358D143D6PQ/45?account
id=17074
McMahon-Parkes, K.,Chapman, L., and James, J. (2016) The views of patients,
mentors and adult field nursing students on patients' participation in student nurse
assessment in practice. Nurse Education in Practice
https://search.proquest.com/docview/1762709834/fulltextPDF/6B24453CC5964517PQ/
1?accountid=17074
Lea, L., Holttum, S,. Cooke, A., and Riley, L. (2016). Aims for service user involvement
in mental health training: staying human (2016)
"https://search.proquest.com/pubidlinkhandler/sng/pubtitle/The+Journal+of+Mental+Hea
lth+Training,+Education,+and+Practice/$N/1006506/DocView/1826809246/fulltext/76A9
FA08A6324739PQ/2?accountid=17074"The Journal of Mental Health Training,
Education, and Practice; Brighton Vol. 11, Issue. 4, 208-219.
Note: the following is a Canadian paper, however it does draw examples from the
UK, parallels can also be drawn with current practice here:
Towle, A., Farrell, C., Gaines, M., Godolphin, W., John, G., et al. (2016) The patient ' s
voice in health and social care professional education: The Vancouver Statement
"https://search.proquest.com/pubidlinkhandler/sng/pubtitle/International+Journal+of+He
alth+Governance/$N/44552/PagePdf/1886318598/fulltextPDF/F70EDC4358D143D6PQ
/30?accountid=17074"International Journal of Health Governance; Bingley Vol. 21, Iss.
1, 18-25.

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Unit 7 – Equality and Diversity
Introduction
The focus of this unit is to consider equality and diversity with your students and in the
workplace.
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• Identify and critique strategies to identify and support students with
additional learning needs

• Consider the ethical and professional implications of healthcare education
for all learners

What is equality and diversity?

We all come from a diverse background. The concept of diversity means understanding
that each individual is unique and recognising that we all have individual differences. In
a nutshell, it is about empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes us
all different. These can be along the dimensions of:

▪ Gender
▪ Ethnicity
▪ Socioeconomic status
▪ Social Structure
▪ Religion
▪ Culture
▪ Social Networks
▪ Societal Norms / Values
▪ Morals / Beliefs
▪ Sexuality
▪ Age

Activity 1 – Reflect upon how you think this affects learning in practice for students.
Remember this diversity mantra

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Just because you see it that way, it does not mean that
everyone does

Just because you like it that way does not mean
everyone does

Just because you learn best that way does not mean
everyone does

Disability
What is a disability and what are the responsibilities of organisations?
The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) says disability can be defined as:

‘any condition which has a significant, adverse and long term effect on the person’s
ability to carry out everyday tasks.’

The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) also says that organisations have a
responsibility:

‘All organisations must promote equality of opportunity and positive attitudes; eliminate
unlawful discrimination and encourage disabled people’s participation.’

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The Equality Act 2010
The Act provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and
advance equality of opportunity for all. It provides Britain with a discrimination law which
protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society.

o In October 2010 the Equality Act came into force bringing together all disability,
equality and diversity legislation

o Organisations must make reasonable adjustments to help overcome individual
difficulties

o But healthcare professions need to ensure fitness to practice, so all learners must be
able to meet the required professional standards and proficiencies

Specific learning differences

As a supervisor of students it is important to be aware of specific learning differences of
your students. So what are they?

The term ‘Specific Learning Difference’ (SpLD) refers to a difference / difficulty people
have with particular aspects of learning. The most common SpLDs are dyslexia,
dyspraxia, attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
dyscalculia and dysgraphia.

All specific learning differences (SpLDs) exist on a continuum from mild to moderate
through to severe. Common patterns of behaviour and experience do exist but there will
be a range of different patterns of effects for each individual. SpLD’s are independent of
intellectual ability, socio-economic or language background.

The challenge to be aware of and opportunity in an educational context, for supervisor
and student, is to have an awareness of the effects of these differences.

Dysgraphia Poor, illegible handwriting

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Dyscalculia Difficulty with symbols and concepts related to maths

Dyspraxia Phonological Difficulty with fine or gross motor coordination skills
Dyslexia:
Difficulty separating out components of language
ie syllables and sounds within words

Orthographic Recognising spelling patterns

For information on these please read the table below. For further detailed information
and an exploration into a variety of methods to provide an optimum learning experience
please go to the following link:

https://www.patoss-
dyslexia.org/write/MediaUploads/Resources/SupportingdyslexicstudentsHSC.pdf

Activity 2 - Let’s take dyslexia and see what challenges are faced by students

• Writing
• Difficulty controlling pen or pencil
• Slower than others with writing tasks
• Spelling difficulties
• Can’t organise thoughts to write
• Reading
• Slow or unable to learn to read
• Difficulty decoding alphabetic symbols
• Skip words and lines in text
• Misreads words
• Lacks expression when reading aloud
• Ignores punctuation
• Reads without comprehension
• Avoids reading aloud
• Speaking
• Slow to talk
• Mixed up sounds and mispronounces words

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• Can’t find the right word
• Difficulty with rhyming words
• Behaviour
• May lack self confidence
• Can act out, misbehave, withdraw
• Refuses to do group work; ‘homework’
• Direction
• Gets lost easily
• Can confuse left and right
• Doesn’t like analogue clocks
• Speed
• Slower to complete reading and writing tasks
• Slower to learn systems and processes
• Requires more time to complete tasks and exams
• Visual Processing
• Words misbehave on the page
• Finds black text on white paper hard to read
• Experiences eye strain and headaches
• Slow to copy notes and read accurately
• Planning
• Can lose track of time
• Can be messy or really neat
• Difficulty in organising workload
• Intelligence
• Of average or above average intelligence
• May be highly intelligent or gifted in certain areas
• Memory
• Facts and figures
• Letter combinations and words
• Times tables
• Maths and science processes
• Peoples’ names
• How people look
• Listening
• Difficulty with multiple instructions
• Constantly asking to check their understanding
• Loses focus if people talk for too long
• Finds background noise distracting

It is important to recognise that the strengths are as follows:

• Good thinking skills (conceptualisation, reasoning, imagination, abstraction)
• Enjoys problem solving
• Curiosity

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• Good imagination
• Picks up new ideas and concepts quickly
• Large vocabulary
• Enjoys practical tasks
• Excellent comprehension
• Can be good in subjects such as biology, social sciences, philosophy, law,

medicine
• High learning capability
• Can think ‘out of the box’
• Very resilient and able to adapt
• Not dependant on rote memory
• Good at empathy, care, compassion, warmth and consideration of others

Shaywitz, S. (2003) Overcoming Dyslexia. First Vintage. New York.

It is important to be aware of the strengths and challenges of each specific learning
difference.

Please reflect on the following areas.:

• Awareness: Am I aware of my personal biases and prejudices towards groups
different than mine?

• Skill: Do I have the skill to support all learner’s in a sensitive manner?
• Knowledge: Do I have knowledge of the student’s world view and their bio-

cultural views and beliefs?
• Encounters: How many face-to-face encounters have I had with students from

diverse backgrounds?
• Desire: What is my genuine desire to want to be competent in supporting a

diverse range of learners in practice?

These have been adapted from the following journal article. Please read to understand
further detail surrounding cultural competence:

CAMPINHA-BACOTE, J., 1999. A model and instrument for addressing cultural
competence in health care. Journal of Nursing Education, 38(5), pp. 203-7.

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Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional reading

Ashcroft JT. & Lutfiyya ZM. (2013) Nursing educators perspectives of students with
disabilities: A grounded theory study. Nurse Education Today 33 1316-1321

Evans W. (2014) ‘I am not a dyslexic person I’m a person with dyslexia’: identity
constructions of dyslexia among students in nurse education. Journal of Advanced
Nursing 70(2), 360–372.

Evans W. (2014) ‘If they can’t tell the difference between duphalac and digoxin you’ve
got patient safety issues’. Nurse lecturers’ constructions of students dyslexic identities in
nurse education. Nurse Education Today 34 e41-e46

General Medical Council (2013) Identifying good practice among medical schools in the
support of students with mental health concerns [Online] Available from:
http://www.gmc-
uk.org/Identifying_good_practice_among_medcal_schools_in_the_support_of_students
_with_mental_health_concerns.pdf_52884825.pdf

Gilchrist LK. & Rector C (2007) Can you keep them? Strategies to attract and retain
nursing students from diverse populations: Best practice in nurse education. Journal of
Transcultural Nursing 18 (3), 277-285

Hargreaves J . & Walker L. (2014) Preparing disabled students for professional practice:
managing risk through a principles-based approach. Journal of Advanced Nursing
00(0), 000–000. doi: 10.1111/jan.12368

Noble H. (2010) Improving the experience of deaf students in Higher Education. British
Journal of Nursing 19 (13), 851-854

Simons M. (2010) A procedure for providing advice and support for nurses with a
disability. British Journal of Nursing 19 (11), 712-715

Storr H., Wray J., & Draper P. (2011) Supporting disabled student nurses from
registration to qualification: A review of the UK literature. Nurse Education in Practice 31
29-33

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Unit 8 – Coaching for learning
Introduction
The focus of this unit is to consider what the term coaching means and how this will
work within your workplace environment
By the end of this unit, you will be able to

• Understand what coaching is
• Understand the GROW model
• Reflect upon coaching with your own work environment

What is coaching?
Coaching was designed originally to ease the burden of mentorship. Anyone can be a
coach and it promotes self-awareness and encourages reflective practice. Healthcare
students have more opportunities to develop and manage their skills such as a student
nurse managing a ward shift or a student radiographer running an outpatient x-ray list.
The focus on these opportunities allows students to feel better prepared for professional
registration and lessens the anxiety and improves the resilience of the initial stages of
newly-employed students turned professional healthcare staff.

In essence we are moving from a model based on teaching to a model based on
coaching. A team approach is taken to supporting learners. Clinical placements can be
for a wide range of learners using this methodology. Practice based learning models
utilising a coaching ethos have already been particularly successful in a number of
countries such as America, the Netherlands and Australia. In the United Kingdom a
number of trusts have adopted coaching models such as the first model, Collaborative
Learning in Practice (CLiP) model piloted at the James Paget Hospital In Norfolk back in
2014.

Coaching is aimed at building a student’s confidence and building self-awareness.
Reflection is actively encouraged along with enhancing relationships. Ultimately
coaching allows the student to step forward and deliver the care which allows coaches
to step back and observe.

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Healthcare students can support each other whilst delivering the care in organisations.
In smaller organisations such as the private, voluntary, independent sector this may be
more difficult due to smaller staff ratios, time and space constraints. Coaching can still
be utilised in discussions between supervisor and student in these scenarios with the
emphasis in getting the student to reflect and lead in their thinking rather than following.

So where are we coming from and what are we changing to?

Coming from Going to
A model based on coaching
A model based on teaching Team approach to supporting learners

One named mentor for each Clinical placements for a diverse range of
student students and work-based learners

Clinical placements for pre-
registration student nurses

The Grow Model

Using an evidenced-based coaching framework recommended by the International
Federation of Coaches can provide guidance on how to coach staff and healthcare
students. The model is called GROW. Grow is a simple method for solving problems
and setting goals. It was developed in the United Kingdom and has been used
extensively for coaching in many settings including health and corporate companies.

G – is for goal setting as a first step. While this may seem counterintuitive, most health
professionals that you will coach know what they want. They have a goal for
themselves in mind but no path to get there.

R – is for reality. What is the reality of the current situation for the person and the
environment? What actions have already been taken? How far are they away from their
goal at this current point?

O – is for options. What are the possibilities, strategies and alternatives? If there are
any challenges, then these need to be dealt with. Discuss the options.

W – is for what you will do to determine a course of action. What are the obstacles and
how committed are you to finding a way forward?

38 | P a g e

www.emergingrnleader.com

Activity 1 – Please read the following journal article

HENOCHOWICZ, S. and HETHERINGTON, D., 2006. Leadership coaching in health
care. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 27(3), pp. 183-189.

https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/01437730610657703/full/html

• What are the challenges of using a coaching methodology mentioned within this
article?

• What positive reasons for utilising a coaching methodology are mentioned within
this article?

Activity 2 - Reflection

• What are some of the benefits of coaching for you as an individual?
• Please finish this sentence:

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‘The right leadership and coaching of healthcare students can....’
Once all completed, move onto your next unit

Additional Reading:
Ashworth. G (2018) An alternative model for practice learning based on
coaching. Nursing Times; 114(12), pp30-32.
https://www.nursingtimes.net/roles/nurse-educators/an-alternative-model-for-practice-
learning-based-on-coaching/7026885.article
Resources from The Leadership Academy on coaching:
https://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/resources/coaching-register/

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Unit 9 – Feedback and Communication
Watch this space!!!!

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Final Instructions
To be finished!!!!!
Attend 1 hour online session
Bring signed answer sheet as evidence

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Answer and reflection sheet

Please use this sheet to record your answers and reflections, from all the units, and to
use as evidence.

Name:
Area of work:

Unit 1
Activity 2
1.
2.
3.

Unit 2
Activity 1
Reflection:

Unit 3
Activity 1
Notes:

Activity 2
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Strengths: Weaknesses:
Threats:
Opportunities:

Unit 4
Activity 1
1.
2.
3.

Activity 2
1.
2.
3.

Activity 3
A
B

Unit 5
Activity 1
1.
2.
3.

Activity 2
Notes:

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Activity 3
Notes:

Unit 6
Activity 1
*
*
*
Activity 2
Notes:

Unit 7
Activity 1
Reflection:

Activity 2
Reflection:

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Unit 8
Activity 1
1.
2.

Activity 2
Reflection:

Unit 9
Activity 1

Declaration
I …………………… declare that I have completed this work and have shown this to my
manager as evidence of completion.
Signed:
Print Name:
Manager Signature:
Print Name:
Date:

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