Implementation and delivery
You have had the opportunity to read and reflect on the requirements of the NMC SSSA (2018). In this next section you will consider some of the challenges and benefits of implementing and delivering the NMC SSSA (2018) standards within your own learning environment.
As a brief introduction, watch this short video from the NMC: How to use our Education Standards [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .
Activity 6
What do you consider the benefits of the introduction of these standards might be for your own learning environment?
Jot down some initial thoughts.
Discussion
Some of your thoughts might have included:
- There is no longer a requirement for students to be supervised by one mentor for 40% of their placement time, as there was with the NMC Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice (SLAiP) (2008), increasing placement capacity.
- The organisation can benefit from drawing upon a greater number of experienced members of staff to take on supervisory roles.
- Supervision can be shared between several registrants (not just NMC registrants), facilitating greater levels of inter-disciplinary learning.
- Students are empowered to be more proactive in their learning, effectively leading their learning in order to develop their knowledge and skills at an appropriate juncture.
- Service users are more actively involved in the student’s learning journey, providing feedback on their performance throughout.
- Students should feel very much part of the learning environment team.
Activity 7
Now take a few minutes to consider what you perceive the challenges of implementing the NMC (SSSA) (2018) standards might be within your own learning environment?
Jot down some immediate thoughts.
Discussion
Some of your thoughts might have been:
- Succession planning issues leading to inadequate resourcing, i.e. new Practice Supervisors or Assessors are not developed in a timely manner, leaving gaps in adequate support for students.
- Resistance to change – staff may defer to old standards of teaching (NMC SLAiP 2008 standards) working as a ‘mentor’ rather than Practice Supervisor/Assessor.
- Learning environments/staff do not empower students to take more responsibility for their learning.
- Learning environment and university preparation are not adequately aligned.
- Learning environments are so busy, students do not get adequate time to reflect on or process their learning.
- Supervisory skills of staff are limited or underdeveloped.
- Organisational internal communication is fragmented or weak, so Practice Assessors may not receive accurate or complete feedback on student progress to enable them to carry out accurate assessment.
Activity 8
Take a few minutes to consider how some of these challenges may be overcome and what actions you might take to ensure these challenges are mitigated where possible, within your own learning environment.
Discussion
Some of your thoughts might have been:
- Strive to remain open-minded and to embrace the change to NMC SSSA (2018).
- Remain up to date, share ideas and best practice in terms of embedding and meeting the respective standards.
- Within learning environments, identify a nominated person, to ensure staff are updated and prepared to adequately support the students placed and respond to student concerns.
- Within learning environments, create regular opportunities to protect time to work closely with students.
- Seek ways to improve communication between the university and practice.
- Encourage all registrants to engage with the supervision of students.
- Ensure that students are made aware of the support and learning opportunities available to them in every learning environment.
- Tailor supervision to the needs of the student and stage of learning.
- Practice supervision is put in place which facilitates independent learning.