Practice Assessors and Supervisors

The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) has reviewed and updated the standards of proficiency for nurses and the standards for education and training. These reflect the changing needs for the role nurses will play in future healthcare services.

Midwifery standards are also being developed, will be consulted on and implemented in 2020. The new standards have a greater emphasis on leadership, multi-disciplinary working and working across different settings.

All programmes offered by all Approved Education Institutions (AEIs) must be aligned to the new standards by September 2020. AEIs in the North West plan to adopt these new standards from September 2019.

Part 2 of the standards relate to student supervision and assessment and are more outcome focused. They separate out supervision and assessment, and students are assigned to a practice supervisor, practice assessor and an academic assessor. This resource area will enable you to meet the NMC outcomes to undertake the roles and keep yourself up to date.

Standards for student supervision and assessment : 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. 

Programme Standards: These programme standards should be read with the NMC Standards framework for nursing and midwifery education and Standards for student supervision and assessment which apply to all NMC approved programmes. There must be compliance with all these standards for an education institution to be approved and to run any NMC approved programme.

Future Nurse Poficiencies: The Nursing and Midwifery Council has a duty to review the standards of proficiency it sets for the professions it registers on a regular basis to ensure that standards remain contemporary and fit for purpose in order to protect the public.

For Annual Updates, please click here.

Placement profiles: Placement Profiles are designed to illustrate the learning opportunities offered within a learning environment. This includes all relevant spokes, opportunities for inter-professional working and the client group that the placement supports. It highlights major components and specific strengths and expertise available within the area. In addition the document provides practical information such as shift patterns, models for team working, resources available, travel and parking arrangements and suggested pre-reading. Students have access to these profiles through InPlace the universities placement system. During the induction period, the profile should be made available for discussion between the mentor and the student.

The Practice Assessment Record (PAR) is an assessment of practice document that students will be given for each year. The Practice Assessment Record (PAR) is based on the NMC (2010) Standards for Competence for entry to the NMC register. These competencies are divided into 4 domains; Professional values, Communication and interpersonal skills; Nursing practice and decision making and Leadership, management and team work. The Nursing & Midwifery Council requires students to have this document that is produced to Mentors at the beginning and end of each Placement to enable decisions to be made on the Student’s progress and competence.

To access the PARE please click here.

This inventory forms an important part of a students Professional Development Portfolio and is linked to the practice assessment modules in each year of the programme

The ESC’s MUST be achieved to successfully progress through the progression points in years one and two and resister as a nurse. This record will evidence this achievement and contribute toward final summative assessment within the practice modules. The inventory will also help to inform the practice assessment record (PAR) by providing evidence of other skills achievement.

The NMC (2010) requires all students to develop competence in their ability to be able to recognise and respond to the essential needs of all people who come into their care. It is likely that students will gain these experiences within their Hub placements.

For example, a client may be seen in an out-patient department for a long term condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but they may also be experiencing depression, or a person with a learning disability may develop pneumonia. However, this may not always be the case and so consideration should be given to this requirement when planning learning opportunities in Hubs, Spokes and short visits. It is extremely important that the student documents these exposures within their Practice Assessment Records (PARs). This will be monitored by the University following each Placement.

The different client groups for each field can been seen in the chart below: