Practice-based learning is a term used to describe learning undertaken while on placement.
It’s where nursing and midwifery students apply the knowledge and skills they’ve learnt during their studies, giving them the real-world experience they need to be safe and effective practitioners.
Practice-based learning is a fundamental part of every nurse or midwife’s formal education, but – as a result of changes introduced by the NMC – the way that students’ work is overseen and signed off is now very different.
The changes – which are part of the NMC’s new education standards – includes replacing the roles of mentors and sign-off mentors with practice supervisors, practice assessors and academic assessors.
The NMC say they are making the changes now to allow for greater flexibility of assessment and greater innovation by placement providers.
There’s no doubt this provides a unique opportunity to improve the quality of all practice-based learning and the knowledge and skills that our students gain.
However, this can only happen if everyone is up to speed on the changes and can deliver the new curriculum successfully.
That’s why the RCN – working closely with the NMC – is committed to raising awareness of the new standards and the changes associated with it, which have implications for every RCN member, including all pre and post-registration students and those returning to practice, too.
You may have seen that the College is holding a series of free workshops across England from February to March this year, where you can find out more about the new education standards and how they affect you.
Many of the workshops are now fully-booked, but for those unable to attend, we’re also developing a number of online resources, which will explain the changes in detail.
The resources will be launched later this year. Until then, you can secure your place at a workshop or email the RCN if you have any questions.
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