May 2016 March 2019 Mentorship, mentors, sign off mentors

Transcription

1 Clinical Mentorship of Student Nurses Policy and Procedure Document Control Summary Status: Version: Author/Title: Owner/Title: Approved by: Ratified: Related Trust Strategy and/or Strategic Aims Implementation Date: Review Date: Key Words: Associated Policy or Standard Operating Procedures New v1.0 Date: Helen Allen - Clinical Education Lead Kenny Laing - Deputy Director of Nursing Policy and Procedures Committee Date: 19 th May 2016 Trust Board Date: 26 th May 2016 Nursing & Midwifery Council requirement May 2016 March 2019 Mentorship, mentors, sign off mentors Contents 1. Introduction Purpose Scope Roles and Responsibilities Removal from the Trust Mentor Register Reinstatement to the Trust Mentor Register Support for Problems with Mentor/Student Partnership Clinical Supervision Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness References Associated Policies and SOPs..6

2 Change Control Amendment History Version Dates Amendments 1. Introduction This Policy and Procedure provides guidance to nurses working for South Staffordshire & Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (the Trust) within the practice of mentorship and sign-off mentorship of student nurses; recognizing the responsibilities in support of clinical learning and development in collaboration with partner universities, in accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery Council s (NMC) Standards to Support Learning & Assessing in Practice (2008). The Trust acknowledges the valuable contribution all staff make to the development of student nurses undertaking clinical experiences within the Trust and the responsibility all staff have for facilitating student learning and developing their competence thus promoting effective partnerships in determining competence to practice. 2. Purpose The aim of mentorship is to enhance and assure the effectiveness of learning, supervision and assessment in the clinical practice setting. All mentors, and others involved in supporting learning, supervision and assessment in the clinical practice setting have a responsibility to ensure that student nurses are fit for purpose, practice and award on completion of a pre-registration programme. In doing so, and through robust record keeping of students progression, mentors will support sign-off mentors in their decisions about the student s achievement of proficiency at the end of a programme. 3. Scope This policy and procedure is relevant to all registered nurses and should be used during the following activities: Teaching and assessing student nurses whilst on practice placements Undertaking the annual performance and development conversation, setting objectives and agreeing personal development plans Planning activities to meet revalidation and continuing professional development requirements Allocating and prioritizing resources for learning activities Page 2 of 6

3 4. Roles and Responsibilities 4.1 The Trust The Trust is responsible for ensuring that an up-to-date local register of current mentors and sign-off mentors is held and maintained. The Trust is responsible for ensuring that it has currency by regularly reviewing the register and making amendments to add or remove names of registrants as necessary. 4.2 The Clinical Learning Environment (Practice placements) Ward/Team managers have ultimate responsibility for the maintenance of the clinical learning environment, and will ensure that all staff who meet the criteria for being a mentor or sign-off mentor are identified in each area. They should ensure that there are adequate numbers of first level nurses, who are competent to take on the role of mentor and sign-off mentor, appropriate to the number of students allocated to their service. Mentors should not normally support more than three students at any one time. 4.3 Partner Universities Partner universities will have access to the register, and should use the register to confirm that there are sufficient mentors and sign-off mentors (who meet the NMC standards to support learning and assessment in practice) to adequately support the number of students undertaking the range of NMC approved programmes currently being offered. 4.4 The Student Nurse Role The student nurse will contact their allocated practice placement area prior to starting the placement to introduce themselves, find out who their mentor will be and negotiate their duty rota. They will ensure they make the necessary travel arrangements to arrive promptly for duty. They are required to share their current and previous Assessment of Practice Learning Records with their mentor in each placement. All student nurses will adhere to the Trust s policies and Standard Operating Procedures. 4.5 The Mentor Role A mentor is a registrant who, following successful completion of an NMC approved mentor preparation programme has achieved the knowledge, skills and competencies required to meet the defined outcomes (NMC 2008). A mentor is a mandatory requirement for nursing education programmes (NMC 2008). The Trust expects all mentors to meet the NMC criteria for mentors which states that they will be first level registered nurses who have had at least the equivalent of 12 months clinical practice within the same or associated clinical field that the student intends to join; and have demonstrated an aptitude for and be committed to this role. They will have successfully completed an NMC approved mentorship preparation programme. In order to be maintained on the local register and fulfil the requirements of the triennial review mentors must have Page 3 of 6

4 evidence of having mentored at least two students with due regard (extenuating circumstances permitting) within the three year period; participated in regular updating, to include at least one group activity to explore the validity and reliability of judgments made when assessing practice in challenging circumstances; and mapped ongoing development in their role against the current NMC mentor/ practice teacher standards. 4.6 The Sign-Off Mentor Role Sign off Mentors will have met the same criteria as mentors AND have clinical currency and capability in the field of practice in which the student is being assessed; been supervised on at least three occasions for signing off proficiency at the end of a final placement by an existing sign-off mentor. The first and second supervised sign off can be achieved as part of or following an NMC approved mentor preparation programme through role play, simulation or interactive use of electronic resources. The final supervision for signing off proficiency must be with an actual student undertaking an NMC approved programme. They must have a working knowledge of current programme requirements, practice assessment strategies and relevant changes in education and practice for the student they are assessing; an understanding of the NMC registration requirements and the contribution they make to meet these requirements; an in-depth understanding of their accountability to the NMC for their decision to pass or fail a student when assessing proficiency requirements at the end of a programme. The sign-off mentor must be available in a student nurse s final sign-off placement, for a minimum of one hour per student per week protected time to reflect, give feedback and maintain records of achievement. The sign-off mentor must also check that all the student nurse s documents such as Record of Attendance, Assessment of Practice Learning Records are accurate and complete in order to support the sign-off assessment decision. 4.7 Mentor and Sign Off Mentor Responsibilities Mentors and Sign-off Mentors: have the abilities to select, support and assess a range of learning opportunities in their area of practice for students undertaking NMC approved programmes; are able to support learning in an inter-professional environment, selecting and supporting a range of learning opportunities for students from other professions. have the ability to contribute to the assessment of other professionals under the supervision of an experienced assessor from that profession; are able to make judgments about fitness for practice of NMC students on the same part of the register, and in the same field of practice, and be accountable for such decisions. are able to support other qualified nurses in meeting continuing professional development needs in accordance with The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives (NMC, 2015) A mentor is a positive role model. Knowledgeable and skilled, the effective mentor: Helps students develop skills and confidence Promotes a professional relationship with students Provides the appropriate level of supervision Assists with planned learning experiences Offers honest and constructive feedback. Page 4 of 6

5 Mentors are required to offer the student support and guidance in the practice area. The role is to enable the student to make sense of practice through: The application of theory to practice Assessing, evaluating and giving constructive feedback about clinical performance Facilitating reflection on practice, performance and experiences. Mentors are also expected to: Attend mandatory annual mentorship updates Organise and co-ordinate student learning activities in practice Supervise students in learning situations and providing them with constructive feedback on their performance Set and monitor achievement of realistic learning objectives Assess total performance including skills, attitudes and behaviours Provide evidence as required by programme providers of student achievement or lack of achievement; by correct and timely completion of assessment documents Liaise with others (e.g. other mentors, sign-off mentors, clinical placement facilitators, practice teachers, personal tutors, programme leaders) to provide feedback and identify any concerns about the student s performance and agree action as appropriate Provide evidence to sign-off mentors with regard to making decisions about achievement of proficiency at the end of a programme. Be registered with the Trust as a mentor, and undertaking mentorship practice consistent with NMC requirements to remain on the Trust register as outlined in the this policy. In addition, Sign-off Mentors will assume the role of preceptor for newly qualified nurses joining the Trust on completion of their training. 5. Removal from the Trust Mentor Register Mentors who have failed to attend their annual mentor updates and / or have not submitted Triennial Review Declaration forms may be removed from the register temporarily until evidence is provided. Mentors and sign-off mentors not deemed to have provided evidence of mentorship or signoff mentorship practice in line with NMC standards will be removed from the Trust Mentor Register and will not participate in the assessment of student practice. In line with the Managing Performance - Supporting Staff policy, Ward/Team Managers may advocate the removal from the Trust Mentor Register those mentors and sign-off mentors not deemed to be meeting the required NMC standards should concerns about performance arise from their Performance and Development Conversation. 6. Reinstatement to the Trust Mentor Register Mentors removed from the Trust Mentor Register should be supported to demonstrate their commitment to the role and may later be reinstated to the Mentor Register. In order to demonstrate this commitment staff should agree a plan of action with their ward/team manager in line with the Managing Performance Supporting Staff Policy. This should include as a minimum the attendance of a mentor update and review of this standard operating procedure and the mentorship role with Ward/Team manager and sign-off mentor. Page 5 of 6

6 Ward/Team managers will ensure that they are satisfied with the individual s commitment to the mentorship role before advocating reinstatement to the Trust Mentor Register. 7. Support for Problems with Mentor/Student Partnership Should either party feel that the relationship is such that the achievement of identified learning outcomes is jeopardized for any reason, they should seek the advice of a senior member of staff in the clinical area at the earliest opportunity. Further support is available from Personal Tutors, Placement Leads and Clinical Placement Facilitators. Support and guidance should be sought at the earliest opportunity, particularly in cases when students are deemed not to be meeting assessment criteria. 8. Clinical Supervision The Trust views clinical supervision as a critical element in the provision of safe, high quality and accountable practice. This Policy and Procedure should be implemented in collaboration with the Trust s Supervision Policy 9. Process for Monitoring Compliance and Effectiveness An annual education audit in collaboration with our partner Approved Education Institutions (AEI) will be undertaken. The mentor register will be reviewed monthly and amendments made to add or remove names of registrants as necessary. Evidence that mentors have been available to their allocated student nurses for a minimum of 40% of their time on placement. 10. References Nursing and Midwifery Council (2015) The Code: Professional Standards of practice and behaviour for nurses and midwives London: NMC. Available from Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) NMC Standards to support learning and assessment in practice, London: NMC. Available from Royal College of Nursing (2005) Guidance for mentors of student nurses and midwives: An RCN Toolkit. RCN: London. 11. Associated Policies and SOPs Learning and Development Policy Learning and Development SOP Clinical Supervision Policy & SOP Page 6 of 6