Centre Handbook Incorporating standards and procedures for the approval and quality monitoring of veterinary nursing qualifi cations Version 2
Page intentionally blank www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 1
Centre Handbook Incorporating standards and procedures for the approval and quality monitoring of veterinary nursing qualifications Version 2.0 Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Awarding Body Belgravia House 62 64 Horseferry Road London SW1P 2AF Telephone 020 7202 0788 Email: vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk Internet: www.rcvs.org.uk RCVS 2017 www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 2
Chapter 1... 7 The basis for the approval of Centres delivering veterinary nursing licence to practise qualifications... 7 Introduction... 7 Definitions... 8 Veterinary nursing licence to practise qualifications... 9 Chapter 2... 11 Centre Approval Standards... 11 Introduction... 11 Centre Standard 1 The organisation... 12 Centre Standard 2 Financial integrity and market... 13 Centre Standard 3 Human resources... 14 Centre Standard 4 Centre management and communication... 15 Centre Standard 5 Management and support of students... 16 Centre Standard 6 Programme design... 19 Centre Standard 7 Practical placement arrangements... 20 Centre Standard 8 Accommodation and practical teaching resources... 22 Centre Standard 9 Learning resources... 24 Centre Standard 10 Assessment and quality assurance... 25 Centre Standard 11 Programme review... 26 Chapter 3... 27 Approval of Centres and Training Practices... 27 Approval of Centres... 27 Approval of Training Practices... 27 Chapter 4... 29 The role of Training Practices... 29 Introduction... 29 Auxiliary training practices... 30 Training practice staff... 30 Clinical Supervisors... 30 Chapter 5... 32 The RCVS Centre quality monitoring process... 32 The Centre quality monitoring process... 32 Site visit - Centre... 32 Site visit Training practice... 33 Audit of assessments... 33 Student Interviews... 34 www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 3
Oral report... 34 Formal report... 34 Chapter 6... 35 The visiting team... 35 The appointment of visitors and composition of the visitor team... 35 Conflict of interest policy... 36 Job Description and Personal Specification... 36 Visiting team... 36 Key tasks for a visitor... 37 Visitor training... 37 Time commitment... 37 Expenses... 37 Policy on managing potential conflicts of interest for visitation team members... 38 Criteria used when selecting visitors... 38 Impartiality... 38 Conflicts of interest... 38 Declaration... 39 Guidance for visitors... 39 Guidance for observers... 40 Travel and subsistence... 41 Chapter 7... 42 Application for enrolment as a student veterinary nurse and registration as a veterinary nurse... 42 Enrolment... 42 Certification... 42 Registration... 42 Temporary Registration university students only... 42 Graduation and admission ceremonies... 43 RCVS Pre-registration examination... 43 Chapter 8... 44 RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses and RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses... 44 Introduction... 44 Chapter 9... 45 The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (Schedule 3 Amendment) Order 2002... 45 What can be delegated?... 45 Extracts from Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 Treatment and operations that may be given or carried out by unqualified persons... 45 www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 4
Extract from Part I of the Schedule... 46 Chapter 10... 48 Accreditation Committee of Veterinary Nurse Education (ACOVENE)... 48 Introduction... 48 Chapter 11... 49 Accreditation of qualifications delivered wholly or partially outside the United Kingdom... 49 Introduction... 49 Accreditation of Awarding Organisations/Higher Education Institutions and Qualifications outside the UK... 49 Accreditation and quality monitoring of organisations and qualifications delivered partially outside the UK... 50 Accreditation of UK qualification delivered wholly outside the UK... 51 UK Work experience for Student Veterinary Nurse training... 51 Annex 1... 53 Example of a Memorandum of Understanding between a Centre and the RCVS... 53 Annex 2... 56 Centre Equipment and Resource List... 56 Annex 3... 60 Training Practice Approval Standards... 60 Introduction... 60 TP Standard 1 The Organisation... 61 TP Standard 2 Human resources... 62 TP Standard 3 Clinical facilities... 65 TP Standard 4 Clinical training resources... 67 TP Standard 5 Delivery of training... 69 TP Standard 6 Management, monitoring and review of training... 72 TP Standard 7 Declaration... 75 Annex 4... 76 Visitors conflict of interest declaration... 76 Annex 5... 77 Training Practice Approval Form... 77 Annex 6... 79 RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses... 79 Annex 7... 90 RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses... 90 RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nursing Small Animal... 91 RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nursing Equine... 101 www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 5
Annex 8... 111 Veterinary Nurse Registration Rules... 111 Annex 9... 1115 Guidance on the recruitment of work-based veterinary nursing students and the admission of veterinary nursing students to full-time vocational and degree courses... 116 www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 6
Chapter 1 The basis for the approval of Centres delivering veterinary nursing licence to practise qualifications Introduction As the professional regulatory authority for the veterinary professions, the RCVS maintains a register of veterinary nurses. Maintaining the register includes the approval of qualifications that can lead to professional registration; these are known as licence to practise qualifications. Qualifications that lead to registration can either be at Further Education (FE) or Higher Education (HE) level. The requirements for such qualifications are set out in the RCVS Registration Rules and the Standards detailed in this handbook. The RCVS must accordingly accredit all HEIs and AOs and the Veterinary Nursing qualification(s) they award that lead to professional registration, ensuring that they address the regulatory standards and the current RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses and Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses. The accreditation of such qualifications is undertaken by the Veterinary Nursing Education Committee on behalf of Veterinary Nurses Council. Approved Centres deliver veterinary nursing licence to practise qualifications. Centres must accordingly deliver appropriate education, training and assessment. Centres delivering veterinary nursing licence to practise qualifications are accountable to their Awarding Organisation (AO) or Higher Education Institution (HEI) for the quality assurance of these activities. Effective quality assurance is achieved through a variety of means, and includes moderation and validation of assessments along with training practice and student monitoring and support. Approved Centres provide practice-based training and assessment in partnership with suitable Training Practices (TPs). RCVS accredited HEIs and AOs are accountable to the Veterinary Nurses Council (VNC) for quality of delivery, and for ensuring that delivery sites comply with RCVS Centre and TP approval standards which are set out in this document. An approved Centre will normally be a further education college, private training provider or university. Affiliated veterinary Training Practices are an essential and integral element of a Centre s resource. They support delivery of the required clinical veterinary nurse education that is a critical element of veterinary nurse qualifications. A Centre must therefore ensure that all affiliated TPs can provide a suitable training environment in which student veterinary nurses can reasonably address RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses and RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses. RCVS stipulates minimum standards for Training Practice approval. This is contained in the RCVS Training Practice Approval Standards (Annex 3). Centres must have in place a programme of quality monitoring to ensure that TPs continue to provide quality training and assessment. Centres delivering VN licence to practise qualifications must be able to demonstrate an educationally and financially sustainable provision, taking into account evidence of local demands and the presence of existing Centres. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 7
This document sets out RCVS s standards, policy and procedures for the approval and quality monitoring of Centres both in the UK and overseas delivering veterinary nursing licence to practise qualifications. When notified of a new Centre approval RCVS will; Contact the Centre Invite the Centre to an induction meeting at which there will be an opportunity to meet the veterinary nursing team and to be provided with advice and guidance on enrolment and registration of student veterinary nurses. Publish Centre details on RCVS website Where RCVS has reason to believe that a Centre continually does not meet RCVS Centre approval standards and the AO or HEI is not managing this adequately, RCVS reserves the right to cease enrolling a new cohort until such time that we are satisfied that all non-compliances have been addressed. The quality monitoring activity of the AO or HEI will increase. Definitions Affiliated Training Practice A Training Practice approved by a Centre for the purpose of offering clinical placement/employment to students. Auxiliary Training Practice (atp) In cases where a prospective Training Practice does not have all of the specified resources necessary to meet full TP approval, but nevertheless could provide a good learning environment for a substantial part of practical training, a Centre could approve it as an auxiliary Training Practice (atp). Awarding Organisations (AOs) Organisations approved by a national regulatory authority and the RCVS. Training Practice (TP) A veterinary practice which meets RCVS standards for the approval of Training Practices. Centre An institution approved in accordance with standards set by the Veterinary Nurses Council to deliver a programme of veterinary nurse education. Clinical supervisor The person (MRCVS/RVN) appointed to recognise competence and make judgments about student performance and competence (for example clinical coach/assessor). Delivery sites An institution where veterinary nurse education is delivered. This could be a Centre or a branch/satellite of a Centre. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 8
Full time programme A programme of attendance that requires clinical placement rather than apprenticeships or employment. Head of Centre (HOC) A senior member of Centre staff (the official correspondent) responsible for the overall delivery of RCVS-approved licence to practise qualifications, in veterinary nursing. Higher Education Institution (HEI) Higher Education Institutions (universities) recognised by QAA and RCVS. Nominated signatory A member of the Centre veterinary nursing team responsible for signing RCVS enrolment and registration application forms. Non-affiliated Training Practice A Training Practice approved by another Centre offering clinical placement to students. Primary Centre A Centre responsible for approving the resources and facilities of a TP and providing support and ongoing quality assurance. Quality assurance staff External verifiers, Internal verifiers and moderators who undertake quality assurance of the qualification delivery and assessment processes within a Centre. Regulatory Authorities The bodies responsible to Government for the regulation of nationally accredited awards. Student A person enrolled with RCVS for the purpose of undergoing veterinary nurse education. Veterinary nursing licence to practise qualifications Veterinary nurses who wish to practise in the UK must be registered as a veterinary nurse with the RCVS. In order to be entered in the register of veterinary nurses a person must: hold an approved vocational qualification and have completed practical training as specified by RCVS or hold an approved degree in veterinary nursing or other higher qualification in veterinary nursing and have completed practical training as specified below; or have passed the Part II veterinary nursing examination formerly administered by the College and have completed practical training as specified below; or www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 9
hold the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Nursing; or have undertaken training and obtained a qualification outside the United Kingdom and acquired skills and knowledge commensurate with the standards set by the Veterinary Nurses Council under article 14 of the Supplemental Charter for the training and education of persons wishing to be entered in the register of veterinary nurses. Qualifications achieved in the UK which enable holders to apply to enter the RCVS register of veterinary nurses must be approved by the RCVS in its capacity as the veterinary professional regulator. veterinary nurses under provisions of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. For this reason, the RCVS maintains a database of AOs/HEIs, their delivery Centres and affiliated Training Practices and of enrolled student veterinary nurses. Students not enrolled with the RCVS must not be delegated Schedule 3 nursing activities. Any College or training organisation that is considering offering a veterinary nursing licence to practise qualification must be approved by an accredited AO/HEI. For more information about the Centre approval standards see Chapter 2. Legal dispensations relating to veterinary practical work are extended to student www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 10
Chapter 2 Centre Approval Standards Introduction RCVS s principal aim in setting approval standards and evaluating Centres and TPs against them is to ensure that the Centre and its affiliated Training Practices: are well managed; run sustainably; have the appropriate resources (people, facilities and animals); provide an up to date professional curriculum; provide appropriate support to students in their learning; operate fair, valid and reliable assessment systems; including a minimum of 1,800 hours in clinical placement/employment; ensuring that students meet the RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses and RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses; providing adequate access to placements (or employment) for all students in a veterinary TP for the purposes of clinical training and assessment; complying with other policies published by the RCVS from time to time relating to veterinary nurse education. operate robust quality assurance and quality enhancement mechanisms. This is what lies behind the veterinary nursing licence to practise qualification Centre approval standards set out below. Compliance with all the standards provides an assurance that the qualification meets the needs of the veterinary profession. It guarantees that holders of the qualification will have acquired the knowledge and skills needed for the efficient practice of veterinary nursing to enable them to apply to enter the register of veterinary nurses. To be approved for delivery of VN licence to practise qualifications, the Centre must meet all the standards set out below including: ensuring that nurses complete a total of 94 weeks (2,990 hours) training www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 11
Centre Standard 1 The organisation 1.a Centres must have in place binding agreements with their Awarding Organisation or Higher Education Institution that articulate both their national and professional regulatory obligations. 1.b Centres must have in place binding agreements with the RCVS that articulate professional regulatory obligations. 1.c A senior member of Centre staff (the official correspondent) responsible for the overall delivery of RCVS-approved licence to practise qualifications, in veterinary nursing, must be designated. Guidance 1.a There will be a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing an agreement between the Centre and Awarding Organisation/Higher Education Institution setting out the responsibilities of both parties. 1.b There will be a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing an agreement between the Centre and RCVS setting out the responsibilities of both parties. 1.c A senior member of staff will be the primary point of contact and accountable for the Centre with the RCVS. This individual must be sufficiently senior within the organisation to carry out this role effectively and will normally be at the level of principal or director. The Centre may appoint a member of the veterinary nursing team as designated signatory for RCVS enrolment and registration applications. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 12
Centre Standard 2 Financial integrity and market 2.a Centres must be able to demonstrate a sound and sustainable operating basis. 2.b Proposed delivery of VN qualifications must demonstrate an adequate and sustainable market. Evidence must include veterinary practices (not already TPs) prepared to affiliate with the Centre in order to provide work-based training. Guidance 2.a Provision must demonstrate stand-alone financial viability and sustainability. 2.b Centres must be able to provide strong evidence of an adequate and sustainable market for their provision, backed up by sound, research-based evidence. This must include evidence of market research with veterinary employers substantiating the demand for the type of qualification delivery being proposed. Centres offering full time programmes which require the use of clinical placements must have sufficient Training Practices for every student they intend to admit to the programme. Accordingly they should have sufficient affiliated Training Practices in order to offer clinical placements to all students registered for the qualification. It is not acceptable to rely upon obtaining placement agreements from practices affiliated to other Centres, or to require students to find their own placements. Where it is evident a Centre has been approved by an AO/HEI without sufficient placement provision, RCVS will not enter into any agreement with the Centre and students will not be able to enrol with the RCVS. When RCVS is notified by an AO/HEI of a new Centre we will contact the Centre to ascertain placement arrangements for their students. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 13
Centre Standard 3 Human resources 3.a Centres must have sufficient suitably qualified staff to deliver the proposed qualification(s) and to provide appropriate levels of student support. 3.b Active support for the continuing professional development for staff must be demonstrated. A policy to ensure that members of the teaching team maintain their competence, both in terms of educational and veterinary work, in accordance with the needs of the institution must be in place. Guidance 3.a A programme organiser or Centre liaison officer should normally be a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) or a UK Practising Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS) and should have substantial experience of veterinary nurse training and education. The programme organiser should hold a recognised teaching qualification e.g., PGCE or DTLLS. Where this is not the case, such a person must be employed on the permanent staff of the college and have a substantial input into the programme content, teaching and review. All staff involved in teaching must be able to demonstrate consistent and relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Educational programmes must be supported by teaching staff who possess both academic and/or professional qualifications at a level sufficient to support the academic level of the proposed course(s). It is expected that teaching staff, and especially programme or module leaders, possess qualifications and/or can demonstrate veterinary nursing experience and CPD at a significantly higher level than that of the programme being delivered. In the case of HE programmes, veterinary nurse members of the teaching staff who are not graduates must be actively supported to achieve this level of qualification in a relevant discipline. Clear action plans showing how this is to be achieved should be in place at the time of Centre approval. In the meantime the responsible university and Centre must provide such staff with suitable academic mentoring to ensure that they are able to teach and support students adequately at undergraduate level. RCVS quality monitoring audits will include review of Curriculum Vitae for all members of teaching staff and internal verifiers. These must clearly show their relevant professional and teaching qualifications, post-qualification experience and all relevant CPD undertaken in the last two years. 3.b Educational programmes must be supported by teaching staff who possess up-to-date clinical knowledge and skills in addition to teaching expertise and/or qualifications. Centres should be able to show how CPD is planned in advance to meet both the needs of the course delivery and the individuals involved in teaching. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 14
Centres must demonstrate active support of continuing professional development for teaching staff both in their educational qualifications and veterinary/veterinary nursing competence. Relevant activities may include periods spent in clinical practice, courses, participation in professional congresses, independent study, research etc. Centres should be able to demonstrate how they identify the CPD needs of staff and provide a plan of professional development to be undertaken by staff. Centre Standard 4 Centre management and communication 4.a Centres must be able to demonstrate clear and effective lines of communication between members of Centre staff and with affiliated veterinary Training Practices. 4.b Training Practices must be regarded as an integral resource of the Centre and must be developed and supported accordingly. 4.c Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) that clearly set out roles and responsibilities must be in place with all Training Practices and other organizations partnering the Centre in the delivery of VN qualifications. 4.d Record-keeping must be effective and compliant with the current requirements of the regulatory authorities. 4.e Centres must allow the RCVS, AOs, HEIs and their regulatory authorities access to people, premises and records and must co-operate with RCVS quality assurance activities in relation to qualification delivery. Guidance 4.b Affiliation agreements must be in place with all Training Practices, including any that may be organisationally linked to the Centre (such as university veterinary hospitals). Site visits for quality assurance purposes should be made to a Centre s linked Training Practices at least once a year. TPs should be risk-assessed and those presenting high risk should be monitored more frequently, either indirectly or involving site visits depending upon the issues. Situations that place a TP at high risk include; Unqualified or inexperienced clinical supervisors; High student attrition and/or slow progress; www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 15
Repeated student failure of summative objective practical examination; Deficiency of clinical resources; This list is not exhaustive. There must be a clear action plan in place to demonstrate how the risks will be reduced. Centres are expected to communicate regularly with Training Practices, and clinical supervisors, to ensure that they are kept abreast of training issues. Communication should include at least one TP liaison meeting annually. Centre Standard 5 Management and support of students 5.a An admissions policy, taking into account entry criteria for veterinary nurse training and equal opportunities, must be demonstrated. 5.b Records of student attendance and progress must be maintained. 5.c Adequate opportunity must be afforded for the provision of individual tutorial and/or pastoral student support. 5.d Arrangements must be in place for the identification and support of students with a disability or other educational need. 5.e Adequate and effective support of students in employment (or on educational placement) must be demonstrated. 5.f Arrangements must be in place for RCVS enrolment of students taking into account placement requirements. 5g Where students are not enrolled with RCVS prior to starting their placement the Centre must provide, by letter, details of the impact this will have on training time requirements and the potential effects to initial registration. Guidance 5.a The AO/HEI approving the Centre should determine and publish a set of criteria for entry. These must include demonstrable eligibility to meet the required entry criteria for VN qualifications. Centres must have sight of (and keep copies of) original examination certificates when checking eligibility for recruitment to the programme. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 16
5.b Centres must have in place systems for recording student attendance, educational needs, and progress and tutorial interviews/meetings. All current student progress records, or proposed student progress record systems, should be available, by cohort, for inspection at the quality monitoring audit. 5.c Centres must ensure that students have access to pre-arranged tutorials and progress meetings within the college day. It is not sufficient for students to have ad hoc access to tutorial staff during lunch breaks or after normal college hours. Facilities should also be available to offer effective pastoral support for students. 5.d Centres must, at an early stage in each course, be able to effectively identify students with special educational needs, or other disability, and to provide suitable support for them. Details of how these students are/will be identified and supported along with your policy document may be reviewed during quality monitoring audits. 5.e Learning is more effective where students receive cohesive support from both their Centre and employer (or placement provider). Liaison with Training Practices is thus an important activity and details of the mechanisms in place will be audited. The Centre must be able to demonstrate how they will apply equal opportunities and fitness to practise polices. Details of the systems in place for monitoring equal opportunities and for addressing apparent anomalies must be available on request. Centre should be familiar with the RCVS Fitness to Practise guidance for Student Veterinary Nurses. http://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-events/news/new-fitness-to-practise-guidance-for-studentveterinary-nurses/ A student handbook must be provided which is specific to the qualification offered. Where a generic college/university handbook is provided, the course team must provide an additional document that specifically addresses VN programme issues. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 17
5.f The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 defines veterinary surgery and sets out the circumstances in which non-veterinary surgeons may legally carry out veterinary treatments to animals. Dispensations specified for veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses are set out in Schedule 3. RCVS enrolment gives legal dispensation to assist in the veterinary care of animals so that students are able to gain the necessary experience during their training. Students must be enrolled with the RCVS prior to the start of their placement in order to carry out schedule 3 activities and for the time in placement to count towards the required 1,800 hours placement training. Prior to RCVS professional registration students must have completed 94 weeks (2,990 hours) in training from the date of RCVS enrolment. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 18
Centre Standard 6 Programme design 6.a Programme design must address the relevant qualification learning outcomes and assessment criteria. 6.b The curriculum should take into account the close links which must be fostered between theory and its application to veterinary nursing practice. HE and full-time FE course design should therefore allow students to re-visit the workplace sufficiently often to be able to apply new learning to practice, and to complete the mandatory practice hours stipulated within the RCVS Veterinary Nursing Registration Rules. 6.c Course content should be firmly applied to veterinary nursing practice in order that students may appreciate the relevance of their learning and be able to apply this at work. Guidance 6.a Centres must demonstrate details of the Guided Learning Hours (GLH), unit by unit, for the qualification to be offered. Practical skills teaching must be included in educational programme provision. Whilst practical learning takes place predominantly in Training Practices, it is important that students are able to learn, and to practise under guidance in the classroom, essential clinical techniques. In this way, basic skills can be assimilated in a safe and unhurried environment and to a known standard. The Centre must be able to demonstrate the curriculum hours that are to be devoted to practical skills teaching. In the case of HE and FE full time programmes this should total a minimum of 200 hours throughout the programme. 6.b A detailed plan of attendance must be available. This should show the days/weeks to be attended during the academic year. 6.c Schemes of Work for all qualification units, or for all HE modules to be offered; must be available. Schemes of work must be provided in detail. These should be clearly mapped to the qualification learning outcomes and must demonstrate coverage of the indicative content. Detailed schemes of work must clearly identify lesson content, the planned teaching methods and learning activities. In addition, schemes of work must be mapped against the RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses and RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses. Within HE programmes care must be taken where generic modules from other disciplines (such as animal science) are adopted. The course must, as a whole, demonstrate application to veterinary nursing and coherently address the RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses and RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 19
Centre Standard 7 Practical placement arrangements 7.a Students must be provided with adequate access to placements (or employment) in veterinary practice for the purposes of clinical training and assessment. Practices used for the placement of students must meet the RCVS criteria for approved Training Practice. 7.b Students must be adequately supported and supervised during all periods of placement. 7.c Clinical teaching in employment or work placement must be adequate, of an appropriate standard and quality assured. 7.d Mechanisms must be in place for the appointment and supervision of practice personnel to undertake the training and assessment of students against the RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses. 7.e Effective quality assurance strategies and sampling must be demonstrated. 7.f Effective channels for communicating Awarding Organisation/Higher Education Institution information and external quality assurance reports to relevant programme staff and clinical supervisors must be apparent. Guidance 7.a Students undertaking full-time FE or HE programmes must be provided by the Centre with reasonable access to the clinical placements required to fulfil the programme. It is not acceptable to expect students to find placements for themselves unless they wish to gain experience in a practice other than one available within the Centre s pool of available placements e.g. they wish to gain practical experience whilst living at home, some distance from the college/university. Centres must be in a position to demonstrate that they have sufficient placements for every student admitted to the programme. Centres should accordingly have sufficient affiliated Training Practices in order to offer clinical placements to all of their students. It is not acceptable to rely upon obtaining placement agreements from practices affiliated to other Centres, or to require students to find their own placements. It is expected that Centres will develop a pool of placements, most of which should be primarily affiliated to the Centre (primary Centre). These practices must be familiar with the aims of the course and will be in a position to provide the requisite supervision and practical assessment. On occasion, students may ask to undertake placements close to their home. In such cases the Centre must vet the proposed placement and realistically be able to support the student in www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 20
this location prior to agreeing the arrangement. The Centre must be in a position to offer the student an alternative if support for their requested placement cannot be offered. Where Training Practices affiliated to other approved Centres provide placements, you will remain wholly responsible for the support of your students in this clinical placement and the quality assurance of their practical assessment. Mechanisms for effective communication with other approved Centres must be demonstrated. RCVS publishes a list of approved Training Practices online and will inform Centres, on a monthly basis, of any new approvals, withdrawals or transfers. The Centre must ensure that where a student is in a TP that has been withdrawn, alternative arrangements are made. 7.b Students must be afforded pastoral and academic support whilst away from the Centre on placement (or employment). Details of the support systems available for students on clinical placement will be audited at the regulatory quality monitoring visit. Students are expected to meet, and be assessed on, the programme learning outcomes relating to clinical skills whilst in practical employment or on clinical placement. These learning outcomes will reflect the RCVS Day One Competences for Veterinary Nurses and RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses, these being the measure of competence set by the RCVS in order to register as a qualified veterinary nurse. 7.c Centres must have in place rigorous systems for the development and evaluation of clinical competence. These systems must include: Mechanisms for training and supporting clinical supervisors; Documentation for recording assessments and related quality assurance; Systems for standardising and quality-assuring clinical teaching and assessment; Provisions for reasonable access by all students to clinical tuition and assessment. 7.d The training and support of personnel appointed to train and assess in the workplace is extremely important. As well as being able to plan and organise, clinical supervisors must also be able to recognise competence and make judgment about student performance. This means that clinical supervisors should be experienced, competent and confident in their own knowledge and skills and be able to demonstrate best veterinary nursing practice to their students. It is therefore not appropriate for a newly qualified nurse to be appointed as a clinical supervisor. Students work in a variety of veterinary practices with disparate clinical policies, procedures and ethos. The support and training of TP personnel is key to ensuring students have reasonable parity of experience and are trained and assessed to a common standard. Clinical supervisors must therefore be in possession of adequate and up-to-date training to undertake this role. This may either be suitable in-house CPD or a formal qualification in the practical coaching of individuals in the workplace. The RCVS will, during ongoing monitoring of the www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 21
AO/HEI, audit evidence of clinical supervisor training, standardisation and support. Mechanisms must be in place for the supervision of clinical staff inexperienced in the supervising and assessment role. 7.e The work of clinical supervisors must be quality-assured by the Centre in order to ensure that clinical tuition and assessment is accessible, appropriate and consistent. Details must be kept of the Centre s development strategy for quality assurance staff and clinical supervisors, along with a schedule of planned activities. 7.f Programme staff and clinical supervisors must be kept informed of AO/HEI communications, especially where these relate to the conduct and/or quality of assessment practice. Centres must have details of how this will be achieved in a timely and effective manner. Centre Standard 8 Accommodation and practical teaching resources 8.a Centres must possess suitable accommodation in which to deliver the proposed programme. 8.b Accommodation used for teaching must provide a conducive learning environment and comply with relevant health and safety standards. 8.c A dedicated practical teaching facility is required. This must be well-specified and capable of providing a realistic representation of a veterinary practice for the purpose of clinical skills teaching. Guidance 8.a Suitable accommodation must be available for teaching purposes. This must: provide a comfortable environment for teaching and learning; support a variety of teaching and learning methods and activities; be freely available for timetabled teaching; be free from undue noise or other distractions; provide adequate room for the number of students to be accommodated; provide private areas for tutorial discussions and/or quiet study; provide an indoor recreational area where students may have access to refreshments. 8.b All Centres must be able to offer a range demonstration and practical teaching equipment in order to support the linkage between theory and veterinary nursing practice. A dedicated practical teaching room or suite, which allows for the realistic and safe demonstration and practice of a range of clinical techniques, must be provided. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 22
Practical equipment and facilities must reflect current veterinary practice. They must be in good condition and comply with relevant health and safety standards. Equipment and materials must be stored neatly and methodically, as they would be in a veterinary practice, thereby setting a good example to students and ensuring ready accessibility and audit. Facilities used to teach practical laboratory skills must either be a purpose-built laboratory or must provide a safe and suitable area in which students can work with laboratory equipment. In the latter case, there must be running water, suitable power points and facilities for the disposal of used consumables. A comprehensive range of clinical laboratory equipment is required to support demonstration and practical skills teaching. Where a laboratory is situated away from the main course teaching site, this must be accessible both for teaching and the requisite preparation of equipment. Where the laboratory is a university/college facility shared with other courses and/or disciplines, a laboratory technician must be employed who has overall responsibility for ensuring that the laboratory complies with Health and Safety requirements and that equipment is maintained and functional. 8.c A dedicated practical teaching facility must provide a reasonable representation of the key clinical facilities available in a working veterinary practice: consultation room; preparation/anaesthetic area; operating theatre; in-patient accommodation; radiography facility; pharmacy area; storage areas/systems; hand-washing facilities. This facility must provide a realistic and safe environment for the teaching and practice of a wide range of skills and clinical techniques. It must be of a sufficient size to accommodate the planned number of students and provide adequate space for the appropriate storage of equipment. It may be preferable to adopt an open-plan layout, demonstrating the different areas and typical layout of a veterinary practice, rather than a series of small rooms. This makes it easier to facilitate the demonstration, and supervise student practice, of clinical skills. Your AO/HEI may require additional equipment. Contact them for further information. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 23
Centre Standard 9 Learning resources 9.a A range of learning resources must be provided in order to support formal teaching and foster an ethos of enquiry and independent learning amongst students. 9.b Centres must demonstrate a policy of regular review in order to ensure that learning resources remain current and relevant. 9.c Learning resources must be freely accessible to students. Guidance 9.a Centres must provide a substantial library of veterinary nursing and related textbooks and journals to which students have free access at reasonable times. This may be a physical or virtual resource, or a combination. Texts and journals must be current and relevant to contemporary veterinary nursing practice and the level of the course Library stock must be subject to regular formal review and must reflect the indicative texts and other academic learning resources identified within units or modules. The Centre must demonstrate, through programmed activities, how students will be enabled and encouraged to use the library resources effectively. It is not sufficient merely to permit access in the students own time. An area for quiet study must be provided where students may use reference books and/or undertake directed and independent study activities. Students must have access to books and/or journal articles from other libraries via an interlibrary loan service where these are not in stock in the Centre s library. Details should be provided of the arrangements available and of any costs that are incurred by students using this facility. A computerised library catalogue and internet access to other library catalogues is essential. A comprehensive stock of mainstream veterinary nursing and veterinary journals is required. These must be on subscription to the institution and available to students as they are published. It is not sufficient to rely upon the donated personal copies from teaching staff. A comprehensive stock of current veterinary nursing and related textbooks is required. Key textbooks i.e. those identified in module indicative resource lists must be available in their most recent edition and in sufficient numbers to avoid delays in access. Centres approved by Universities must take particular care to ensure that their stock is suitable and sufficient, to support the delivery of a HE award in veterinary nursing. 9.b The library and learning resources stock must be reviewed regularly by the teaching team to ensure that available books and journals are sufficient in terms of currency, subject matter, www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 24
academic level and number to meet the needs of the course curriculum. It is also important that new publications are actively considered and added to the stock where appropriate. A stock review and purchase policy and procedures must be implemented in relation to veterinary nursing courses. Facilities for accessing computer assisted learning and fast broadband internet should be accessible for all students. Training should be provided in basic IT skills and students should be actively encouraged to use computer-assisted learning and the internet to complement their college and private study. A list of relevant educational software available to students should be provided. Centre Standard 10 Assessment and quality assurance 10.a Quality standards, and arrangements for effective monitoring, must be in place for all aspects of qualification delivery and assessment. 10.b Assessment activities must be appropriate, valid and fair. 10.c Appropriate security arrangements must be in place to safeguard the integrity of assessment processes. Guidance 10.a Assessments (both academic and practical) must be subject to quality assurance monitoring to ensure that assessment remains valid, fair and consistent. Such measures must include independent scrutiny of assessment materials and moderation of marks and security arrangements for unseen examinations. The Centre must demonstrate appropriate mechanisms in order to ensure assessment quality (to include avoidance of any part of the assessment of a learner (including moderation) being undertaken by any person who has a personal interest in the result of the assessment). Centres must appoint moderators who are both professionally (occupationally) and academically qualified to evaluate assessment processes. 10.b Assessment materials, including assignment specifications, sample examination papers and marked and moderated student work, must be available to the RCVS for quality assurance purposes. Such materials should therefore be retained for at least one year. The assessment of clinical competence, based on RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses, must be part of the mandatory programme assessment strategy. Competence assessment must include placement-based assessments in addition to other strategies for www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 25
assessing clinical skills. Your AO/HEI will provide you with the appropriate tool for recording the RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses. This will have been approved by RCVS as part of the AO/HEI accreditation process. All programmes must have in place effective procedures for assessment appeals, enquiries and complaints. A procedure must also be in place for the investigation and management of academic malpractice i.e. cheating, plagiarism or otherwise attempting to gain a qualification by dishonest means. Centre Standard 11 Programme review 11.a Regular and effective programme evaluation by students, teaching staff and employers must be demonstrated. 11.b Evaluation must demonstrably inform teaching practice, course development, administration and review. Guidance 11.a Programme provision must be subject to thorough and ongoing evaluation to ensure that effective learning takes place in a way that meets the needs of students. 11.b Members of the programme team and students (and Training Practices where appropriate) must be actively encouraged to take part in evaluation, programme review and development. The tools used must be relevant to veterinary nursing provision and understandable by those using them. It is not always effective or sufficient to use a broad, college-wide questionnaire as students may find difficulty in applying the questions to their specific course experience. Staff must be actively encouraged to seek early feedback on new subject matter and/or methods of teaching, including peer review activity, rather than to rely on end-of term general feedback. Your AO/HEI is required to submit, to the RCVS, an annual self-evaluation of the qualification they award you must therefore provide them with any requested information to assist with this process. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 26
Chapter 3 Approval of Centres and Training Practices Approval of Centres AOs and HEIs are responsible for the approval and quality monitoring of Centres delivering their qualifications. Centres must be compliant in both the AO s or HEI s and RCVS Standards and Procedures for the Approval and Monitoring of Centres. On approval, the AO or HEI must provide the RCVS with the following information: name of Centre; name of nominated Head of Centre this is the person that the RCVS will correspond with; email address and telephone number; address of qualification delivery sites; date of approval. RCVS will contact the Centre and provide them with a Centre Handbook. This will contain the Memorandum of Understanding between the Centre and the RCVS along with details about the enrolment of students, registration of newly qualified nurses and the approval of Training Practices. Where the AO or HEI uses the RCVS Nursing Progress Log to record students progress towards the completion of the RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses further information regarding access will be provided. The Centre will also be invited to an induction at the RCVS where they will have the opportunity to meet the veterinary nursing team and be provided with further advice and guidance. Please note that until the RCVS has been informed about a new Centre by an AO or HEI no students will be permitted to enrol with the RCVS. Approval of Training Practices Standards and procedures for the approval and quality monitoring of Training Practices are set by the RCVS to ensure parity of standards nationally. All Training Practices must complete an application form and be visited prior to approval, so that the Centre may evaluate and discuss the resources available to support training. When approving a Training Practice, Centres must assure themselves that the practice can provide: a suitable and safe clinical environment in which to provide training; sufficient and varied animal case load in order that students may achieve the RCVS Day One Competences for veterinary nurses and RCVS Day One Skills for veterinary nurses; Suitable training, support and assessment. The RCVS maintains a database of all approved Training Practices and TP Principals. Centres are required to notify the RCVS, using the Training Practice Approval Form (Annex 5), of all new TPs approved. RCVS must be informed in writing when a Centre ends their affiliation with a TP. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 27
When there is a change of Training Practice Principal (TPP) a document containing the original signature of the TPP must be provided. The list of TPs is published online. RCVS will forward a list of notified TP changes to Centres monthly. A Centre with students on placement in a TP which has had approval status removed must make alternative arrangements for their students. www.rcvs.org.uk Centre Handbook Updated January 2017 28