Competency versus proficiency: trying to develop an understanding of these terms in the context of practice learning.

The language of nurse education in the UK has shifted from 'competency' to 'proficiency' since 2018. The shift in language has been poorly articulated leaving individual higher education institutions, practice supervisors and assessors to interpret what these terms mean in relation to assessing student nurses. There appeared to be some confusion regarding the interpretation of the term proficiency among those who engaged in an exchange on the topic via Twitter. Students may focus on the procedure-based checklists within the standards. The relationship between proficiency and implementing a person-centred approach to care remains unclear.

Critical exploration of the new NMC standards of proficiency for registered nurses.

Following its consultation with key stakeholder groups the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched Future nurse: standards of proficiency for registered nurses ( NMC, 2018a ). These compulsory new standards will be available for use in curricula by approved education institutions (AEIs) from the end of January 2019. In this article, the authors provide their personal perspectives on the potential impact of the new standards, particularly focusing on those relating to supporting and assessing students from within the practice environment. The new roles of practice supervisor, practice assessor and academic assessor are explored, making comparisons to the current mentorship role. There is a clear need for effective partnerships between AEIs and healthcare organisations as they lead on the implementation of the standards. They must think creatively about practice placements and provide opportunities for interprofessional supervision, so that students can learn about the roles of other disciplines and how to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team.

Transgender, Mental Health, and Older People: An Appreciative Approach Towards Working Together.

It cannot be assumed by healthcare providers that transgender people routinely receive care and treatment that is of the quality and sensitivity that should be expected. In particular there are concerns from within the transgender community that they experience discrimination and disrespect from both individual practitioners and the healthcare system as a whole. This causes an avoidance of contact that is undesirable for both users and providers of healthcare services. Older transgender people are vulnerable to a range of mental health problems and, like all elderly, increasingly to dementia; failure to access specialist services in a timely manner may result in unnecessary distress and potentially to crisis. This paper reports on the use of an appreciative inquiry approach towards identifying the opportunities for one health board in North Wales to work more closely with older members of the transgender community it serves.

The health risks of incense use in the home: an underestimated source of indoor air pollution?

The health impact of indoor air pollution is a growing area of interest for public health professionals. People typically spend up to 90 per cent of their time indoors, particularly women, young children and elders. Although the adverse health effects of second-hand tobacco smoke are well recognised, the impact of burning incense in the home has received little attention in Western literature. Incense burning in the home is common in a number of cultures (particularly Asian, North African or Arabic). Many health visitors (HVs) work with communities who use incense regularly for religious/cultural reasons and it is a neglected area of study and research.The literature suggests that home incense use can have significant adverse health effects, particularly on cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality. Further research is needed to identify which individuals are most susceptible, which types of incense are most harmful, and whether any actions can be taken to minimise exposure.

Synthesis of an [(NHC)2 Pd(SiMe3 )2 ] Complex and Catalytic cis-Bis(silyl)ations of Alkynes with Unactivated Disilanes.

The novel complex cis-[(ITMe)2 Pd(SiMe3 )2 (ITMe=1,3,4,5-tetramethylimidazol-2-ylidene) has been synthesized by mild oxidative cleavage of Me3 SiSiMe3 using [(ITMe)2 Pd(0) ]. The use of this complex as precatalyst for the cis-bis(silyl)ation of alkynes using unactivated disilanes is reported.

The unique contribution of community clinical nurse specialists in rural Wales.

To date, quality indicators that have been developed for nursing tend to focus on acute, secondary care settings. It remains unclear whether such quality indicators are applicable to community settings, particularly in rural environments. This research aims to identify the consensus view among specialist nurses regarding their unique nursing contribution within their rural community. Identifying agreed aspects of the unique role within the rural community area will enable quality care metrics to be developed, allowing specialist nurses to measure their unique contribution to rural health care in the future. The research used the Delphi technique to identify a consensus view among a population of specialist community nurses working in a designated rural area in Wales. The strongest area of consensus related to clinical and teaching expertise, where participants perceive educational expertise as being at the forefront of their role. In terms of care for individuals, consensus was focused on four main areas: developing appropriate criteria for referral in to the service, collaborative working, education, and advocacy roles. The findings highlight similarities to models of care provision elsewhere. Specific quality indicators are required for clinical nurse specialists working in rural areas. Current quality indicators may not be applicable across all clinical settings. Further work is required to explore the nature of rural nursing practice.

A quantitative study examining infographic assessment guidelines for undergraduate nursing students with specific learning difficulties (SpLDs).

This research investigates the perceived clarity and usefulness of infographic versus traditional text-based assessment guidelines among undergraduate nursing students with and without specific learning difficulties (SpLDs). Through quantitative analysis, the study reveals that undergraduate nursing students with SpLDs significantly prefer infographics over text-based guidelines, both in terms of clarity and usefulness (p < .001). Interestingly, there were no statistically significant differences in the perceptions of students without SpLDs. These findings suggest that the use of infographics as a tool for presenting assessment guidelines could contribute to more inclusive educational practices. The research further highlights the potential of infographics to not only make complex information more accessible but also to cater to diverse learning needs. As higher education institutions strive to be more inclusive, adapting assessment guidelines to suit the varied learning styles and cognitive needs of all students, particularly those with SpLDs, becomes increasingly important. This paper provides initial evidence to support the adoption of infographic-based assessment guidelines as a step towards achieving this goal.

Research in action-developing and evaluating a student research placement experience.

BACKGROUND: Evidence based practice is essential in the provision of high-quality contemporary nursing practice. Yet nursing students often lack an understanding of the research process because applied research experience is rarely facilitated in undergraduate nursing programmes. Students research knowledge is mostly gained via classroom based theoretical teaching; however, it is a challenging subject to teach and is often evaluated poorly by students who find the subject uninteresting and difficult to apply to their clinical practice. AIM: The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of student nurses after undertaking a nurse led primary research study placement. METHODS: The study explores the students' experiences of a research placement using a phenomenological approach with the data collection method of drawings and narration which were then subject to Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis as a data analysis method. SETTINGS: This study was undertaken with 18 nursing students who were enrolled in a United Kingdom university, who had recently participated in a nurse-led research study exploring the use of sensors to detect atrial fibrillation in members of the public in a supermarket. RESULTS: The following themes were developed by the researchers: Practice makes perfect, Enhancing communication, Research attitude, Making a difference, Increased confidence, Enhanced skills, Researcher collaborations, The views of others. CONCLUSIONS: Students valued the research placement; the experience provided insight into the conduct of research in primary health and allowed students to learn about research in an experiential way which proved to be more effective than usual classroom methods. Students' communication skills were enhanced, through interacting with the public in a different way, who were keen to engage with them because of their student status.

Improving access to CPD for nurses: the uptake of online provision.

Qualified nurses want to access courses that develop their knowledge and skills base within specific areas that are relevant to the work that they do. Traditional methods of delivery for post registration education usually involve attendance at a university or continuing professional development department for lectures and seminars. It is well known that barriers exist which prevent staff from being released to attend such educational activities, or to fund nurses education and development directly. Furthermore, education of the nursing workforce presents a dilemma for many education providers due to the range of learning styles of the current pool of potential students together with the ever changing demographics of the workforce. This paper aims to explore the dilemma faced by education providers and makes suggestions regarding possible solutions to supporting the continuing professional development of the nursing work force. In particular, education providers are encouraged to consider developing non-traditional study packages which maximise uptake through mechanisms such as on-line provision.

The nurse-led model of hospice care.

BACKGROUND:: Palliative care in the UK has become more medicalised over the last 50 years, and it was recognised as a medical speciality in 2004. However, out of financial expediency, an inpatient hospice in North Wales has become nurse-led. AIMS:: This article considers the history of care of the dying and discusses how nurses are best placed to be masters of care of the dying. METHODS:: The model of nurse-led care is described in terms of how this innovation in practice has developed, allowing the advanced nurse practitioner role to be extended to an autonomous level of hospice care not practised anywhere else in the UK. CONCLUSION:: The innovation of nurse-led hospice care has secured the future of the hospice, making it fiscally robust and ensuring a sustainable service for the community that it serves.

Learning experiences of seconded pre-registration nursing students.

AIM: To explore the academic learning experiences of seconded students in a pre-registration adult nursing programme. METHOD: Academic learning experiences were examined using a self-report questionnaire which was distributed to 29 students. Twenty seven responses were received and were assessed in terms of: peer support; shared knowledge, life experiences and levels of understanding; motivation; and peer learning. FINDINGS: Seconded students perceived a variety of benefits from being part of a discrete group organised specifically for them. They valued the support of peers, and shared existing knowledge and skills to help each other to learn. CONCLUSION: Seconded students may benefit from being taught in segregated groups. The students developed a strong learner identity and had different needs to their non-seconded peers. More work is required to explore the specific learning needs of seconded students, particularly during the common foundation element of the programme.