Supporting practice learning time for non-medical prescribing students: managers' views.

Managers in healthcare services have ever-increasing demands to consider in relation to front line care, including the continuing professional education needs of qualified practitioners who are advancing their roles. One advancement is non-medical prescribing, and this article reports part of the findings from a survey undertaken in Scotland which explored managers' views of the clinical support of staff enrolled on a non-medical prescribing programme. The article discusses how managers have an important role to play in supporting these learners in practice, and suggests all stakeholders should be aware of the pressure this adds to managers, and seek creative solutions to support the process of learning.

Non-medical prescribing assessment - An evaluation of a nationally agreed multi method approach.

UNLABELLED: In the United Kingdom, legislation permits nurses and allied health professionals to prescribe for patients within their care. Preparation for this role includes learning, teaching and assessment that is embedded in practice, supervised by a designated medical practitioner (DMP) and evidenced in a reflective learning in practice portfolio. AIM: The objectives were to explore; (1) which assessment in the practice portfolio was ranked most valuable in terms of achieving safe, effective prescribing practice and, (2) whether a practice based assessment (SDEP) was an acceptable alternative to an Observed Simulated Clinical Examination (OSCE). METHODS: Online surveys were conducted and follow up semi structured telephone interviews were conducted across 5 universities in Scotland with students, DMPs and line managers. RESULTS: Students ranked the learning log most valuable and DMPs and line managers ranked the SDEP most valuable. Survey and follow up interviews suggested that the portfolio provided the opportunity to develop prescribing skills and knowledge relevant to their specific clinical speciality. There was agreement amongst all participants that clinical assessment in the practice portfolio effectively enable non-medical prescribing students to evidence prescribing competence. SUMMARY: The novel use of the SDEP and reflective summary offers a viable alternative to an OSCE and was viewed as one of the most valued components of the assessment strategy.

The development of service users in the provision of verbal feedback to student nurses in a clinical simulation environment.

The School of Nursing and Midwifery at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, has a sustained history of working in partnership with service users in their role as patient volunteers. The patient volunteers make a pivotal contribution towards the delivery of clinical skills as "real" patients. They work within a scenario context, overseen and facilitated by academic staff. Evaluations have identified that the patient volunteers find this experience rewarding, worthwhile and a way of contributing to the education of student nurses. Whilst this is already a successful element of the student's learning, staff were cognisant of the need to develop this aspect further. A case study approach was adopted to review the experience of the patient volunteers in their provision of feedback to students. In accordance with the evidence base, it was proposed to enhance the volunteer patient's role in providing verbal face to face feedback to students. An educational package for the patient volunteers was developed and a current simulation event within the curriculum was identified that would allow the volunteers to practice giving feedback. This was then evaluated and following ethical approval, a series of focus groups were undertaken with the patient volunteers. The data collected identified the strengths and limitations of this experience and as a result of this an implementation plan was identified aimed at enhancing the patient volunteer's and the student's experience.

Bereavement and bereavement care in health and social care: provision and practice in Scotland.

The interview study described here aimed to explore current views of and practice in bereavement care and identify priorities for service development in Scotland. Fifty-nine participants who worked with the bereaved in some way, or whose interest was in bereavement or bereavement care, were interviewed. They represented National Health Service organizations, chaplaincy departments, educational institutions, academic departments, voluntary groups, and other related bodies, such as funeral directors. Transcripts were read repeatedly and initial emerging themes were identified, coded and shared between research team members to reach a consensus for key themes. Priority areas for development were related to raising public awareness, coordination of services, guidance, and professional education.