How can I make the most of my Clinical Placements?

1. Initial Nursing Practice NU1656 How can I make the most of my Clinical Placements? Pre-registration Programme Stage 1 Carol Jackson Practice Education Lecturer Telephone: 01224 262922 email: c.jackson@rgu.ac.uk

2. How can I make the most of my Clinical Placements? Part 1: Master Lecture Part 2: Time with your Personal Tutor Part 3: Time with Practice Education Team

3. Thinking about placements.... • I am looking forward to my placements • I am concerned about my placements • I am unsure of what is expected from me

4. I am hoping that this session will... • Make me feel less anxious • Provide information • Tell me what is expected of me • Help me look forward to placements • A combination of the above

5. Format for Today • Overview of clinical placement support network • Where you can find information • What you can do to prepare • What is expected of you • Time to ask questions

6. Course Leader + Stage Leader Lecturers Practice Education Practice Educators Student Centre Practice Education Facilitators Mentors Students Personal Tutors School & Service Framework to support Students Learning in Practice

7. What is a CLET? • CLET stands for: Clinical Learning Environment Team • There are over 20 CLETs covering all the placement areas and specialism's • It is a working group aiming to improve the quality of learning on placements • Students are involved • http://www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing/practice/page.cfm?pge=40916

8. Your Support Network • You – the student • Mentor • Ward Manager • Practice Educator (PE) / Clinical Educator • Practice Education Facilitator (PEF) • Practice Education Lecturer (PEL) • Personal Tutor • Stage Leader • Course Leader • Student Centre

9. Mentor • Your mentor is a qualified nurse who has undergone additional training to become a mentor • You can contact your placement area and try and speak to your mentor before you arrive on placement • Your named mentor will have days off and holidays and you may have another mentor • Team mentoring is common

10. How much of my time on placement should I spend with my mentor/ mentors? • 100% • 50% • 40% • 10%

11. The ward manager/ team leader is • Usually the mentor • Rarely the mentor

12. Ward Manager or Team leader • This is a senior nurse who is a line manager for all the nursing staff working in an area • You can ask for this person and introduce yourself either on the phone if your mentor is not available or on arrival at placement • The deputy is usually called the ‘nurse in charge’

13. Practice Educator or Practice Educator Facilitator • These are qualified nurses who have specialised in nurse education • PEs and PEFs support mentors by arranging special events for students and mentors • You can talk to your PE or PEF at any time during your placement. Find out the contact number before you leave for placement • Not every area has a PE or PEF • Check the website http://www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing/practice/page.cfm?pge=40917

14. Practice Education Lecturers • These are lecturer roles created to support students & mentors • They are nursing lecturers based within RGU, who cover geographical areas around the placement areas • You can talk to us at any time during your placement • Find out who covers your area before you go

15. Personal Tutor • Your personal tutor remains your personal tutor whilst you are on placement • You can contact them at anytime • Your Clinical Documents are returned to your personal tutor for checking and signing • Your personal tutor will also check: • Cleanliness Champions Portfolio • Module NU 1658 Portfolio

16. Course Leader • The course (programme) leader for pre-registration has to present your grades at assessment boards • They manage the programme you are on • You may wish to contact them through your student representatives on various issues • They may contact you regarding your attendance or grades

17. Stage 1 Placements • 2 clinical placements in stage 1 • Placement 1 – 10 weeks • Placement 2 – 15 weeks • BN(Hons) – 9 weeks • 30 hours per week clinical • 7 ½ hours per week theory • Module NU1909 • Cleanliness Champions

18. Placement Areas in Stage 1 Adult Nursing • Community/ Community hospital • Medical Children’s Nursing • Community Nurse eg HV/CNLD • Children’s Hospital Mental Health Nursing • Acute care – Hospital/Community • Ongoing Care - Hospital/Community

19. EU Requirements • While on your community placement, you must complete three notional days (22.5 hours) for each of the following client groups: • Mother and Child • Care of the Child • Learning Disabilities • Mental Health

20. What can you do before the placement? • Check location, travel & accommodation arrangements • Contact the placement area by phone and arrange a visit • Read up about the placement- use the RGU library / placement profiles • Plan what you would like to learn from the placement • Make a list and take this with you • Find out the names of your PEL/PEF/PE

21. What should you think about? • Need to make a good impression • Negotiate your needs and be prepared to compromise • Pay attention to a professional appearance at all times • Pay attention to a professional manner at all times • Know who you can turn to for help & support • Compile learning contract for your placement-

22. Supernumerary status means.... • I can come and go from the placement as I like. • I have to negotiate my working hours with my mentor. • I am there to learn and not to work • I am an observer only

23. Supernumerary Status What does this mean? • You are extra to the requirements and staffing establishment figures • The time you are on placement should provide adequate opportunities to learn • You must work as part of the team to enable you to learn to care for patients

24. Shift Patterns and Night Duty • You are required to experience the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week nature of practice, therefore will be required to adopt the normal shift pattern of the placement location to which you are allocated • It is normally expected that you will follow the shift pattern of your mentor where possible. • If it is your very first placement, you will not be expected to undertake night duty

25. Part-Time Work • Any part time work that you have must not interfere with your ability to satisfy working alongside your mentor and undertake the shift patterns which are allocated • Please refer to the Bank & Bursary Policy for Grampian on the Practice Education web site: • http://www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing/practice/page.cfm?pge=40911

26. When you arrive • Be punctual • Introduce yourself • Orientation /induction to placement location should take place within 24 hours of commencement • Ask questions regarding what you should do • Show your mentor the clinical documents you have brought with you: • PLAD • Time Sheets • Development plans • Cleanliness Champions Folder

27. Clinical Assessment Documentation Placement Learning and Assessment Document (PLAD) • Performance Expectations • NMC Standards • Essential Skills Clusters • Ongoing Record of Achievement (ORA) • Verification of Proficiency • Nursing Skills Passport

28. Stage 1: Performance Expectations

29. Levels of Learning

30. Essential Skills Clusters There are 5 essential skills clusters located within the PLAD: • Care, Compassion and Communication • Organisational Aspects of Care • Infection Prevention and Control • Nutrition and Fluid management • Medicines Management These must be achieved before you enter Stage 2

31. On-going Record of AchievementInitial Interview • You will have your first meeting with your mentor: Initial Interview • Together you will draw up a learning contract • Use the items from the thoughts you have had to guide this interview • This interview is recorded in your clinical documents and becomes your learning contract • Ask for a safe place to keep your clinical documents • Leave them on placement while you are there, so they can be completed as and when opportunities arise.

32. On-going Record of Achievement Mid-placement Interview • Half way through your placement your mentor will meet you again and fill out this section in your clinical documents • This is your opportunity to check out how you are doing - a formative grade will be given and should be asked for • Ask questions – how can you improve? • Together you will develop a plan to improve for your final assessment

33. On-going Record of Achievement Final Interview • This is the time when you and your mentor reflect on your time on placement • A final grade is awarded and recorded • Your mentor will help you to construct a Development Plan for your next placement • Make sure that your clinical documents are completed accurately. • Timesheets need to be signed and dated on your last working day • Make sure you take all your paperwork away with you before you leave the placement

34. Cause for Concern from Mentor • A mentor may raise a cause for concern in order to question student performance • This is to enable further support to help you successfully complete the placement • See Web site • http://www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing/practice/page.cfm?pge=40913

35. Cause for Concern from Student • At any point during your placement there may be something that doesn’t seem right to you. • Contact a member of the Practice Education Team • Initiate a cause for concern immediately • See Web site • http://www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing/practice/page.cfm?pge=40913

36. Submission of Clinical Documens • Remember your clinical module in stage one is - Initial Nursing Practice NU1656 • It is like any other module in that you have submission dates on your assessment schedule. The same regulations apply if these dates are not adhered to • Submit all your documents to the Student Centre on the due date • Keep a photocopy of your timesheet - it verifies that you have completed your hours on placement

37. Evaluation • You are expected to complete an online evaluation form following your placement. • This is important for improving placement learning for future students • It is an opportunity for you to say what went well and what didn’t go well • Do not name any specific member of staff • Contact your student support network with any issues

38. So tell us what you thought about Part 1 of your preparation for practice. • It provided me with useful information • It was things I knew already • I knew certain things but it helped me confirm things • It has left me feeling I need to know more

39. Good Luck for Your First Placement • So preparation is the key to success • Stay focussed - make a good impression • Enjoy this type of learning experience • Remember the Practice Team is there to support you- don’t hesitate to contact us • These slides will be found at: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/nursing/practice/page.cfm?pge=40915 THANKS FOR LISTENING