outcomes so that the project can be manager and so models do vary. The aim developed further. of this project is to evaluate current initiatives, identify the potential benefits Enhancing the education and against other models and propose a core training of the health and social model that will provide additional support for mentors and enhance the care workforce student learning experience in practice. Evaluation of the lead mentor role Decision-making in regards to placement Dr Sinead Mehigan and Kathy Wilson are capacity undertaking two linked projects following on from an earlier scoping of practice The second project aims to analyse the learning and models of mentorship decision-making processes regarding across NCEL. student/placement capacity and develop key criteria to support more effective and consistent allocation of student numbers and access to available learning The first is an evaluation of the lead opportunities. This was one of the mentor role as a model to provide recommendations from the earlier additional support for mentors in scoping , and has potential for exploring facilitating a positive student learning the possibility of developing clearer experience. The need for additional guidance to support decisions regarding support/ time for the mentor in practice placement capacity. was a dominant theme in many interviews and particularly featured in Kathy and Sinead have also been involved discussions with placement facilitators in in a project to support learning the earlier scoping and was also reflected opportunities in GP practices. Middlesex in data collected from the mentor University have been coordinating a questionnaire. project, on behalf of Health Education North Central and East London In two trusts a lead mentor or key involving the LETB, HEI mentor role has been established with representatives as well as representatives responsibilities for the co-ordination of from all 9 Community Education Network student learning and one other trust has Providers (CEPNs) working collaboratively recently developed a role descriptor for a to develop the practice nurse workforce similar role. This role is typically and promote practice nurse placements undertaken by a senior mentor who is for pre-registration nursing students. This identified as the main contact for all reflects the HE-NCEL Nursing and communications regarding the student Midwifery Education and Primary Care allocation, oversees the monitoring of Strategy. the learning experience of the student in that area and provides guidance and Practice nurse placements have support to the other mentors locally. In occasionally been utilised for nursing one of these trusts the lead/key role is student placements though access to afforded protected time though in others these areas has been challenging in a time has to be negotiated with the ward
outcomes so that the project can be developed further. Enhancing the education and training of the health and social care workforce Evaluation of the lead mentor role Dr Sinead Mehigan and Kathy Wilson are undertaking two linked projects following on from an earlier scoping of practice learning and models of mentorship across NCEL. The first is an evaluation of the lead mentor role as a model to provide additional support for mentors in facilitating a positive student learning experience. The need for additional support/ time for the mentor in practice was a dominant theme in many interviews and particularly featured in discussions with placement facilitators in the earlier scoping and was also reflected in data collected from the mentor questionnaire. In two trusts a lead mentor or key mentor role has been established with responsibilities for the co-ordination of student learning and one other trust has recently developed a role descriptor for a similar role. This role is typically undertaken by a senior mentor who is identified as the main contact for all communications regarding the student allocation, oversees the monitoring of the learning experience of the student in that area and provides guidance and support to the other mentors locally. In one of these trusts the lead/key role is afforded protected time though in others time has to be negotiated with the ward manager and so models do vary. The aim of this project is to evaluate current initiatives, identify the potential benefits against other models and propose a core model that will provide additional support for mentors and enhance the student learning experience in practice. Decision-making in regards to placement capacity The second project aims to analyse the decision-making processes regarding student/placement capacity and develop key criteria to support more effective and consistent allocation of student numbers and access to available learning opportunities. This was one of the recommendations from the earlier scoping , and has potential for exploring the possibility of developing clearer guidance to support decisions regarding placement capacity. Kathy and Sinead have also been involved in a project to support learning opportunities in GP practices. Middlesex University have been coordinating a project, on behalf of Health Education North Central and East London involving the LETB, HEI representatives as well as representatives from all 9 Community Education Network Providers (CEPNs) working collaboratively to develop the practice nurse workforce and promote practice nurse placements for pre-registration nursing students. This reflects the HE-NCEL Nursing and Midwifery Education and Primary Care Strategy. Practice nurse placements have occasionally been utilised for nursing student placements though access to these areas has been challenging in a
HubWTnewsletter-June-15.docx