Setting The Direction For Nursing & Midwifery Education in Scotland

Strategic Aim 3

Deliver dynamic pre-registration nursing and midwifery education

The Chief Nursing Officer's Education Review identified a range of strategies that promote the quality of our students and pre-registration education programmes in Scotland. Both the Review and the Willis Commission^[22] found clear evidence of high quality modern nursing education. In addition, the results from the Student Nursing & Midwifery Pre-registration Education Programme Performance Management Survey^[23] present a very positive picture of students, mentors and senior charge nurses working with university staff to develop caring, compassionate and competent nurses. However, the Chief Nursing Officer's Education Review identified scope to continue to improve the quality of pre-registration education, prepare practitioners who adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and deliver safe, effective and person-centred care in a wider range of settings and a complex integrated health and social system.

How we are doing this now

Quality enhancement

Pre-registration places are commissioned by the Scottish Government and quality assured by the universities and the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). A performance management system is delivered by NHS Education for Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. Collaborative approaches have been effective in addressing quality and regulatory requirements at a national level, driven by groups such as the Scottish Collaboration for the Enhancement of Pre-Registration Nursing, the Mental Health Education Leads Group and the Strategic Paediatric Educationalists & Nurses in Scotland.

Recruitment, selection and retention

Significant improvements achieved by the universities and colleges and through the Recruitment & Retention Delivery Group, include:

• a robust data set for student retention and completion
• testing evidence based methods for meaningful service user and carer involvement in recruitment and selection and student support
• Extraordinary Everyday^[24] to promote the image of nursing and midwifery
• Practice placement evaluation, assessment and support.

Programme design and delivery

All pre-registration nursing programmes are now approved according to the NMC (2010) Standards^[25] and we are moving towards an all graduate profession in Scotland. While national frameworks^[26] have demonstrated support for more consistent curriculum delivery, the diverse range of undergraduate provision includes honours degree programmes and different routes into programmes across the fields of practice. These programmes attract applicants with varied aspirations, interests and abilities, but it is less clear how these differences can be used to maximise benefit through their contribution to care delivery, research, leadership and education.

Employability

Education provision that allows flexible pathways and maximises employability is essential. Despite vacancies in some fields of practice, more students are accessing Scottish Government and NHSScotland sponsored internships, part of the One Year Job Guarantee Scheme. While not ideal, the scheme has many benefits and future planning should take account of this experience.

Improving what we do

3.1 Extend the performance management and enhancement process to all Scottish pre-registration programmes

3.2 Support national collaboration and a consistent approach to address regulatory issues

3.3 Ensure consistent, evidence-based methods of recruitment and selection in all universities including the assessment of values and prior care experience

3.4 Ensure curricula is designed to be responsive to changing service requirements

3.5 Explore the impact of the One Year Job Guarantee Scheme/Internship Scheme on employability and transition to the professions

3.6 Embed health informatics and technology in pre-registration curricula to prepare nurses and midwives to deliver care in a digital age

3.7 Ensure curricula that prepare nurses and midwives to self-manage, adapt and continue learning throughout their careers

3.8 Use the evidence to identify and spread best practice examples of programme content and delivery based on health and care priority areas

Collaborating for the future

3.9 Measure quality and performance based on wide stakeholder experience and involvement

3.10 Assess how the current education model based on specific fields of practice impacts on nursing practice and career flexibility

3.11 Build and commission interdisciplinary teams in education and practice and promote seamless working across care settings

3.12 Spread examples of excellence and establish inter-professional and inter-agency learning, teaching and assessment across all programmes

3.13 Explore the extent to which programmes at different academic levels meet the diverse needs and priorities of practice, education and research

3.14 Change the relationship between education and practice to create a unified educational experience for students