Quality assuring learning in practice

It is the role of the Practice Tutor to ensure that the practice environment(s) in which students learn meet the requirements of the NMC. These requirements necessitate the following actions:

• Ensuring that a current, satisfactory education audit is in place for the core practice -base
• Ensuring that a current, satisfactory education audit is in place for complementary/contrasting practice settings
• Ensuring any education audit action plans have been implemented and completed
• Completing the Practice Learning Profile for the core practice-base
• Reviewing with you and your student the contents of their portfolio at each of the three formal meetings per practice module and providing advice and guidance regarding missing or inadequate entries
• Ensuring that each mentor meets the NMC Mentor Standards and is named on your organisation’s mentor register
• Ensuring that complementary and contrasting practice learning experiences are arranged
• Providing induction to the OU programme for new mentors, as necessary
• Providing annual updates for mentors as required
• Advising mentors and practice supervisors regarding the requirements of the OU pre-registration nursing programme
• Liaising with the employer link
• Reporting monthly in writing to the Staff Tutor Nursing/Regional Education Manager students’ progress and associated matters
• Raising any concern(s) regarding any aspect of practice learning and/or the practice environment with the Staff Tutor Nursing/Regional Education Manager.

The Staff Tutors Nursing/Regional Education Managers are responsible for managing and supporting Practice Tutors and for ensuring that the requirements set out above are in place for every student on the programme.

At the end of each practice module in the programme, your student must submit the Essential Information pages of their portfolio as part of the end of module summative assessment process. Your student’s Practice Tutor will be sent a copy of the portfolio to verify that it is the student’s own work. The portfolio is ‘marked’ by selected markers to ensure that all NMC requirements have been complied with. A sample of each marker's portfolios and related verification forms are selected and monitored by members of the relevant module team. At the Exam Board meeting a decision is reached as to whether each student’s portfolio meets the required standard. Students can fail a practice module if the portfolio does not meet the required standard.
 

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