Using the programme’s assessment framework

Your judgements about your student’s achievement of the NMC competencies must take into consideration the level of performance that is required for the particular stage of their pre-registration nursing programme. Within the record of progress section of the portfolio you record the skills and field specific competencies the student has met, including the level the student is practising at the initial review, mid review and final assessment of the student’s performance. The level of practice required to be achieved is incremental across the programme to demonstrate the student is developing an increasing level of competence so that by the end of the programme they are sufficiently competent to apply to enter the NMC register. The minimum level of practice to be achieved by the end of each stage of the programme is:

  • Stage one - Direct Supervision (DS)

Within stage one it is important to ensure that the student’s performance is assessed in the context of the NMC’s competencies not their performance as a healthcare support worker. So for example, as a healthcare support s/he will be competent in a range of care-giving skills however s/he may not have the depth of underpinning knowledge and/or demonstrate the professional attributes that are required of a student of nursing. Just as with service user care it is important that a holistic assessment is undertaken not just assessment of the student’s psycho-motor (doing) skills.

  • Stage two - Indirect Supervision (IS)
  • Stage three - Independent (I)

To successfully complete a practice module the student must demonstrate that s/he is practising at the minimum level of practice for the stage being completed in all the skills and any field specific competencies (where relevant) specified in the portfolio (pages 11-28) (pdf).

The tables below provide details of the knowledge and understanding, practice performance and professional behaviour expected for each level of practice which you will use to inform your assessment of the student’s level of performance.

Level of practice (DS)

Knowledge and understanding

Practice performance

Professional behaviour
Can practice safely under direct supervision (DS)

Knowledge is usually accurate

Performance is accurate but not always efficient and lacks confidence

Adapts care to meet service user needs and current situation

Begins to identify alternatives

Needs frequent supervision and guidance

Unable to deal with non-routine situations

Can give rationale for actions

Can prioritise care but often needs prompting

Gives standard explanations or does not qualify these or explore other possibilities

Level of practice (IS)

Knowledge and understanding

Practice performance

Professional behaviour
Can practice safely under indirect supervision (IS)

Applies accurate knowledge to practice

Safe, accurate, and mostly efficient and confident

Professional intervention or behaviour is generally appropriate for the care situation

Has a limited range of alternatives

Needs occasional support, supervision and guidance

Rationale given for care is coherent and appropriate

Begins to make judgements based on available evidence

Beginning to initiate appropriate interventions
Prioritises care with minimal prompting

Identifies need for assistance

Level of practice (I)

Knowledge and understanding

Practice performance

Professional behaviour
Can practice independently (I)

Applies relevant evidence-based knowledge

Prioritises and delivers timely person-centred effective care
Adapts to current and emerging situations

Careful, deliberate planning of person centred, personalised care

Critically analyses a range of alternatives

Safe, proficient and confident practitioner

Gives coherent, accurate and necessary information

Sound analytical judgement underpins actions

Seeks out appropriate advice and support when needed

Interventions and behaviour are suitable and adaptable to the range of service users and circumstances

Critically evaluates interventions

Effectively leads, delegates, supervises and challenges

Identifies and makes appropriate referrals within multidisciplinary team
Develops their own and others practice and promotes and sustains change

(Adapted from Bondy 1983, Benner 1984 and NMC 2010)

Activity: Getting familiar with programme’s assessment framework

Carefully read through the summary of the assessment framework provided in the table above.

In addition to the three levels of practice you will see that, at each level, there are also three practice elements that have to be assessed: knowledge and understanding; practice performance; professional development and awareness.

At each level and for each element, there is a list of criteria, which you should apply to help you make judgements about your student’s achievement of the required NMC skill or competency. If you have not used the programme’s assessment framework before, it is very important that you understand how to apply the criteria within the elements: knowledge and understanding; practice performance; professional development and awareness. Our experience suggests that mentors unfamiliar with the programme’s assessment framework may make judgements against the overall level statement, rather than taking into account the criteria relating to each of the three elements. If you feel uncertain about applying the criteria to each of the NMC skills and competencies, before completing the Record of Progress in the portfolio, ask your student’s Practice Tutor for further advice and support.

Next section: Using evidence to support assessment of your student's progress