guidance for mentors of nursing students and midwives

Guidance for mentors of nursing

students and midwives

An RCN toolkit

Acknowledgements

This toolkit has been produced and revised bythe RCN Practice Education Forum.

Mentor Toolkit Working GroupMoira Davies, Admissions Tutor, University ofGlamorgan

Susan Hopkins (project lead) RCN Practice

Education/VQ Adviser

Irene Lavery, Practice Development Facilitator,NHS Lothian, Edinburgh

Nicola Lee (adviser) WING, RCN

Kimberley Leigh, Clinical PlacementDevelopment Lead, Greater ManchesterStrategic Health Authority

Andy Scott-Donkin, Student Nurse, HomertonCollege, Cambridge, and RCN Association ofNursing Students Executive

C.C.Stuart (adviser) Lecturer, University ofSheffield

Lynn Tibble, Lecturer, University of Brighton

Michelle Vance, Practice Placement Manager,Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS FoundationTrust, Birmingham

Janette Whalley, Practice Placement Facilitator,Scarborough & North East YorkshireHealthcare NHS Trust

The RCN Practice Education Forum wouldlike to thank the following for their inputinto this document:Joan Abbott, RCN North West Region EducationAdviser

Brian Burke, Professional DevelopmentAdviser, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

Julie Chapman, Clinical Placement Facilitator,Chorlton Health Centre

Steve Dunham, Practice Placement Facilitator,Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust

Mary Dunning, Senior Nurse/PracticePlacement Facilitator, Tees & North EastYorkshire NHS Trust

Dr Colette Ferguson, Programme Director, NHSEducation for Scotland

Janice Gosby, Professional Officer, Nursing andMidwifery Council

Jo Guy, Practice Placement Manager,Birmingham Children's Hospital NHS Trust

Christine Hibbert, Lecturer, University ofSheffield

Cate Johnson, Lecturer, University of Sheffield

Lisa Johnson, Clinical Practice Facilitator,Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

Lynn Kenyon, Lecturer, University of Sheffield

Professor Betty Kershaw DBE, Emeritus Dean,University of Sheffield

Carol Levery, Lecturer, University of Sheffield

Louise May, Senior Lecturer, Edge Hill College

Paul McCreary, Clinical Placement Manager,Central and North West London Mental HealthNHS Trust

Bob Price, Programme Director, RCN Institute

Carol Rowlands and colleagues, Halton PCT

Jenny Spouse, Associate Dean for PracticeEducation, St Bartholomew School of Nursingand Midwifery, City University

Susan Watt, RCN Scotland Education andClinical Effectiveness Adviser, RCN ScotlandFocus Group

Sue West, Mentorship Co-ordinator,Canterbury Christ Church University College

Janet Wood, Professional DevelopmentAdviser, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals

R O Y A L C O L L E G E O F N U R S I N G

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Guidance for mentors of nursing students and midwives

An RCN toolkit

Contents

Foreword 2

1. Introduction 3

2. The role of mentor 5

3. Effective practice placements 10

4. Helping students get the best from practice placements 11

5. Support for mentors 15

6. Responsibilities of the student 16

7. Students with disabilities 18

8. Frequently asked questions 23

9. Glossary of terms 25

10. References, recommended reading and useful websites 26

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G U I D A N C E F O R M E N T O R S

Foreword

Your role as a mentor is critical in helping tofacilitate the development of futuregenerations of nurses and midwives. As amentor you have the privilege andresponsibility of helping students translatetheory into practice, and making what islearned in the classroom a reality. It is a rolethat you are entrusted with by students,colleagues and most importantly, patients.Passing on your knowledge and skills is oneof the most essential roles you canundertake, and it can be very rewarding.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)requires pre-registration programmes to be50% practice and 50% theory. This toolkitwill support you as you help students to getthe most from their practice experience.Designed for a mentor, or an associatementor who is new to the role, the toolkit isalso a valuable prompt and update for themore experienced mentor.

The layout and fonts used in this publication are not standard RCN style. The RCN

Communication Team is trialling different fonts and font sizes to make the information more

accessible. If you have any feed back on this, your comments are most welcome. Please contact

[email protected] .

Introduction

This Royal College of Nursing (RCN)publication is designed to assist you in yourrole as a mentor to pre-registration nursingand midwifery students. It outlines yourresponsibilities alongside those of thestudent, higher education institutions (HEIs)and placement providers. Those responsiblefor the mentoring of post-registration studentsmay also find this guidance of value.

The importance of the role of the mentor andthe quality of the mentorship offered inpractice cannot be over-emphasised; learningexperienced in the clinical setting ensures thatthe nurses and midwives of the future are fitfor practice and purpose. The mentor is a keysupport to students in practice; this is wherestudents apply their knowledge, learn keyskills and achieve the required competence forregistration.

As a registered nurse or midwife it is likely thatyou will act as mentor and/or preceptor to anumber of other students – including newlyqualified, internationally recruited andunqualified staff – and while this toolkit hasbeen designed to assist you in your role ofworking with pre-registration students, muchof the information is readily transferable intothe support you may have to give to othermembers of staff.

Aims of this toolkit

This toolkit is designed to enable you to:

✦ recognise and value the importance of thementorship role, and its contribution to astudent’s practice experience

✦ identify the key responsibilities of the role

✦ optimise the support you provide as amentor

✦ raise awareness of your accountability, inthe context of mentorship

✦ recognise the support available for you inthis role

✦ contribute to your professionaldevelopment, as an ongoing monitoringtool guided by key skills framework outlines

✦ comply with NMC requirements toundertake this role

✦ serve as a guide to mentorship

✦ be compliant with NMC requirements forappraisals of mentorship competenciesevery three years.

The NMC mentor standard

According to the NMC a mentor is “a

mandatory requirement for pre-registration

nursing and midwifery students” (NMC,2006a). Mentors are accountable to the NMCfor their decision that students are fit forpractice and that they have the necessaryknowledge, skills and competence to take onthe role of registered nurse or midwife. FromSeptember 2007, all new entrants to mentorand practice teacher preparation programmesmust meet the requirements outlined in theNMC’s Standards to support learning and

assessment in practice (NMC, 2006a). Inaddition, from September 2007 only ‘sign-off’mentors (NMC, 2006a) can make the finalassessment of practice and confirm to theNMC that students have met the relevantstandards of proficiency leading to NMCregistration (NMC, 2004b and 2004c).

The NMC standard defines a mentor as being aregistrant who has successfully completed anaccredited mentor preparation programmefrom an approved HEI. The NMC standard alsostates that registrants holding a teaching orcomparable qualification – for example, NVQassessor – can be considered as mentors or


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practice teachers, but should map theirqualifications or experience against the newNMC standard and meet outstandingoutcomes through continuing professionaldevelopment, or undertake any furthereducation as required by programmeproviders to ensure they meet the standard.

A mentor is therefore an individual who hasachieved the knowledge, skills andcompetence required to meet the definedoutcomes of stage 2 of the developmentalframework to support learning andassessment in practice (NMC, 2006a). Mentorsmust be on the same part, or sub-part, of theregister as the student they are to assess andmust be registered for at least one year beforetaking on this role.

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The role of mentor

As a mentor you are required to offer thestudent support and guidance in the practicearea. Your role is to enable the student tomake sense of their practice through:

✦ the application of theory

✦ assessing, evaluating and givingconstructive feedback

✦ facilitating reflection on practice,performance and experiences.

All mentors, and others involved in supportingstudents gain registration, have aresponsibility to ensure that they are fit:

✦ for purpose – can function effectively inpractice

✦ for practice – can fulfil the needs ofregistration

✦ for award – have the depth and breadth oflearning to be awarded a diploma ordegree/higher degree.

A mentor is a positive role model.Knowledgeable and skilled, the effectivementor:

✦ helps students develop skills andconfidence

✦ promotes a professional relationship withstudents

✦ provides the appropriate level ofsupervision

✦ assists with planned learning experiences

✦ offers honest and constructive feedback

Why is this role important?

Your role as a registered nurse or midwife is

ultimately about protecting the public. As amentor supporting students, you undertakethe responsibility of assessingcompetence/incompetence and should beable to defend assessment decisions madeabout students in practice.

As 50% of pre-registration nursing andmidwifery programmes are embedded in thepractice setting, the role of the mentor as ateacher, supervisor and assessor has neverbeen more important. Mentors also play a vitalpart in quality assurance by contributing to theeducational audit of placements.

Your responsibilities as a mentor includeensuring that you:

✦ are prepared to undertake the role

✦ share your knowledge of patient care andact as a positive role model

✦ are familiar with the student’s programmeof study and practice assessmentdocumentation

✦ identify specific learning opportunities andthat the learning experience is a plannedprocess

✦ observe students practising skills under theappropriate level of supervision

✦ provide time for reflection, feedback,monitoring and documenting of a student’sprogress

✦ assess competence and patient safety, inkeeping with the assessmentdocumentation

✦ give students constructive feedback, withsuggestions on how to make improvementsto promote progress

✦ report any untoward incidents or concernsto your senior manager and the HEI

✦ liaise with lecturing and practice educationstaff as required

✦ maintain your own professional knowledge,including annual mentorship updates

✦ record your mentoring experiences asevidence of professional development (forexample, for PREP)

✦ engage in clinical supervision and reflectionin relation to this role.

Accountability

The NMC’s Code of professional conduct

(NMC, 2004a) states that nurses and midwiveson the NMC professional register:

“…have a duty to facilitate students of

nursing and midwifery and others to

develop their competence.”

If you delegate work to someone who is notregistered with the NMC, your accountability isto ensure that the individual who undertakesthe work is able to do so and that they aregiven appropriate support and supervision.

With regard to supervision and assessment,Stuart (2007) outlines the areas a mentor isaccountable for, including:

✦ personal standards of practice

✦ standards of care delivery by learners

✦ what is taught, learned and assessed

✦ standards of teaching and assessing

✦ professional judgements about studentperformance.

The NMC makes it a mandatory requirementthat all students on approved educationalprogrammes have a mentor. The mentorsupports learning and assessment in practice,and makes judgements relating to a student’sfitness for practice and registration. Mentorsare accountable to the NMC for such

judgements, and are responsible for informingHEI staff of any concerns regarding studentperformance or progress.

Mentors should be formally prepared for theirroles and must meet the minimumrequirements set by the NMC. The NMCstandard for supporting learning andassessment in practice (NMC, 2006a) providesa framework for preparing mentors for aqualification that is recorded on the NMCregister. It also outlines associated outcomesthat may be used to determine the abilities ofthose supporting learning and assessment inpractice.

Sign-off mentors

From September 2007 a sign-off mentor, whohas met additional criteria, must make thefinal assessment of practice and confirm to theNMC that the student has met the requiredproficiencies for entry to the register.

In addition, from September 2008 a sign-offmentor, who has met additional criteria, mustmake the final assessment of practice andconfirm to the NMC that the requiredcompetencies for recording a specialist

practice qualification on the register havebeen achieved.

From September 2008 support, assessmentand sign-off of the specialist practice

qualification practice must be undertaken bya practice teacher.

Qualifications

To perform the role of mentor you must haveundertaken an approved mentorshippreparation programme or equivalent, andhave met the NMC defined standards (NMC,2006a). You should also attend and recordyour attendance at an annual mentor update.Nurses and midwives must be registered for atleast one year before taking on this role.

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Associate mentors

The role of an associate mentor is not arequirement of the NMC standards (NMC,2006a). However, it is a role that is used inmany areas; for example, the role isundertaken by level 2 nurses or newlyregistered nurses and midwives, or those whohave not yet undertaken an approved mentorpreparation programme. Following a period toconsolidate pre-registration learning, whichshould include a period of preceptorship, thenew registrant is ready to take on the role ofassociate mentor under the supervision of anexperienced mentor. Knowledge, skills andcompetence will normally be developed andassessed through learning in the clinicalsetting.

Assessment

Assessment is a critical element of thementoring process. In her study about ‘failureto fail’, Duffy (2004) stated that mentors mustensure that assessment of clinical skills doesoccur as required. Passing a student who failsto meet required assessment standards, in thehope that they will improve, puts patients atrisk.

It is essential that you:

✦ provide opportunities for learning andassessment

✦ support students to self-assess and reflecton their learning

✦ ensure any assessment of a student is validand reliable, and that performance can bedemonstrated consistently.

Who can supervise and assess?

In its Standards to support learning and

assessment in practice (NMC, 2006a), the NMCstates the following:

✦ all mentors may assess specificcompetencies and confirm theirachievement, including those to beachieved at, or by, a progression point

✦ only sign-off mentors may confirm overallachievement of proficiency thatdemonstrates a student’s fitness forpractice; they determine that the studenthas met the relevant competencies orstandards of proficiency for entry to theregister

✦ other mentors, practice teachers, teachersor registrants from other professions maybe involved in developmental (formative)assessment, where the student is gaining abreadth of experience but where theirlearning is not intended to demonstratecompetence as a nurse, midwife orspecialist community public health nurse.

Continuous assessment

Continuous assessment of the studentthroughout the placement period is important,providing a measure of how the student isprogressing according to the level andknowledge expected at each stage of theirtraining. The student’s performance ismonitored continuously when carrying out‘day-to-day’ activities and there should beperiodic discussions of care given, feedbackand documentation throughout theplacement. Assessments can be formal orinformal.

As well as reviewing both knowledge andunderstanding, and the ability to apply theoryto practice and skills, professional behaviourshould also be assessed – including attitude,team work, caring skills, appearance andmotivation. Evidence that learning has takenplace should match the student’s learningobjectives, as well as any action plan. Allassessments must be recorded appropriatelyin the student’s practice documentation.


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If there is a need to be critical of a student’sperformance, be objective and givesuggestions on how they can improve. Ensurethe student has a full understanding of whatthe problem is, and ensure you inform astudent of any failure to perform immediatelyyou become aware of the situation. Inaddition, HEI staff should be advised as soonas there are concerns about performance.

It is useful to network in order to shareexperiences of mentoring and assessment.

Assessment validity

Validity of assessment ensures that a testmeasures what it was designed to measure(Stuart, 2007). Two key issues are important:how and what we measure. This means youshould use appropriate methods, dependingupon what is being assessed. For example, youwould not assess performance of aseptictechnique by verbal questioning alone; youwould need to observe the skill beingperformed. However, using both methods totest theory and practice of technique capabilitywill enhance validity. You also have to be clearabout what you want to assess, bearing inmind that what you set out to measure must bethat of “the ability to actually care for patients”(Gerrish et al., 1997).

Reliability

An assessment is said to be reliable if it givessimilar results when used on separateoccasions, and with different assessors. Stuart(2007) identifies three key issues:

✦ consistency of student performance – howconsistent is the student’s performanceacross different care giving situations?

✦ consistency of interpretation – would Iinterpret the student’s performance of aparticular skill in the same way if I saw itagain?

✦ consistency between assessors – wouldother assessors agree with myinterpretations of the student’sperformance?

Methods and strategies of

assessment

The NMC (NMC, 2006a) advises that the totalassessment strategy should includeassessment through direct care, simulation,objective structured clinical examinations(OSCEs) and other strategies:

✦ observation – the NMC requires mostassessment of competence to beundertaken through direct observation inpractice

✦ simulation – summative assessment, usingsimulation, may occur where opportunitiesto demonstrate competence in practice arelimited (NMC, 2006a)

✦ OSCEs

✦ testimony of others

✦ student self-assessment

✦ written portfolio evidence

✦ active participation

✦ interactive reflective discussion

✦ learning contracts

✦ guided study

✦ interviews

✦ patient comments

✦ peer evaluation

✦ collection of data

✦ case studies

✦ team mentorship.

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Giving effective feedback

To ensure feedback helps support andpromote student learning, the followingsuggestions will be valuable in assisting youto provide effective feedback sessions:

✦ ensure feedback is delivered during, or assoon as possible after, the event

✦ make time, give full attention and ensureprivacy

✦ support the student to self-assess

✦ written feedback is useful

✦ be constructive; negative comments shouldbe learning points

✦ be objective

✦ be specific

✦ use open-ended questions and givereasons for your comments

✦ clarify any problems

✦ ensure the student understands what isexpected of them

✦ inform the student that other staff mayneed to be involved

✦ develop an agreed action plan if necessary.


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Students’ practice experience is widelyacknowledged as being one of the mostimportant parts of their educationalpreparation to become health careprofessionals.

In its report Making a Difference, the

Department of Health (1999) stated that:

4.11 Provision of practice placements is avital part of the education process.Every practitioner shares responsibilityto support and teach the nextgeneration of nurses and midwives.

4.12 It is important that, as with medicaleducation, nurses [and midwives] aretaught by those with practical andrecent experience of nursing [andmidwifery].

The joint ENB and DH publication Placements

in focus (2001) contains the underlyingprinciples and guidance for the organisation,provision and assessment of practiceexperience. The guidance focuses on four keyareas of practice placements:

✦ providing practice placements

✦ practice learning environment

✦ student support

✦ assessment of practice.

The guidance is offered as a framework forinstitutions to use according to their needs.Full details of these four key aspects areavailable in the document.

Effective practice placements promotelearning and should help students to:

✦ meet the statutory and regulatoryrequirements and, where applicable,European directives

✦ achieve the required learning outcomes andcompetencies according to regulatory bodyrequirements for pre-registration

✦ observe and participate in a full range ofnursing and midwifery care to patients

✦ work alongside mentors who areappropriately prepared, creating apartnership with them

✦ identify appropriate learning opportunitiesto meet their learning needs

✦ use time effectively, creating opportunitiesto enable the application of theory topractice and vice versa

✦ work within a wide range of rapidlychanging health and social services thatrecognise the continuing nature of care

✦ demonstrate an appreciation of the multi-professional approach to care

✦ maintain their supernumerary status.

Placements are monitored for quality by theQuality Assurance Agency for HigherEducation (QAA), the NMC, and externalexaminers via the HEIs. The learningenvironment in practice is therefore asimportant for effective learning as theuniversity campus.

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Effective practice placements

Good mentoring depends on well-plannedlearning opportunities and the provision ofsupport and coaching for students, whichshould also incorporate an appropriate level ofsupervision (RCN, 2007a). This will bedependent upon a student’s experience andwhat is required of them during theirplacement in order to meet their learningoutcomes and achieve set competencies. TheNMC (NMC, 2006a) requires students to besupervised, directly or indirectly, at all times inthe practice setting.

Prior to placement

Named mentor(s) should be allocated to eachstudent by the placement area for the totalduration of the placement. Off-duty rotasshould be planned so that the mentor has theopportunity to work with the student for aminimum of 40% of the student’s time.

Induction to the practice

placement

Before commencing a placement, studentsmust have received an annual training sessionon moving and handling, basic life support,and fire, health and safety (this will berequired at each placement area). Attendanceis mandatory and should be recorded in thestudent’s portfolio. Some HEIs requireattendance at sessions on data protection andconfidentiality and personal safety. On thestudent’s first working day, all these trainingareas should be discussed with the student inrelationship to the requirements and policy ofyour clinical area and organisation.

Progress interviews

Set dates and times should be agreed with thestudent for the initial, intermediate and finalinterviews.

Placement interviews: some dos

and don’ts

Initial interview

DO find out about the student’s stage oftraining.

DO help the student to form achievableobjectives.

DO ask if they have any assignments orassessments.

DO introduce them to the placement learningopportunities.

DO find out if they have any specific anxieties.

DO encourage them to self-assess at everystage.

DO ask if they need any additional support.

Intermediate interview

DO ask for wider appraisal from other staff.

DO encourage students to assess themselves.

DO clarify any points made.

DO give advice for improvements.

DO record points made by the student.

DO recognise progress made.

DO encourage the student to ask questions.


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Helping students get the best from practice placements

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Preparation for placement Yes No Action to be taken Timescale

A mentor is allocated prior to placement

Allocate a back-up

Check that the student has received the required mandatorytraining/updates

Orientation to the placement

Induction pack:

• staff profile

• contact details

• type of placement

• learning opportunities

• specialist information

• resource list

• recommended reading

Introduce to the placement team

Plan a meeting between student and mentor in the first week

Agree a timetable for working together and for assessmentmeetings

Establish roles, responsibilities and expectations in terms ofstandards and attitudes

Know the programme and the student’s level of training

Be aware of the student’s required learning outcomes

Be aware of the assessment requirements

Ensure that the student knows who will be supervising themin the absence of the mentor

During the placement

Give the opportunity to work at least 40% of the time withtheir mentor

During the final placement, ensure that the student spends anadditional one hour per week with a sign-off mentor

Ensure that supervision is given by a registered nurse ormidwife (as applicable) when undertaking clinical skills

Enquire about any additional support needs

Agree achievable time frames for meeting learning outcomes

Offer constructive feedback on progress at regular intervals

Contact the HEI link if the student is not achieving

Complete the practice assessment documentation in the finalweek

Ensure that the evaluation forms are completed

Placement checklist for mentorsResponsibilities

DO ensure privacy for the interview.

DO contact the HEI if there are concerns.

DON’T spring any surprises on the student.

DON’T ever rely solely on your own opinion.

Final interviewDO ask the student to self-assess again.

DO contact the HEI or other relevant staff asnecessary.

DON’T be afraid to say that the student hasfailed if that is the case.

Evaluation

Students must evaluate their placement aspart of the educational audit process. Mentorsshould also be invited to evaluate theirexperience of facilitating the learningexperience for students. This should be linkedinto local quality and governance monitoring.

The student who is not progressing or whois failingAny student that is either not progressing, orfailing to meet the required standard, needsearly identification so that opportunities canbe provided for the student to improve. Thefollowing list of behaviours (Maloney et al.,1997) may assist you in identifying studentsthat:

✦ are inconsistent in clinical performance

✦ do not respond appropriately toconstructive feedback

✦ appear unable to make changes inresponse to constructive feedback –therefore clinical skills do not improve

✦ exhibit poor preparation and organisationalskills

✦ have limited interactions or poorcommunication skills

✦ experience continual poor health; feeldepressed, angry, uncommitted, withdrawn,sad, or are emotionally unstable, tired orlistless.

It will be necessary to provide extra supportand supervision when a student fails toprogress or meet the necessary competencies.In this scenario you should:

✦ meet with the student as soon as possibleto discuss this issue and ensure the studentknows the reason for the meeting

✦ consider and discuss the evidence whichhas led to concern; give honestunambiguous feedback

✦ make sure the student understands thenature of the problem (for example, has thestudent heard accurately what you aresaying?); a difficult scenario is when astudent is not succeeding, but fails torecognise this

✦ facilitate student self-assessment byhelping them identify what they alreadyknow and what they need to focus on inorder to learn and overcome theirweaknesses; identify resources they canutilise to improve knowledge and skills

✦ discuss the situation with your clinicalplacement/practice facilitator and informthe link person at the HEI; in thesesituations, support from the HEI is essentialand it is important to establish clear andopen communication between the student,mentor and the HEI

✦ clarify the area of improvement needed andadvise how to progress

✦ work closely with the student

✦ make provision for any extra support oropportunities to improve within the practicearea that the student may require

✦ jointly draw up a targeted detailed action


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plan containing a clear and unambiguousassessment plan with set deadlines; makesure the student understands these

✦ arrange for the student to work with othermentors so that testimonies can beprovided; this will increase the validity andreliability of the assessment

✦ conduct a progress review in one week; if –despite remedial action – there is little or noimprovement, make arrangements for theclinical link lecturer to be present at atripartite meeting to discuss the situationand develop another action plan

✦ weekly progress reviews are advisable forthe duration of the student’s difficulties

✦ keep detailed notes of all discussions;there may come a time when you have touse these as evidence that you havefrequently identified issues or that thestudent has repeatedly failed to meet thegoals you set

✦ document all concerns in the assessmentforms at an early stage, and certainly nolater than the point at which formative mid-placement assessment takes place; thenature of the problem should be carefully,clearly and explicitly documented togetherwith actions taken.

Failing a student

Duffy (2004) outlines why good assessment isan essential part of a mentor’s role:

“Potentially clinical assessment of student

nurses can safeguard professional

standards, patients and the general public.

It is inevitable that some students will not

be able to meet the required level of

practice and it is essential that mentors do

not avoid the difficult issue of having to fail

these students.”

You will require courage and confidence to fail

a student; however you are not alone andmust make sure that you ask for help from theHEI as soon as possible. There is a great dealof support available to you and the decisionwill not be entirely yours. You will be able tomake a ‘fail decision’ with more confidence ifyou have followed the plan of action outlinedabove for supporting any student who is notprogressing or who is failing. Failure will thennot come as a surprise to the student, and theassessment decision will also be evidence-based.

As the named mentor, you are responsible formaking the final assessment decision and areaccountable for passing or failing the student.The grade you award should reflect thestudent’s standard of practice in the latter partof the placement. The NMC standards statethat mentors must keep sufficient records tosupport and justify their decisions on whethera student is or is not proficient.

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Higher education institutions

(HEIs)

Higher education has a responsibility to ensuresupport is put in place for the student, learningenvironment and mentor through allocatedroles such as link lecturers and personal tutors.These personnel will:

✦ work collaboratively to support clinical staff

✦ support mentors and students with regularcontact

✦ ensure a communication system is in placeto deal with issues or questions

✦ communicate any changes to theprogramme or assessment in a timelymanner to placement staff

✦ put an effective evaluation system in place.

Placement providers

Placement providers have a responsibility to:

✦ ensure that mentors are preparedappropriately for the role

✦ allow time for mentors to meet with theirstudents to undertake and recordassessment activities and outcomes; theNMC (NMC, 2006a) stipulates that sign-offmentors “must have time allocated to reflect,give feedback and keep records of studentachievement…This will be the equivalent ofan hour per student per week.”

✦ ensure that mentors have appropriate andongoing support in practice

✦ work collaboratively with HEIs

✦ provide learning opportunities for studentsthat reflect the nature of the 24-hour service

✦ acknowledge the complexity of the role ofthe mentor

✦ recognise and support the additional needsof a mentor, where a student is notprogressing

✦ ensure that the mentor has supervision

✦ provide and maintain an effective learningenvironment

✦ maintain an overview of students’ progress.

The NMC recommends that mentors should notnormally support more than three students,from any discipline, at any point in time (NMC,2006a).

Link roles

Link roles – for example, the clinical placementor practice facilitator or the link lecturer – canprovide support for both mentors and studentsby:

✦ working collaboratively and effectively withstaff in the practice setting

✦ ensuring that placement staff have contactdetails

✦ communicating between the HEI andplacement provider

✦ providing a network of support for mentorsand staff in practice

✦ offering advice, guidance and support asrequired.

Clinical supervision

The mentor should be able to choose anappropriate supervisor and should be giventime, during work hours, to reflect on their roleas a mentor.


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Support for mentors

Students have a responsibility to:

✦ read the HEI charter and studenthandbooks

✦ familiarise themselves with handbooksrelated to their specific programme of study(these are correlated to practiceplacements and will include assessment ofpractice documentation)

✦ recognise the purpose of the placementexperience and ensure that they are clearabout the expectations of the placementprovider

✦ ensure that they have some theoreticalknowledge relating to the placement

✦ contact the placement and mentor prior tostarting

✦ highlight any support needs to the mentor

✦ act professionally with regard topunctuality, attitude and image, and dressaccording to uniform policy

✦ maintain confidentiality

✦ maintain effective communication withpatients, mentors, and link personnel fromboth the placement and HEI

✦ adhere to the NMC Guide for students of

nursing and midwifery (2006b).

It is important to understand that studentshave a central role in maximising their learningexperience during placement, takingresponsibility in directing their own educationthrough interaction with relevant staff and thecreation of learning experiences.

The NMC provides the following guidance forstudents working in practice:

✦ understand your responsibility andaccountability; always work under thesupervision of a registered nurse or midwife

✦ respect the wishes of patients at all times

✦ identify yourself as a student to the patientat the first opportunity

✦ uphold patient confidentiality in accordancewith the NMC’s Code of Professional

Conduct (2004a)

✦ do not participate in procedures for whichyou have not been fully prepared or inwhich you are not adequately supervised.

The full NMC Guide for students of nursing and

midwifery (2006b) is available from the NMCwebsite at www.nmc-uk.org

Supernumerary status

All students undertaking pre-registrationnursing and midwifery programmes havesupernumerary status while on practiceplacements. This means that they areadditional to the workforce requirement andstaffing figures.

The student is present in the placementsetting as a learner and not as a member ofstaff. However, they must make an activecontribution to the work of the practice area toenable them to learn how to care for patients(RCN, 2007a).

“Supernumerary status means that the

student shall not, as part of their programme

of preparation, be employed by any person or

body under a contract to provide

nursing/midwifery care.” (NMC, 2004b; NMC,2004c)

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6

Responsibilities of the student

As a mentor, you should be aware of thefollowing regarding supernumerary status:

✦ all pre-registration students havesupernumerary status

✦ all student experiences should beeducationally led

✦ you are accountable for any decision todelegate work to students and for that workbeing undertaken

✦ students should be allowed to experience arange of relevant educational activitiesduring the placement

✦ the student’s contribution to care should becommensurate with their level of training

✦ students should adhere to the shiftpatterns of the placement and shouldattempt to work as many shifts with theirmentor as possible

✦ the supernumerary status of the studentshould be respected by all members of staffin the placement setting.


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The rights of disabled students are addressedprimarily through two key acts of law; theDisability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA 1995)together with the significant amendmentscontained in the Disability Discrimination Act

2005 (DDA 2005), and the Special Educational

Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA). Theseacts establish that both the education andpractice setting have a legal obligation toprovide students with the best support theycan – and this includes mentors.

What is disability?

There are two schools of thought on disability;medical and social. The medical model ofdisability focuses on impairment and loss offunction, whereas the social model ofdisability asserts that it is environmental,societal and attitudinal barriers that aredisabling. The RCN is committed to workingwithin the social model and our recentlypublished Disability equality scheme (2006)demonstrates our commitment to disabilityequality.

In addition to these models, there is also alegal definition that is important whenconsidering the legislative framework forsupporting students with disabilities.Disability legislation states that a person isdisabled if:

“s/he has a physical or mental impairment

which has a substantial and long term

adverse effect on his or her ability to carry

out normal day to day activities.”

However, as we would not want to insist thatour students prove their disability by legalmeans, mentors are asked to be aware of themoral obligation to support learning fordisabled students and for those with health

problems and impairments. Many students donot see themselves as disabled or may not feelable to disclose a disability for fear ofrepercussion and stigma, so it is important tobe sensitive to the requirements ofconfidentiality.

You may encounter students with a widevariety or impairments and disabilities. Someof the more common include:

✦ dyslexia and/or dyscalculia

✦ epilepsy

✦ hearing or visual impairments

✦ progressive medical conditions

✦ mental health conditions

✦ physical disability and/or restrictedmobility.

The legal framework

The Disability Discrimination Act (1995)This groundbreaking legislation outlaweddiscrimination against disabled people for thefirst time. With a primary focus on employmentand access to good services, the right toexpect reasonable adjustments wasintroduced and placed a clear obligation onorganisations to consider – often for the firsttime – how they supported people (serviceusers and staff alike) with disabilities.

Special Education Needs and Disability Act (2001)This legislation brought the field of education– which had been deliberately excluded fromthe DDA 1995 – into the realm of disabilitydiscrimination. SENDA placed responsibilitieson education providers to ensure disabled

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7

Students with disabilities

students are not treated unfavourably and tomake reasonable adjustments. This includemaking changes to policies and practices,course requirements or work placements andthe physical features of a building, as well asthe provision of interpreters or other supportworkers, the delivery of courses in alternativeways, or providing learning materials in otherformats.

The Disability Discrimination Act (2005)As well as making various amendments to theprimary legislation (DDA 1995), this Act alsointroduced the requirement for all publicauthorities to promote disability equality, toprovide a disability equality scheme and tomonitor and publish progress reports.

As a result, educational establishments andinstitutions need to be aware of their duty topromote disability equality, both internally andexternally, as service providers and asemployers. All public authorities wereexpected to produce a Disability equality

scheme by December 2006.

Further details of all legislation and the codesof practice that support them can be found onthe Disability Rights Commission website atwww.drc-gb.org and on the Directgov websiteat www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/index.htm

What is discrimination?

The Oxford English Dictionary definesdiscrimination as:

“To distinguish unfavourably from others.”

Disability legislation (DDA, 1995) definesdiscrimination in two ways: directdiscrimination and disability discrimination.

Direct discriminationA person discriminates against a disabledperson if, on the grounds of the disabled

person’s disability, the person treats thedisabled person less favourably than theperson treats (or would treat) a person nothaving that particular disability (and who hasnot had that particular disability) whoserelevant circumstances (including his or herabilities) are the same (or not materiallydifferent from) those of a disabled person.

Disability discriminationA person discriminates against a disabledperson if, for a reason which relates to thedisabled person’s disability, the person treatsthe disabled person less favourably than theperson treats (or would treat) others to whomthat reason does not (or would not) apply andthe person cannot show that the treatment isjustified. Treatment is only justified if thereason for it is both material to thecircumstance and substantial.

Therefore, the DDA 1995 makes it unlawful forindividuals and organisations to treatindividuals with a disability less favourably.Failure to make reasonable adjustments isdiscrimination.

What are reasonable adjustments?The duty to make reasonable adjustmentsarises when disabled individuals encounter‘substantial disadvantage’ and it refers to anyactions taken to remove or reduce thedisadvantage (DDA, 1995).

For example, in the practice setting,‘reasonable adjustments’ for students withdyslexia may include:

✦ the use of coloured overlays to assist inreading text on white paper

✦ the use of coloured paper

✦ additional training and support

✦ giving verbal rather than writteninstructions

✦ allowing plenty of time to read andcomplete the task


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✦ giving instructions one at a time, slowly andclearly, in a quiet location

✦ reminding the person of importantdeadlines and reviewing priorities regularly

✦ using a wall planner; create a ‘to do’ list

✦ the use of modified/specialised equipment

✦ provision of a quiet area to write up notesor when specific tasks require intenseconcentration

✦ flexible working hours/frequent breaks.

Factors that influence whether an adjustmentis considered ‘reasonable’ include: practicality,effectiveness, efficiency, cost, and health andsafety (of the individual and others). Above all,when considering making adjustments, it isimportant to be creative and commit to theoutcome – not just to the process by which atask is undertaken.

Students who require learningsupport

As more support becomes available andstudents feel more confident about disclosinga learning disability, it can seem like there areincreasing numbers of students requiringassistance. The two most common reasons forneeding additional learning support aredyscalculia and dyslexia.

Dyscalculia

“Dyscalculia is a condition that affects the

ability to acquire arithmetical skills.

Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty

understanding simple number concepts, lack

an intuitive grasp of numbers, and have

problems learning number facts and

procedures. Even if they produce a correct

answer or use a correct method, they may do

so mechanically and without confidence.”

(DfES, 2001)

DyslexiaThe term dyslexia means difficulty with wordsand it affects the receiving, holding, retrievingand structuring of information along with thespeed at which these occur (DfES, 2004).Approximately 10% of the population hasdyslexia (BDA, 2007) and between 3% and10% of the nursing population admit to havingdyslexia (Sanderson-Mann 2005, cited in RCN2007b). It is therefore likely that you may workwith someone in practice who has thecondition, or indeed you may be dyslexicyourself. Dyslexia is considered to be adisability, and the literature, though limited,suggests that such individuals are generallypoorly supported (RCN 2007b, Wright 2000).

Many individuals do not know they aredyslexic prior to commencing their nursing ormidwifery education. It is therefore importantthat mentors are aware of the difficulties anindividual who has dyslexia may present with,such as:

✦ erratic spelling

✦ misreading

✦ poor handwriting

✦ poor memory retention

✦ difficulty in organising work

✦ poor time management

✦ short concentration span

✦ confusion between right and left.

If a student presents with these difficulties, youneed to discuss it with them sensitively. It maybe necessary to involve whoever has overallresponsibility for student placements in yourorganisation, and/or the university staff (withthe student’s consent) as the student maybenefit from a dyslexia assessment.

As reading, writing and basic numeracy skillsare essential for most learning, and nursingand midwifery requires more advanced

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numeracy skills in practice, students can bedisadvantaged if their needs are not met. HEIshave disability advisers who can set upassessments, ensure the student hasappropriate support (for example, computer,tape recorder, or a personal scribe) and/orensure the student can access appropriateallowances to support their disability, all aspart of 'reasonable adjustments'. Theseactions must always be undertaken incollaboration with the student.

These reasonable adjustments may representa challenge for health care and learningenvironments, as the practice placement mayonly be notified of a student four to six weeksprior to the placement. The stigma attached todyslexia, like other impairments anddisabilities, may lead people to cover up theirdisability (Illingworth, 2005) or they may neverhave been diagnosed. It is important torecognise that this information is confidentialand is dependent on the student disclosingthis condition to their mentor.

If a student discloses to you that they aredyslexic, there are a number of ways in whichyou can support them:

✦ use Comic Sans or Arial fonts for printedmaterials, as these are the easiest to read

✦ provide the student with a glossary of termsbefore the placement starts

✦ ask the student if they prefer receivingmaterial on coloured paper (if this is notpossible, the use of a coloured overlay mayhelp)

✦ ask the student what their typicaldifficulties are and how they ‘normallycope’, and how you can support them

✦ limit written work in groups to avoidembarrassment and feelings of inadequacy

✦ ask questions clearly and concisely

✦ give instructions in sequences, and allow

pauses when communicating

✦ offer demonstrations

✦ provide clear instructions and expectationsand be aware of information overload

✦ some students may prefer to tape recordinformation, ensuring that confidentiality isalways maintained

✦ offer extra time if written work is required orgive advance warning

✦ if there is a need to read information, issuein advance if possible

✦ when contributing to patient records, offerthe student a supervised run on practicedocumentation before allowing entries on alegal document

✦ all entries in documentation should becountersigned (however, ensure you givesensitive feedback where errors are noted)

✦ ensure calculations are takenindependently; allow time, and alwaysdouble check

✦ permit the use of a calculator as an aide, if available, and ensure the student isconfident in its use; however working outsmust be shown

✦ ask the student to write out the calculation,so you can identify the type or stage of anyerror.

Advice

If a student is unsure of what, if any,adjustments they may benefit from, suggestthey contact their university’s studentdisability services for help. Adjustments needto be deemed acceptable by the person whohas overall responsibility for studentplacements within the organisation, and mustnot compromise the requirements of thecourse of study.


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Potential internal resourcesThese include:

✦ occupational health services

✦ social inclusion officers

✦ human resources department.

Potential external resourcesThese include:

✦ the student’s HEI – dyslexia tutor and/ordisability adviser

✦ Students Union – many have a disabledstudents officer

✦ disability employment advisers – JobCentres

✦ British Dyslexia Association

✦ Dyslexia Institute.

Impairment does not mean incapacity. With

appropriate support, students with

disabilities can work well in clinical as well

as academic settings and can add value to

clinical practice from their personal

experiences.

Further information can be found at thefollowing websites:

The British Dyslexia Association at www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk

Skill, the National Bureau for Students withDisabilities, at www.skill.org.uk

Disability Rights Commission at www.drc-gb.org

Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) atwww.rnib.org.uk

Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) atwww.rnid.org.uk

The following fact sheet may also be of use:www.lifelonglearning.co.uk/placements

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1. Why do students need to be assessed inpractice?

Students are required to become proficient bythe time they complete the course, soassessment at certain stages is necessary toensure that they are progressing satisfactorily.Ultimately this is about patient safety andprotecting the public.

2. If a student is due on placement and Iam not familiar or up-to-date with thecurriculum, assessment ordocumentation, what should I do?

Contact your HEI link or local clinicalplacement/ practice facilitator to find out howyou can access an update.

3. Who assesses practice competency,skills, attitude and knowledge?

Practising registered nurses/midwives withwhom the student spends time under directsupervision, although other professionals cangive testimonies or undertake formativeassessments.

4. Where should practice be assessed?

Wherever nursing care is given, for example inthe patient’s home, where students gainexperience under supervision, and in settingssuch as clinical skills laboratories.

5. Must the student ‘work’ with me thewhole time?

No. Students can spend time with others,depending upon their learning needs and theopportunities available. However, in order foryou to act as a role model and effectively teachand assess the student, they shouldaccompany you for at least 40% of their time

6. What do I do first when the studentarrives at the placement?

Greet them. Find out what name they wish tobe called by, make them feel welcome, showthem where they can safely put theirbelongings, give them a brief orientation tothe place and finally introduce them to keystaff. You should also discuss what you expectfrom them as a student and what they canexpect of you as their mentor. The initialinterview is an ideal opportunity to get toknow the student and discuss theirdevelopment needs, additional support, andto look at their portfolio for previousplacement reports, identifying their strengthsand challenges.

7. What do I do if the student does not co-operate with me?

Initially you should attempt to resolve thematter between yourselves. Make the studentaware of your thoughts, and of your right tohave their co-operation. Subsequently, youmay wish to contact a senior member of staffand/or lecturer or the clinicalplacement/practice facilitator. Alwaysdocument the incident/issues as this may berequired for future reference.

8. Who has custody of the assessmentdocument during the student’splacement?

The student, who should make the documentavailable to you as required.

9. What do I do if the student is notperforming well enough?

Initially make the student aware of yourobservation, and of your concern, and thendocument it. You must seek guidance from asenior colleague and/or lecturer or the clinicalplacement/practice facilitator.


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8

Frequently asked questions

10. What can I do if a student is unsafe inpractice?

If deemed unsafe, the student should beremoved from the practice area. Be sure youinform someone from the student’s university,and a senior member of practice staff. It isimportant that you record your reasons for thisaction in the assessment document, and alsoin the placement records, for example anincident report.

11. What can I do to reward the studentwho is exceptional?

Overt praise and recognition are the bestrewards. Be sure to record it in the student’sassessment document and if appropriate givethem a ‘testimonial’ – a statement to put intheir portfolio.

12. Must students do as they are directedby practice staff?

Yes, unless they have good reasons not to.Situations occasionally occur in which thestudent’s knowledge or judgement warrantsthem questioning an instruction. When thishappens they must make their case known inan appropriate manner, and it is importantyour response reflects that. It is important thatstudents are aware that they must alwaysbehave in a professional manner, as the publicexpect this of people entering into aprofession.

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Assessment

The opportunity to provide feedback, supportand guidance.

Assessment in practice

This encompasses a range of methods forassessment of competence – including practicalskills, knowledge and attitudes – in order tomeasure the student’s competence to practise.

Assessment (formative)

Takes place throughout the placement andfocuses on identifying student learning andprogress.

Assessment (summative)

Usually takes place at the end of the placementand focuses on the whole placement. It testshow much the student has learned and to whatextent the learning outcomes have been met.

Associate mentors

These are level 2 nurses or newly registerednurses or midwives, or those who have notyet undertaken an approved mentorpreparation programme, who provideopportunities for learning and support forpre-registration students.

Clinical placement/Practice educationfacilitator

This role has a range of titles, but its aim is tosupport mentors and clinical staff in practice intheir role of assessing students, principally inclinical areas. This role also provides a vital linkbetween the university and placement areas.

CompetenceCompetence is taken to represent the overallability of an individual to perform effectivelywithin a role. This includes the knowledge,

skills, attitudes and experience to undertake awhole role to the standard expected of likepersons within a similar environment.

CompetencyA competency is considered to be a singlequality or characteristic of an individualand/or a single component of a whole role.

Educational auditThis involves the monitoring, measurement andevaluation of the practice placement, to ensurethat the required quality standard is met.

Link lecturerResponsible for liaising with clinical staff inmonitoring the quality of practice placementsand conducting the educational audit. Offerssupport to students and registerednurses/midwives. In addition, advises staffand students on educational matters.

MentorAn NMC registrant who has met the outcomesof stage 2 of the mentor standard (NMC 2006a),and who facilitates learning, and supervisesand assesses students in a practice setting.

Personal tutorA lecturer who provides academic, and insome cases, pastoral support throughout thecourse of study. He/she will document thestudent's progress in theory and practice,providing written summaries as required aswell as the end of programme reference.

Sign-off mentorAn appropriately qualified nurse, midwife orhealth visitor who signs-off students at thefinal assessment of practice, and confirms tothe NMC that the required competencies forentry to the register have been achieved.


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9

Glossary of terms

References

British Dyslexia Association (2007) Dyslexia

research information, Reading: BDA. Availablefrom http://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/research.html#incidence (Accessed 7 June2007) (Internet).

Department for Education and Skills (2001)The national numeracy strategy: guidance to

support pupils with dyslexia and dyscalculia,London: DfES (circular 05/12/2001).

Department for Education and Skills (2004) Aframework for understanding dyslexia:

information on theories and approaches to

dyslexia and dyscalculia, London: DfES.

Department of Health (1999) Making a

difference. Strengthening the nursing,

midwifery and health visiting contribution to

health and healthcare, London: DH. Availablefrom http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/07/47/04/04074704.pdf (Accessed 7 June2007) (Internet).

Duffy K (2004) Failing students: a qualitative

study of factors that influence the decisions

regarding assessment of students’

competence in practice, London: NMC.Available from http://www.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=1330 (Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

English National Board for Nursing, Midwiferyand Health Visiting and the Department ofHealth (2001) Placements in focus: guidance

for education in practice for health care

professions, London: ENB and DH. Availablefrom http://www.york.ac.uk/healthsciences/mentors/placementsinfocus.pdf (Accessed 7June 2007) (Internet).

Gerrish K, McManus M and Ashworth P (1997)Levels of achievement: a review of the

assessment of practice, London: ENB.

Illingworth K (2005) The effects of dyslexia onthe work of nurse/midwives and health careassistants, Nursing Standard, 19 (38), pp.41-48.

Maloney D, Carmody D and Nemeth E (1997)Students experiencing problems learning inthe clinical setting, in McAllister L, Lincoln M,McLeod S and Maloney D (editors) Facilitating

learning in clinical settings, Cheltenham:Stanley Thornes, pp. 185–213.

Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004a) The

NMC Code of professional conduct: standards

for conduct, performance and ethics, London:NMC. Available from http://www.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=201(Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004b)Standards of proficiency for pre-registration

nursing education, London: NMC. Availablefrom http://www.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=328(Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004c)Standards of proficiency for pre-registration

midwifery education, London: NMC. Availablefrom www.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=171(Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet)

Nursing and Midwifery Council (2006a)Standards to support learning and assessment

in practice: NMC standards for mentors,practice teachers and teachers, London: NMC.Available from www.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=1878(Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

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References, recommended reading and useful websites


27

Nursing and Midwifery Council (2006b) An

NMC guide for students of nursing and

midwifery, London: NMC. Available fromwww.nmc-uk.org/aFrameDisplay.aspx?DocumentID=1896(Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

Parliament (1995) Disability Discrimination

Act, London: HMSO. Available fromwww.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/Ukpga_19950050_en_1.htm#tcon (Accessed 7 June 2007)(Internet).

Parliament (2001) Special Educational Needs

and Disability Act, London: HMSO. Available atwww.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2001/20010010.htm (Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet)

Parliament (2005) Disability Discrimination

Act, London: HMSO. Available fromwww.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2005/20050013.htm (Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

Royal College of Nursing (2007a) Helping

students get the best from their practice

placements, London: RCN. Available fromwww.rcn.org.uk/publications/pdf/helpingstudents.pdf (Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

Royal College of Nursing (2007b) A review of

the literature into dyslexia in nursing practice,London: RCN. Available fromwww2.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/word_doc/0004/29578/dyslexia_in_nursing_practice_jan07.doc (Accessed 7 June 2007) (Internet).

Royal College of Nursing (2007c) Disability

Equality Scheme, London: RCN. Available fromwww.rcn.org.uk/publications/pdf/disability_equality_scheme.pdf (Accessed 7 June 2007)(Internet).

Stuart CC (2007) Assessment, supervision and

support in clinical practice (2nd edition),Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Wright D (2000) Educational support fornursing and midwifery students with dyslexia,Nursing Standard, 14 (41), pp.35-41.

Recommended reading

Andrews M and Chilton F (2000) Student andmentor perceptions of mentoringeffectiveness, Nurse Education Today, 20 (7),pp.555-562.

Atkins S and Williams A (1995) Registerednurses' experiences of mentoringundergraduate nursing students, Journal of

Advanced Nursing, 21, pp.1006-1015.

Cahill HA (1996) A qualitative analysis ofstudent nurses’ experiences of mentorship,Journal of Advanced Nursing, 24(4), pp.791-799.

Darling LA (1984) What do nurses want in amentor? Journal of Nursing Administration,14(10), pp.42–44.

Gray MA and Smith LN (2000) The qualities ofan effective mentor from the student nurse'sperspective: findings from a longitudinalqualitative study, Journal of Advanced Nursing,32(6), pp.1542-1549.

Price B (2004) Mentoring: the key to clinicallearning, Nursing Standard, 18 (52).

Price B (2004) Becoming a good mentor,Nursing Standard, 19(13).

Quality Assurance Agency for HigherEducation (2001) Code of practice for the

assurance of academic quality and standards

in higher education – section 9: placement

learning, Gloucester: QAA. Available fromhttp://www.qaa.ac.uk/search/publications/details.asp?Ctr_ID=225 (Accessed 7 June 2007)(Internet)

Royal College of Nursing (2007) Preparing

nursing students and health care assistants to

work with older people. London: RCN. In Press.

Spouse J (1996) The effective mentor: a modelfor student-centred learning in clinicalpractice, Nursing Times Research, 1(2),pp.120–133.

Useful websites

British Dyslexia Associationwww.bdadyslexia.org.uk

NHS Education for Scotland (NES)www.nes.scot.nhs.uk

Northern Ireland Practice and EducationCouncil for Nursing and Midwifery (NIPEC)www.nipec.n-i.nhs.uk

Skill: National Bureau for Students withDisabilitieswww.skill.org.uk

Dyslexia Actionwww.dyslexiaaction.org.uk

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RCN Legal Disclaimer This publication containsinformation, advice and guidance to help members of the RCN. It isintended for use within the UK butreaders are advised that practicesmay vary in each country and outsidethe UK.

The information in this booklet hasbeen compiled from professionalsources, but its accuracy is notguaranteed. Whilst every effort hasbeen made to ensure the RCNprovides accurate and expertinformation and guidance, it isimpossible to predict all thecircumstances in which it may beused. Accordingly, the RCN shall notbe liable to any person or entity withrespect to any loss or damage causedor alleged to be caused directly orindirectly by what is contained in orleft out of this website informationand guidance.

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September 2007Second editionReview date Sepember 2009

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guidance for mentors of nursing students and midwives

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