the mentor role in supporting and assessing competency and ... · the mentor role in supporting and...

Quality Education for a Healthier Scotland

The mentor role in supporting and

assessing competency and

progression of students

Dr Kathleen Duffy

NHS Education for Scotland Nursing and Midwifery

Practice Educator

NHS Lanarkshire Practice Development Centre

[email protected]

1

mailto:[email protected]


NMC Standards to Support Learning

and Assessment in Practice

• Stage 2 outcomes

• Domain 3 - accountability

and assessment


NMC Scholarship Report (Duffy 2003)


Recommendations

Mentorship preparation

Include the topic of:

• dealing with a failed clinical assessment

• dealing with practical aspects and emotional reactions

• the formal processes

Failure early in the programme preferable to

failure later in the programme

4


Recommendations

Nurse Education Programmes

• Tripartite arrangements to support mentors in their

clinical assessment role

• Lecturers have a role in clinical assessment

• Debriefing with mentors after a failed assessment

• Passing on of information between placements

• Learning outcomes pertinent to professional behaviour and attitude be given prominence within clinical assessment documentation

• Cognisance be given to the time commitment

associated with a possible fail scenario

5


Recommendations

Future research

• National survey to establish how many

students fail practice on clinical grounds

• Lecturer’s view of the tensions that exist

• Explore ‘borderline status’ in clinical

assessment

• Further review and debate regarding clinical

practice assessment tools

6


‘Failing’ literature

• Gainsbury (2010)

• Mead et al (2011)

• Brown et al (2012)

• Heaslip and

Scammell (2012)

• Hunt et al (2012)

Key messages

10-40% mentors

reluctant or under

confident

Failure in theory

outstrips practice by

5:1


‘Failing’ literature

• Skingley et al (2007)

• Jervis and Tilki

(2011)

• Black et al (2013)

Key messages

• Explore beliefs,

expectations &

prejudices

• Help to deliver

difficult messages

• Emotional support

• Moral courage


International ‘Failing’ literature

•Luhanga et al (2007,

2008a, 2008b)

•Tanicala et al (2011)

•Larocque and

Luhanga (2013)

•DeBrew & Lewallen

(2014)


Literature from other disciplines

• Dudek et al (2005)

• Frellsen et al (2008)

• Cleland et al (2009)

• Finch (2009)

• Parker (2010)

• Basnett & Sheffield

(2010)

• Furness (2011)

• Finch & Taylor (2013)

• Malihi-Shoja et al

(2013)

• Poletti & Anka (2013)

• Rawles (2013)

• Schaub & Dalrymple

(2013)

• Eno & Kerr (2013)


Mentorship literature

Chandan and Watts (2012)


Recommendations Mentorship

preparation

2004

Include the topic of:

• dealing with a failed

clinical assessment

• dealing with practical

aspects and emotional

reactions

• the formal processes

2014

• Consider the selection of

mentors – choice?

• Explore the emotional

aspects of assessing

competence

• Introduce the concepts of

courage and resilience

• Coaching /Constructive

feedback skills

• Role modelling/ Escalating

concerns

• Challenging students

constructively

13


Recommendations –Nursing

programmes and providers

2004

• Tripartite arrangements to

support mentors in their clinical assessment role

• Lecturers have a role in clinical assessment


• Passing on of information between placements

• Learning outcomes pertinent to professional behaviour and attitude be given prominence within clinical assessment documentation

• Cognisance be given to the time commitment associated with a possible fail scenario

2014

• Identify and support mentors who lack confidence to fail

• Tripartite arrangements to support mentors and supervising mentors in their assessment role

• Lecturer’s role in assessment/practice education infrastructure


• Cognisance be given to the time commitment associated with mentorship (workforce planning)

14


Recommendations – Future Research

& Debate

2004

• National survey to establish how many students fail practice on clinical grounds

• Lecturer’s view of the tensions that exist

• Explore ‘borderline status’ in clinical assessment

• Further review and debate regarding clinical practice assessment tools

2014

• Practice Education

Facilitators’ views of the

tensions that exist

• Explore ‘borderline status’ in

practice based assessment

• Research regarding practice

assessment tools

• Student’s perspective of

failing

• Widespread debate and

discussion regarding the

challenges highlighted by

Robinson et al (2012)

15


Your student…………… Our future


References

Arskey H, O’Malley L. (2005) Scoping Studies: Towards a Methodological Framework.

International Journal of Sociological Research Methodology 8, 19-32

Basnett, F. and Sheffield, D. (2010) The impact of social work student failure upon practice

educators. British Journal of Social Work, 40, 2119-2136

Black S, Curzio J, Terry L (2013) Failing a student nurse: A new horizon of moral courage.

Nursing Ethics (online). Available at

http://nej.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/08/28/09697330134955224

Brown L, Douglas V, Garrity J, Shepherd C K. (2012) What influences mentors to pass or

fail students? Nursing Management 19 (5), 16-21

Chandan M., Watts C. (2012) Mentoring and pre-registration nurse education. Available at:

http://www.williscommission.org.uk

Cleland, J.A. Knight, L.V. Rees, C. E. Tracey, S. and Bond, C.M. (2008) Is it me or is it

them? Factors that influence the passing of underperforming students. Medical

Education, 42, 8, 800-809.

Dudek, N.L. Marks, M.B. and Regehr, G. (2005) Failure to fail: The perspective of clinical

supervisors. Academic Medicine, 80, 10, 584-587 supplement.

Duffy, K. (2003) Failing students: a qualitative study of factors that influence the decisions

regarding assessment of students’ competence in practice. Glasgow: Glasgow

Caledonian University. Available from: http://www.nmc-

uk.org/Documents/Archived%20Publications/1Research%20papers/Kathleen_Duffy_Fai

ling_Students2003.pdf

17

http://nej.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/08/28/09697330134955224

http://www.williscommission.org.uk/

http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/Archived Publications/1Research papers/Kathleen_Duffy_Failing_Students2003.pdf





References

Duffy, K. (2006) Weighing the Balance: A grounded theory study of the factors that

influence the decisions regarding the assessment of students’ competence in practice.

PhD thesis, Glasgow: Glasgow Caledonian University. Access via

http://rcn.sirsidynix.net.uk/uhtbin/cgisirsi/?ps=VerQF9sVDq/LONDON/185360011/2/100

0

Eno S, Kerr J (2013) ‘That was awful! I’m not ready yet am I?’ Is there such a thing as a

good fail ? Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning. 11 (3), 135-148.

Frellsen SL, Baker EA, Papp KK, Durning SJ. (2008) Medical School policies regarding

struggling students during the internal medicine clerkships: Results of a national survey.

Academic Medicine. 83 (9), 877- 881.

Finch J, Taylor I. (2013) Failure to fail? Practice educator’s emotional experiences of

assessing failing social work students. Social Work Education; The International

Journal. 32 (2) 244-258.

Furness, S. (2011) Gender at work: characteristics of ‘failing’ social work students. British

Journal of Social Work Advanced access published June 7, 1-20.

Gainsbury S (2010) Nurse mentors still ‘Failing to fail’ students. Available from

http://tiny.cc/busbhw

Heaslip V, Scammell J M E. (2012) Failing underperforming students: The role of grading in

practice assessment Nurse Education in Practice. 12 (2) 95-100.

Hunt L A, McGee P, Gutteridge R, Hughes M. (2012) Assessment of student nurses in

practice: A comparison of theoretical and practical assessment results in England.

Nurse Education Today. 32, 351-355. 18



http://tiny.cc/busbhw


References

Jervis A, Tilki M. (2011) Why are nurse mentors failing to fail student nurses who do not

meet clinical performance standards? British Journal of Nursing. 20 (9), 582-7

Larocque S, Luhanga FL (2013) Exploring the issue of failing to fail in a nursing program.

International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship. 10 1 1-8

Luhanga F. Yonge O. and Myrick F. (2007) Precepting the unsafe student: the role of

faculty. Nurse Education Today 28, 227-231.

Luhanga F. Yonge O. and Myrick F. (2008) Failure to assign failing grades: Issues with

grading the unsafe student. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 5,

1, 1-14.

Luhanga F. Yonge O. and Myrick F. (2008) Strategies for precepting the unsafe student.

Journal for Nurses in Staff Development. 24 (5), 214-219.

Malihi-Shoja L, Catherall D, Titherington J, Mallen E, Hough G & the Comensus Writing

Collective (2013) ‘Ween’t all winners: A discussion piece on ‘failure to fail’ from a

service user and carer perspective. Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning. 11 (3),

8-16.

Mead D, Hopkins A, Wilson C. (2011) Views of nurse mentors about their role, Nursing

Management, 18 (6), 18-23

NHS Education for Scotland (2013) National Approach to Mentor Preparation for Nurses

and Midwives. Core Curriculum Framework (Second Edition) incorporating guidance for

identification and selection of mentors, supervising mentor role and continuing

professional development of mentors. Edinburgh. NHS Education for Scotland.

19


References

Nursing & Midwifery Council. (2008)Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice. 2nd ed. NMC, London.

Parker J (2010) When things go wrong! Placement disruption and termination: power and student perspectives. British Journal of Social Work. 40, 983-999.

Polettii A & Anka A (2013) ‘They thought I wasn’t good enough for social work’- the views of students who failed their practice learning opportunities. Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning. 11 (3), 17-35.

Rawles J (2013) Whose students are they anyway? Could a difference in how practice organisations and higher education institutions perceive social work students be a barrier to collaboration when problems arise in placement? Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning. 11 (3), 59-78.

Robinson S, Cornish J, Driscoll C, Knutton S, Corben V, Stevenson T (2012) Sustaining and managing the delivery of student nurse mentorship: roles, resources, standards and debates. National Nursing Research Unit Kings College, London.

Schaub J, Dalrymple R (2013) Surveillance and silence: New considerations in assessing difficult social work placements. Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning. 11 (3), 79-97.

Skingley A, Arnott J, Greaves J, Nabb J (2007) Supporting practice teachers to identify failing students. British Journal of Community Nursing 12 (1), 28-32

Tanicala ML, Scheffer BK, Roberts MS (2011) Defining pass/fail nursing student clinical behaviours phase 1: moving towards a culture of safety. Nursing Education Perspectives. 32 (3), 155-161.

Veeramah V. (2012) Effectiveness of the new NMC mentor preparation course. British Journal of Nursing. 21 (7), 413-417.

20