PROGRAMME HANDBOOK 2014/2015

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Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BSc (Hons) Nursing

(Adult, Child Health, Mental Health)

Leading to eligibility to apply for Registration with the

Nursing and Midwifery Council

PROGRAMME HANDBOOK

2014/2015

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If you require any part of this publication in larger print, or an

alternative format, please contact Professional Services at:-

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

Plymouth University

Floor 4, Rolle Building

Drake Circus

Plymouth

PL4 8AA

Faculty Student Reception telephone numbers:

01752 586999, 585332, 585335

e-mail

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

Plymouth University

Knowledge Spa

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Treliske

Truro

TR1 3HD

Student reception telephone number: 01872 256450

e-mail

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

School of Health Professions

Plymouth University

Peninsula Allied Health Centre

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 6BH

Student reception telephone: 01752 588800

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DISABILITY INFORMATION - Important: please note

Dear Student

If you have a disability

The University is very supportive of students with disabilities, and year–on-year we are making adjustments to assist students with special needs. It may be that we have already put in place changes which will assist you – but unless we know what your needs might be, we cannot guarantee that that will be the case. If we can identify your needs sufficiently far in advance of when you intend to start a course at the University, we are better able to put in place appropriate arrangements – or, if there is a health and safety issue or an issue about the expectations of students on the course, to advise you on alternative options. However, we may not be able to do so if we do not know in advance.

If you have not told us about your disability

Please do contact the University’s Disability Assist Services on Plymouth 01752 587676 to discuss your needs. While we are making reasonable adjustments to our provision, we may not be able to meet your individual needs if we do not have the opportunity to assess them in advance, and that could impact negatively on your experience on the course or even your ability to take up your place.

If you have told us about your disability

You may be asked for additional information or invited to attend an interview with Disability Assist Services. This is in order that we can properly assess your individual needs and ensure that we have the best possible chance of meeting them. Please do provide any information requested and come in to see staff if asked to do so, since otherwise you – and we - could find ourselves in a position in which it is difficult or even unsafe for you to take up your place.

So please tell us about any disability – even if you do not think it will affect you while you are at the University – and respond positively to any requests for further details or for an information interview. If you do not do so, you may find yourself unable to take up your place or unable to complete the course because we have not been able adequately to meet your particular needs.

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DISCLAIMER

ALL STUDENTS PLEASE NOTE:

All students undertaking programmes delivered by the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences are reminded that any alteration to University documentation, including practice portfolios, involving forgery/falsification of a mentors

comments or signature/initialling will be investigated. This investigation could lead to disciplinary action, which may lead to a student’s being unable to achieve professional registration.

All the information in this Handbook is correct at the time of printing. Courses are regularly reviewed and updated so details may change. Occasionally, a module listed in the Handbook may be replaced or withdrawn.

Plymouth University is proud of its teaching and research and it undertakes all reasonable steps to provide educational services in the manner set out in this Handbook and in any documents referred to within it. It does not, however, guarantee the provision of such services. Should industrial action or

circumstances beyond the control of the University interfere with its ability to provide educational services, the University undertakes to use all reasonable steps to minimise the resultant disruption to those services.

SELF - DECLARATION

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (formerly CRB) and Occupational Health The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to provide a joined up seamless service combining the criminal records checking and barring functions. Further legislative changes will come into force during 2013 and 2014.

These details will be published on the DBS website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service

A satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) formerly (CRB) declaration and Occupational Health check is required to enter the BSc (Hons) Nursing programme (see entry requirements).

You will be asked to complete an annual self-declaration to confirm whether your police record or health status has changed as this may jeopardise your ability to undertake the practical elements of the programme and registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

You must immediately notify either your programme leader or personal tutor of any changes to your police record or health status that occur throughout the academic year. This includes any warnings, cautions, convictions and bind overs issued by the police and also any pending charges as well as any interviews concerning protection of vulnerable adults or children that occur throughout the year.

You must keep your copy of the DBS certificate as you may be requested to provide

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USEFUL INFORMATION

University Registration Number

Personal Tutor

Field Lead

Programme Administrator

Other Useful Numbers

Name: Office: Office Tel: Email: Name: Office: Office Tel: Email: Name: Office: Office Tel: Email: Name: Office: Office Tel: Email:

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Professional Services Teams

There are two professional services teams supporting the School of Nursing and Midwifery, as shown below.

Truro, Knowledge Spa

BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult field) is taught at this site Student Reception and

School of Nursing and Midwifery Cornwall

Professional Services team

First Floor

Knowledge Spa 01872 256450

This is the administration team which looks after the day to day administration for nursing students based in Cornwall, including the timesheets and travel claims. Cornwall based Nursing students collect and submit timesheets and travel forms to the Student Reception in the Knowledge Spa, Truro. Coursework and practice documents will also be submitted to the office in the Knowledge Spa. The deadline for submission of assessments is 4pm.

The administration team are able to provide guidance if you have any queries concerning the programme.

e-mail: [email protected]

Plymouth Drake Circus

BSc (Hons) Nursing (Adult, Child Health and Mental Health) and BSc (Hons) Pre Registration Midwifery are taught at this site

School of Nursing and Midwifery Plymouth

Professional Services team

Fourth Floor Rolle Building 01752 586964 01752 586959 01752 586963 01752 586954 01752 586990 01752 586988 This is the administration team which looks after the day to day administration for nursing and midwifery students based in Plymouth, including the timesheets and travel claims. The team are able to provide guidance if you have any queries concerning the programme.

email: [email protected]

Plymouth Drake Circus Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

Faculty Student Reception

Ground Floor Rolle Building

01752 585335 01752 585332 01752 586999 Plymouth based Nursing students collect and submit timesheets and travel forms to the Faculty Student Reception on the Ground Floor Rolle building.

Plymouth based students for all Schools submit coursework and practice documents to the Faculty Student Reception in Plymouth. The deadline for Nursing and

Midwifery submissions of assessments is 4pm.

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1. INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PROGRAMME

Award Title:

Successful completion of the programme leads to the award of:

BSc (Hons) Nursing with an annotation to practice in one of three fields of practice (Child Health, Mental Health, Adult)

These are academic qualifications that will enable you to apply to register as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Development of the award to meet these dual goals has been through ongoing collaboration between academic staff, clinical staff, practice development leads, student representatives and Health Education South West.

At the discretion of the Award Assessment Board a generic degree entitled BSc (Hons) Health and Social Care Studies may be awarded to students who have not achieved the final year of their programme, but have 80 or more Level 6 credits. Students receiving this award will not be able to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) or the Health Professions Council (HPC).

On successful completion of the programme you have five years in which to register or record a qualification leading to an entry on the NMC register. Programme Accredited by:

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). In addition the programme is mapped against learning outcomes across Southern England Consortium (SEEC) descriptors, NMC Criteria and Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) Benchmark statements, NMC Essential Skills Clusters and the Knowledge and Skills Framework.

Copies of this mapping are available, on request, from Programme Administration. 1.1 Academic Regulations

This programme of study is governed Plymouth University Regulations.

You may refer to these regulations at some time during your programme of study. These regulations are updated on a regular basis and are therefore kept centrally at the following website under rules and regulations:

http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/studenthandbook/Pages/default.aspx

 Assessment Regulations

 Complaints

 Appeals

 Examination and Assessment Offences

 Regulations on Late Coursework and Extenuating Circumstances

In addition to academic regulations, students on health professional programmes of study are also subject to codes of professional behaviour. These relate to the

honesty, integrity and professional behaviour expected of you when you become a registered nurse. A breach of an academic regulation may therefore have more

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serious consequences for you as a student on this programme as it could affect your future registration.

All students undertaking programmes delivered by the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences are reminded that any alteration to University documentation, including OARs documents, involving forgery/falsification of a mentors comments or

signature/initialling will be investigated. This investigation could lead to disciplinary action, which may lead to a student being unable to achieve professional

registration.

1.2 Exceptions to Regulations

This degree may NOT be awarded unless all the requirements for the award are met. The normal University Regulations in respect of progression and assessment are followed with specific exceptions, due to the structure and professional nature of the programme, as noted below:

a) The programme is exempted from the automatic compensation rule with no compensation at any stage.

b) All practice based assessments will be awarded a ‘Pass ‘or ‘Refer’ grade in Year 1.

c) Successful completion of a module is defined as the achievement of a pass in all elements of assessment

d) Students may not be awarded the degree unless they have successfully completed all the elements that contribute to the award

e) Owing to the professional nature of the programme, students will be permitted TWO attempts at practice elements of the programme but will be permitted THREE attempts at theoretical components. This will apply to all stages of the degree programme. f) The degree may only be awarded to students who have successfully completed all

elements designated as contributing to the award.

g) The maximum duration of the course will be five years full time in line with NMC requirements.

h) Students will be able to undertake an in year referral for those competences they may have been referred on in placement 1 in their second placement.

The programme is separated into three equal parts by two progression points, occurring at the end of year one and year two. The NMC specify that all students must meet the

progression point criteria before continuing onto the next stage of the programme. Therefore any further assessment attempts after September re-sits must be taken as repeat modules in the next academic year. This meets both the Nursing and Midwifery Council requirement that all theory and practice is completed for an academic year by week twelve of the next academic year before the student is allowed to progress into year two or three and has met the NMC progression points for the programme. If a repeat with attendance is necessary a bursary will not normally be available except in individual cases

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which are supported by extenuating circumstances. Students may be liable for fees for the modules which they are repeating in an academic year.

Any student who has not achieved all modules components by the extended resit board held 12 weeks after the end of year Award board will automatically be

repeating the outstanding modules and be unable to progress into year two or year 3. This meets both the NMC requirement that all theory and practice is completed for year one/two by week 12 of the next academic year before the student is allowed to progress into year two/three and has met the NMC progression points for year one/two of the programme.

Award Requirements

On completion of all stages of the programme students will be conferred with the award from Plymouth University of the BSc (Hons) Nursing, (Adult, Child Health or Mental

Health). You will also be eligible to apply to register on the appropriate part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Professional Register. You must register with the NMC within 5 years of completing the programme.

1.3 Classification of Honours Degree

The award is classified according to the University Regulations: Aggregate percentage mark

Each module in stages two and three is awarded a mark out of 100. The final aggregate mark is calculated by applying a scale factor of 0.3 to the marks for stage 2 and a scale factor of 0.7 to the marks for stage 3. The marks for each module are multiplied by the appropriate scaling factor and added together. The resulting aggregate mark is converted to a percentage of the maximum mark obtainable – the aggregate percentage mark. Classification will be based initially on the aggregate percentage mark. If your aggregate percentage mark falls within the boundaries of the classifications defined below, you are entitled to that award.

Classification Bands

First Class Honours 70% or above

Second Class Honours, Upper Division 60% - 69% Second Class Honours, Lower Division 50% - 59%

Third Class Honours 40% - 49%

1.4 Stepping off points in the programme

Students who successfully complete 120 academic credits in stage one of the programme and are unable to continue or do not wish to do so, will be eligible for the award of

Certificate of Higher Education.

Students who successfully complete 240 academic credits at stages 1 and 2 of the programme who are unable or do not wish to continue, will be eligible for the award of Diploma of Higher Education. Such a student will not meet the requirements for

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but are not eligible to be registered with the NMC for whatever reason will be awarded the Diploma of Higher Education.

Students who had ‘stepped off’ the programme at the end of the first or second stage will be eligible to resume the programme provided that this allows for completion within a five year period from date of commencement. You must notify the programme administrator in good time as a return will be subject to vacancies being available and review by the

appropriate Field Specific Lead. If you have been absent from the programme for six months or more an occupational health check and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) (formerly CRB) check will be necessary. You will need to give notification of any proposed return six months before your planned return date.

1.5 Withdrawal from the programme

The Faculty of Health and Human Sciences recognises that some students may wish to withdraw from their studies before completion of the programme. A system for support is in place to assist you in considering the options and you should discuss this initially with your personal tutor. Students who withdraw from the programme must put their intentions in writing and will be asked to attend an exit interview and complete an exit questionnaire. The following identifies the date on which you will be deemed as having withdrawn from the programme.

Academic Failure

 10 days from the publication of results from the Award Assessment Board.

Disciplinary Decision

 The date of decision from a disciplinary hearing.

Student Withdrawal

 Date of receipt of letter of withdrawal from you / Date of personal tutors exit interview

with you

Withdrawal by the student without notification

 The Field Specific Lead or personal tutor will write to you offering an exit interview and

a reply-by date. If no response is received by the reply-by date then that will be taken as the date of withdrawal.

Bursary

NHS Business Services Agency (NHS BSA) bursary payments will cease from the date of withdrawal. Please note you may be asked to repay any funds paid to you beyond the withdrawal date.

1.6 National Health Service (NHS) Funded Programmes

Important Information with regard to tuition fees and interrupt/repeat years. As a student registered on an NHS funded programme, you need to be aware that the tuition fee associated with your training is paid to Plymouth University by Health Education South West; they are in effect your sponsor.

Health Education South West is the NHS organisation responsible for the planning, development, education and training of the healthcare and public health workforce in the region.

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Students required to Repeat

Where a student is required to repeat failed modules in the following academic year due to academic or clinical failure without valid extenuating circumstances, you are advised that it is unlikely that the NHS will pay tuition fees associated with a repeat year. For clarity in such situations the responsibility for the payment of tuition fees where the NHS sponsor declines payment is with the student.

1.7 Interruptions to Study

Where a student requests to interrupt or is required to interrupt their programme, in some cases, the return to training after this interruption will mean that students will be required to complete an additional period of study. Any additional training in this circumstance will also attract tuition fees. Where the period of interruption is not therefore covered by valid extenuating circumstances, students will be personally liable for any additional tuition fees associated with this further period of training.

Students are therefore strongly advised to discuss requests for interruption of study with either the Programme Lead and/or Personal Tutor to enable full awareness of potential consequences of interruption.

You are therefore encouraged to ensure that you are aware of and familiar with the

University academic regulations and any exceptional regulations relating to your particular programme of study. These can be found at

https://staff.plymouth.ac.uk//acregsc/acadregs/intranet.htm, in your programme Handbook and in the relevant Programme Specifications available on the University website. Further information and clarification regarding regulations can be provided by your Programme Lead or Professional Services.

2. PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

2.1 Inter-professional Collaboration

This three-year modular programme has generic and field specific modules as prescribed by the NMC (2010). Generic modules are those shared with other fields of nursing (Adult, Child, Mental Health), with field being discipline focused. There is one Generic module in in year 1,and three shared modules, 1 generic module in Year 2 and 2 generic modules in year 3. The field specific modules complement the generic modules throughout the

programme and enable you to meet all competences as required by the NMC. The programme is divided into three stages that equate to three academic years of a full time programme. Learning and teaching will take place over the whole academic year in both inter-professional and field specific groups at the University and on clinical placement.

Inter-professional collaboration is important for enhancing the quality of health care. When

you qualify you will be working as part of a multi-professional team. Depending on the specialism you choose to work in, the mix of colleagues working together will vary, but nonetheless there will be other professions in that setting. In current health and social care practice, the importance of a multi professional approach is emphasised because it means that client needs are better met if those professionals involved in their care are working not just alongside each other, but collaboratively and ‘inter-professionally’ as well.

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As you are going to be working with other professions in the future, it makes sense for you to share some of your learning with students from other professions in preparation for when you are qualified. Shared learning takes place throughout the three years of this degree programme, both in theory and practice settings and is an integral part of your professional development and final qualification.

There are two aspects of campus-based inter-professional education within the degree

programmes. These are multi-professional or shared learning and inter-professional

learning.

 Multi-professional (shared) learning is when you learn about particular subject areas you

have in common together, rather than in separate professional groups. The

multi-professional approach should help you to understand and appreciate that there is a huge amount of underpinning foundation knowledge and skills shared by all health care

professionals, and thus provide you with a common language with which to communicate with colleagues from other disciplines in the future.

 Inter-professional learning has an added dimension, and is about greater interaction to

learn together, especially about each other’s roles and potential contribution to client care, and to health, social care, and education service provision. Students undertaking this Programme will have excellent opportunities to experience Inter-professional learning with

cognisant groups in all of their clinical placements.

The exact definition of these terms is less important than the experience of learning to work with colleagues from other professions right at the start of your future career! There will also be some opportunities for inter-professional learning in practice placements.

However, the specific nature of these will depend on the type of placement you undertake. In year one, in teaching block one a generic module which is multi-professional will be shared with students from all three fields of practice Child Health, Adult and Mental Health. The module, (Ways of Knowing NRS 403), will assist in preparing your for the next three years in working , learning and scholarship as a student nurse. It will prepare you for both practice and theory .Inter-professional Learning (IPL) will be developed in the practice setting with IPL learning outcomes incorporated into your practice portfolio.

In years two, Knowledge and Skills for Evidence-Based Practice (1) (NRS203) is shared with a specific focus on developing your knowledge and understanding of the application of research to nursing practice. In the third year Management and Leadership and

Transition to Professional practice (NRS 301) is also shared with other fields of nursing. You will be using an inter-professional approach to plan and evaluate effective services by using appropriate standards and protocols of care, and developing your management and leadership skills.

2.2 Inter-professional Learning

In addition to developing your experience of other fields of nursing in Year 1, you will be required to demonstrate inter-professional learning in Years 1, 2 and 3. These learning outcomes will form part of the assessed learning outcomes in practice for specific modules which have a practice component. You will also be required to reflect on specific aspects of inter-professional learning. Clinical Tutorials attached to modules which have a practice component will be used to

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explore inter-professional practice and provide opportunities for further inter- professional learning to take place.

3. TEACHING AND LEARNING ON THE BSC NURSING PROGRAMME

The BSc (Hons) Nursing Programme is based upon a fundamental belief that the process of learning will be most effective if it is student centred and you take responsibility for your own learning. A variety of facilitative methods will be used.

Key Lectures

Key Lectures will form an integral part of teaching introducing you to new material and set the scene for future learning. They make use of exiting new technology for interactive satellite delivery from our shared facilities at Portland Square. Lecture notes and

interactive discussion will also be available through the university student portal ‘Moodle’. Seminars and workshops

Seminars and workshops are used to enable you to exchange further information and ideas. Under the facilitation of a seminar/ workshop leader and following appropriate preparation, you will be expected to question, critically analyse and evaluate and think about the topic under discussion. Working effectively in a group is a key skill for all health professionals and seminars allow you to demonstrate good team working.

Guidance on Recording Lectures

The University expects all students to participate fully in the learning opportunities offered by their programme of study and encourages all students to take advantage of additional opportunities for development, both personally and academically. As part of this,

attendance at lectures is an expectation. (We also believe that note-taking (as in lectures) is itself a valuable skill.)

Should you wish to record a lecture (in any format, whether audio or audio-visual) you must seek the permission of the lecturer before the lecture begins.

It is important that you respect your lecturer's work and their right to manage the manner in which it is distributed. Lectures and learning materials are the intellectual property of the University and the staff who develop them and who deliver teaching through a variety of

methods. Any recording that is made with the lecturer's permission must not be

distributed in any format (including through posting the recording or a transcription on the internet e.g. Facebook, blogs, Google+ etc.). The information may only be used in support of your own learning or others' registered on the programme. Any offences under the Policy may be dealt with under the Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Procedure for students.

The University recognises that recording can form a reasonable adjustment for students with disabilities. If you wish to record lectures or other learning opportunities in order to make the information more accessible to you due to a disability, please contact Disability Assist for advice on ways the University can support you.

If Disability Assist have notified your school that recording lectures will support your learning, you will not need to seek the permission of the lecturer before the lecture begins, but recordings must not be distributed in any format.

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Problem-based learning (PBL)

Problem based learning is an approach to learning in which a problem is used as a trigger for acquiring new knowledge. The approach encourages learning through experience and reinforces existing knowledge. Most students say they find PBL a challenge at first but enjoy this way of learning because it lets you learn in the best way for your individual learning style and it also leads to the development of lifelong learning skills. In addition by examining case studies and scenarios, and using a problem-solving process to address patient and client problems, it is similar to the way most care is planned and delivered in health care practice. It is a process which has much broader learning outcomes than traditional ways of teaching.

PBL allows you to focus on issues of practical relevance, to investigate pertinent theory, and in the process to develop transferable skills of group working, leadership, presentation and critical thinking. PBL has been endorsed as an effective way to obtain competent professional practitioners possessing qualities deemed important for nurses such as autonomy, active decision making, flexibility, independence, leadership and collaboration. As some cohorts are large in number, you might be divided into smaller groups which will be facilitated by a tutor. Students will be presented with stimulus material typically in the form of a scenario. The students clarify the concepts; define and analyse problems, and decide how to proceed. Information is then gathered outside the classroom, and ways of presenting the material identified. At the agreed time, students return with information, and, using general information, decide how the specific problem (in the original scenario) can be addressed.

Highly Directed Study

Periods of planned study which normally take place outside of organised lectures. Learning Profile

You have responsibility for your own learning and for recording your achievements. Throughout the programme you will build an e-portfolio containing evidence that demonstrates the integration of practical and theoretical achievements. The Practice Portfolio in Stage 1 is a section of your programme portfolio. By establishing good practice in your pre-registration period, maintaining an e-portfolio of learning will become part of your professional activity.

Reflective Discussions

These discussions will enable you to look at incidents that occur during learning, analyse and learn from them. They will be structured, facilitated discussions which will help you to develop your analytical and problem solving skills.

Lecturing staff are allocated specific academic roles to assist you in your studies. Some of the key roles are described below –

A module leader has overall academic responsibility for their designated modules across all Faculty sites. You will be informed of their name and location prior to commencing each module on your programme.

A module teacher is the lecturer who delivers and organises the module at your local Faculty site. A module teacher may also be the module leader.

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The module team consists of the module leader and the site-based module teachers. The module team also includes others e.g. practising educators.

A mentor is a qualified nurse who will support your learning in practice. They will have undertaken a specific mentor preparation and be annotated on a Placement providers mentor register. At the beginning of each practice placement you will be allocated a specific mentor who will monitor, record, and assess progress in practice.

A Sign off mentor is an experienced mentor who has undergone further preparation to enable them to sign you off on your OARS document as competence and be eligible to apply for registration with the NMC.

Literacy and Numeracy

Numeracy skills are developed in year one and continue through years 2 and 3 with more complex calculations using an interactive on line numeracy package. The Clinical Skills modules assess your ability to carry out calculations associated with medicines, nutrition and fluids. During years two and three you will have further opportunity to develop skills related to numeracy within field specific modules and these skills are assessed within these modules and in practice

Literacy is developed in conjunction with Learning Development materials and these are introduced into the generic module in year one of the programme. You also have access to online resources of the University’s Learning Development Team. During years two and three you will be offered further literacy support to write at stage two and stage three through links with Learning Development and writing workshops offered in the induction week. Module tutors will also support you in assignment writing. Literacy is assessed through written assignments and criteria are applied using the current Faculty of Health and Human Sciences Assess guidance for marking.

Clinical Skills teaching takes place both in the classroom and the Simulation laboratory and is facilitated by academic teachers and clinical demonstrators. It will incorporate demonstrations, role play and skill rehearsal and it provides you with the opportunity to develop your clinical skills in a safe environment.

E- Learning all students on registration will have access to the digital learning environment which includes “Moodle” and gives access to programme and module

information and allows interactive teaching and learning between students and academics. There are links to course materials as well as e mail, contacts, calendar and tasks. The programme will make full use of Moodle, as well as encouraging participation in the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences satellite seminar sessions, and the use of video conferencing facilities and Webinar when appropriate. Further access to other on-line material available on the portal is also encouraged such as learning support material. At the beginning of the Programme you will be allocated an email address. You should check your mail regularly as this form of communication will be used to convey important information relating to your programme, modules and placements.

Tutorials

Tutorials arealso offered by module teachers on a group basis to enhance peer support

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Tutorial support

You will be allocated a named Field specific personal tutor on registration, who will oversee your progress for all three years of the programme, they will be your first line of contact and support. Personal tutors are there to help you with any problems regarding your academic progress, or with a personal problem that is affecting your participation in the course. You should see your personal tutor at regular intervals. They are there to help you reflect on and review your own academic progress and to provide guidance if you encounter any academic or personal difficulties which prevent you from gaining the most from the course. Tutorials are often given in groups where both peer and academic support is available.

You should:

 Organise your time effectively to meet the academic requirements of your course.

 Arrange mutually convenient tutorial sessions. Personal tutors have a wide range of

commitments and it is recommended that you use e-mail and other approaches suggested by the module teacher to arrange this.

 Agree with the personal tutor the objectives for their tutorials.

 Deal with unforeseen circumstances, e.g. personal tutor’s sickness, it is your

responsibility to re-organise another tutorial. If the circumstances become protracted for example a long-term sickness problem, the Field Specific Lead will advise on alternative arrangements.

 Not expect excessive time. It is anticipated that most tutorials will not exceed 30

minutes and will not normally exceed one hour per module.

 Bring as much information with you as possible to the tutorial e.g. essay plan, rough

draft, areas of concern etc.

 Realise that support from the personal tutor for the submission of written assignments

will normally be available up until one week prior to the published submission date. After this deadline advice can only be given on matters of general study, assessment preparation and pastoral issues.

Module teachers and Problem Based Learning facilitators will also be available for specific module support. The role of academic staff is complemented by mentors who have a role in the support of learning whilst you are undertaking practice placements. This role will be supported by the Practice Development Teams.

Clinical tutorials

Clinical tutorialsform part of module delivery and you will be encouraged to reflect on

practice in a structured way to enhance links between theory and practice. Practical skills teaching

Practical skills teaching will be facilitated by lecturers and clinical staff. These sessions will provide the opportunity for development of skills based on theoretical knowledge and contemporary evidence. Skills based material to develop and support practice will be delivered by use of multi-media resources, clinical demonstrations, role play skills sessions and group supervision sessions.

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These skills will be enhanced through the utilisation of a self practice/self reflection

(SP/SR) approach, whereby you will be encouraged to employ appropriate techniques on yourself and colleagues and reflect upon their use. This will be fully supported through the use of the student electronic managed learning environment, which will provide you and your colleagues with anonymised feedback concerning your use of the techniques, a developing list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) concerning application of techniques in practice, and a discussion page to enhance practice and mutual support. Self-practice, Self-reflection will enable the links between theory and practice to be fully explored and provide the foundation for reflective skills-based learning thus enabling confidence and competence.

Practice placement learning

Practice placement learningis supported by mentors in practice who are suitably

prepared, experienced practitioners responsible for guiding, supporting and assessing students in practice. You will be allocated a mentor for each practice placement

experience. Mentors are supported by Practice Development Teams consisting of both academics and practitioners under the remit of the Practice Quality Development Division of the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences.

Personal Development Plan

Personal development planningis an important part of your programme which supports

the development of skills for lifelong learning that lead to improved opportunities for employment. You will achieve this through your portfolio work, reflecting on your learning

achieved and planning for your further learning needs. You will also be guided by module

teachers and your personal tutor about both academic and professional learning outcomes. Your On-going Achievement Record in Practice (OAR) will be used to

demonstrate learning in practice though out the programme and will be used as a basis for planning further learning.

Communication

The University provides all students with a University e-mail account. Communication to students from the University will use this e-mail account only. Please ensure that you check this regularly.

3.1 Recognition of previous academic study or experience (APL) The structure of the programme allows flexibility for you to enter and exit the programme at appropriate and relevant points using rigorous Accreditation of Prior (Experiential) Learning (APL) procedures.

APL is an academic term and generally means giving you academic credit and recognition for previous academic study and practice experienced at the

appropriate level. (For further information please contact the APL Administrator at [email protected]).

3.2 Mandatory experiences within the programme

Statutory and Mandatory Skills training is a prerequisite for professional practice and you are required to attend annual training sessions as specified below. These sessions may form part of module delivery or may be found outside of modules within an introduction period or before practice.

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Year one Year two Year three Moving and Manual Handling Techniques Introduction year 1 NRS406 CHN403

Introduction year 2 Introduction year 3 Fire Safety and

Prevention Introduction year 1 Introduction year 2 Introduction year 3

Basic Life Support Skills Introduction year 1 NRS406 CHN403 Introduction year 2 ADN 204 CHN202 Introduction year 3 CHN302 ADN303 Mental Capacity Act 2005 NRS406 CHN403 Introduction year 2 CHN 204 MHN202 Introduction year 3 ADN302 MHN301 Safeguarding Children NRS406 CHN403 Introduction year 2 MHN202 Introduction year 3 Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults NRS406 CHN403 Introduction year 2 ADN201 MHN202 Introduction year 3 ADN302 MHN301 NRS = Generic Modules

ADN = Adult Specific modules CHN = Child Specific Modules

MHN = Mental Health Specific modules

In addition you will be required to attend a general session on Conflict resolution and Equality and Diversity

Attendance at these sessions will be recorded on your student record and you must ensure you sign the register at each of these sessions. It is your

responsibility to make known to the relevant member of academic staff any session that you may have missed; furthermore it is your responsibility to ensure

you attend the rescheduled sessions.

4. THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Placement learning will be gained in the health service and other providers across the South West. Every attempt will be made to place you as closely and conveniently as possible within your chosen area. However due to the large numbers of students and the limited availability of placements, and in order to provide you with a breadth of experience, you can and will be expected to travel across the area of choice.

5. ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE

5.1 Student Ongoing Achievement Record (OAR)

You will be provided with a student Ongoing Achievement of Practice Record (OAR) which you will carry from placement to placement to enable mentors to view your ongoing

progress. This is an important document for which you will have overall

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programme enables you to demonstrate continuity and progression throughout the

programme. The OAR includes the following elements:

 Record of Mandatory Training Sessions

 European Union Directives (for Adult nursing field only)

 E-portfolio

The purpose of the OAR is to enable you to demonstrate that you have met the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) progression points as identified at the end of each year, and Standards of Competency for pre-registration nursing education (NMC, 2010). During the three years of your programme you will work in a variety of practice placements thus ensuring a breadth of experience.

Completion of the OAR is one element which is assessed entirely in the practice placement. The OAR comprises the criteria against which students are assessed.

 Year One: Progression Point criteria

 Year Two: Competencies

Progression Point criteria

 Year Three: Competencies

The Ongoing Achievement Record is a record of your achievement in practice throughout your period of pre-registration nursing education. The OAR contains both formative and summative assessments. You are encouraged to complete the formative assessments to ensure you are progressing sufficiently. Summative assessments judge your competency at certain points in the programme, competencies must be demonstrated. Your practice mentor will continually be assessing your performance and will be informing you of your progress.

You will be advised of the dates for completion of your summative assessment by the programme team; this information will also be available on the student portal and your Field Specific handbook. The results of the summative assessments are presented to the appropriate Award Assessment Board at the end of each level.

The OAR must be fully completed by you, your mentors and personal tutors ready to be submitted to the examination board at the end of each year (hand-in dates are provided in your Field Specific Handbook and will be available on the Student portal). At the end of your third year it will be used by sign-off mentors in your final placement to make a judgement about your fitness for practice, it will also contribute as evidence for NMC requirements of ‘good health and good character at the point of registration’. In order to facilitate effective communication regarding your development in practice, the OAR shall

be used throughout the whole three years of your programme. It is therefore imperative

that you ensure its safe keeping.

Specific days have been identified during the three years of your programme for you to meet with your personal tutor on a regular basis. This is so they can review your progress in theory and practice and offer guidance as required as well as liaising with mentors as necessary.

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5.2. Practice E-Portfolio

The OAR and the e-portfolio is a collection of evidence, which shows your achievements in the acquisition of knowledge, understanding and skills both in theory and practice. By the end of the programme you will have collected a wealth of information about yourself and your learning experiences to provide a continuous record of your professional

development. Theory and practice are closely integrated and the evidence you collect will provide opportunities for you to identify the links between the two. The programme has specific standards to be achieved within practice, and you will be assessed, by your designated practice mentor, on specific performance criteria. You will gather evidence for your e-portfolio to demonstrate that you have reached the required standard.

Your e-portfolio will include:

 relevant programme and module standards to be achieved in practice

 reflective accounts

 profile of essential skills clusters

 evidence to support your achievement of competence

 record of clinical experience

 evidence of achievement of EU learning outcomes

 evidence of achievement of Inter-professional Learning outcomes

Members of the Programme Team will give detailed guidance regarding completion of the Practice e-Portfolio.

5.3 Placement Learning

Placement learning forms an integral part of the programme and accounts for 50% of the learning and teaching hours available. As a result of recent developments, NMC circular 36/2007, up to 300 hours of practice experience can take place within a simulated

environment. Your attendance at skills sessions within the skills laboratory will be recorded and these hours will form part of your achievement of overall practice hours. Changes in health care provision have resulted in an increasingly diverse range of work environments and an emphasis on inter-professional working in health care contexts. It is therefore essential that modules contain practice learning outcomes reflecting this trend and provide the hours required for registration with the NMC.

With this in mind, emphasis is placed upon your achieving the competencies specified by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the benchmark statements for nursing produced by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. A Practice e-Portfolio will enable you to demonstrate the breadth and depth of your clinical experience, and include assessment of the standards/criteria indicating that the competencies have been met. Specific

Essential Skills Clusters (ESCs) which form the Skills Profile within your practice e-portfolio and OAR have already been mapped to the required competencies and can be used to identify that you have achieved the performance criteria during your practice

experiences. You can also use these (ESC) to inform your learning contracts in placement areas. Many of these competencies are generic to all professions. For example, all health

professional students are required to beassessed in effective communicationskills before

they can register with the relevant health profession.

The establishment of personal goals and outcomes in the e-portfolio (a personal

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develop responsibility toward your own learning in the placement environment, and to reflect on your practice. Module aims and learning outcomes will guide you to make best use of learning opportunities.

The variety of practice placements, including skills laboratory work, will enable the development of transferable skills necessary for practice as a Registered Nurse.

You will be encouraged to enter into collaborative work with other health professionals in order to consolidate the inter-professional nature of the curriculum and reflect the changing nature and delivery of health care for the benefit of the individual.

It is important that you take all learning opportunities available to you during each practice placement, working with your mentor to observe, work with and engage in practice with other health professionals and users and carers.

5.3.1 Host Trust Localities

You will be allocated to a host placement locality before you start the programme which will enable you to plan accommodation, identify your travel to placements requirements and manage other responsibilities, e.g. family life. A Host Trust Locality is one of our placement partners, including those from the Private, Voluntary and Independent sectors and is the area in which you will undertake your clinical placements for the duration of the programme. This enables you to become part of the health community for that

organisation, to understand the values and beliefs of the organisation and with the increased opportunity for employment at the finish of the programme. Within your Host Trust Locality you will be placed on a line of practice to ensure that you are able to experience a range of patient/client care settings throughout the three years of your programme, and which will meet the NMC requirements for you field of practice

Placement allocations are managed through an on-line system and information about your placement allocation is available to you using ‘Placements on the Web (POW)’. You will be given a log in to POW before you attend your first placement and all future placements will be notified using POW. Any queries relating to placement allocations are to be sent to [email protected].

In addition a great deal of supporting information for your placement can be found on POPPI, including accommodation and communities to arrange shared travel, appropriate policies, course documents, etc.

Plymouth Online Practice Placement Information (POPPI) http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/placements/Poppi

Practice learning outcomes can be achieved in any setting as they relate to broad principles of patient care. It will also enable you to be informed about your personal placement plan throughout your programme.

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It is really important to us that you complete your placement evaluation which are also online at the end of your placement this allows us to feedback to the placement area your experience , and to continue to improve this experience for all students’ 5.3.2 Uniform Policy

We hope you will be proud to wear your uniform and will uphold the good reputation of the nursing profession whilst doing so. To ensure your health and safety, and that of those you will be caring for, you are required to adhere to the following uniform policy:

 Hair must be clean, tidy, secured off the face and above the collar.

 No jewellery should be worn on the face, ears or neck.

 You must be ‘bare below the elbow’; no false nails, nail extensions, nail polish,

jewellery or watches. A plain wedding ring may be worn but you may have to remove this for some clinical practices.

 Plain black shoes must be worn. The shoe must cover the whole foot. Crocs/trainers

and canvass shoes are not permitted.

 Your uniform must be clean, ironed and kept in good condition.

 The appropriate coloured epaulettes must be worn indicating your stage of the

programme.

 You must wear your name badge and Student Identity Badge.

 You must not be seen smoking in your uniform.

 Uniform must be worn while you are in a practice placement or attending the skills lab.

If you have to travel in your uniform you must wear a coat that covers your uniform. None adherence of the uniform policy may result in you being turned away from your practice placement or the skills lab.

Not all placements will require you to wear your uniform. In which case please seek guidance from the placement area and adhere to local policy.

Student Identity Badge

This is an essential component for your practice and must be worn. Epaulettes

Epaulettes are provided in a different colour for each stage of your programme. These will need to be returned at the end of each year. Red epaulettes are issued to first year students, yellow to second year students and grey to third year students.

5.3.3 Practice Assessment

The summative assessment of practice for the programme must be undertaken throughout the programme year. You will be required to provide evidence of competence over each placement. The learning contract will help to decide which competences will be

undertaken in each placement. The OAR document is a record of your overall practice assessment and is thus considered an aspect of professional record keeping.

Year 1:

In year one a pass/refer grade will be awarded as marks do not contribute to the degree

classification. The progression point criteria for year 1 must be achieved by the end of the

year; these are awarded an “Achieved” or “Not achieved.” The progression criteria for

Year 1 are NOT graded, but you must successfully achieve the Progression Point Criteria to progress into Year 2. The summative points for all years are at the end of each practice

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placement thus students for year 1 will have a summative hand in point after the first placement and at the end of the second placement.

Year 2 and Year 3:

The Competencies for each year must normally be achieved in each practice area. You will be assessed in each of these and your mentor will indicate the level of achievement you have met for each competency. The level of achievement awarded, from 0 to 6, should reflect the skills, knowledge and values pertinent to the stage of your programme and you will demonstrate these both in the practice area and with the evidence collated in your e-portfolio. On submission of your OAR to your Personal Tutor at the end of each year, you will receive a grade (%) for your Practice. At the end of Year 2 your mentor will indicate that you have either Achieved/Not Achieved the Progression Point 2 criteria; you MUST achieve these to progress into Year 3.

There are two ways that you may fail your practice, either through non achievement of

practice competence or due to poor record keeping. Full details of achieving practice competence can be found in your Field Specific Handbook and e-Portfolio and if you have any queries you must talk to your personal tutor.

5.4 Guidelines for the Management of Practice Experience

The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure that all students studying the BSc (Hons) Nursing programme have the same framework with which to gain practice experience. They are guidelines and as such, some students, in negotiation with their personal tutor and practice placements, may be working with different patterns at any particular time. In this way you are able to take full advantage of all the learning opportunities during a placement to achieve your learning objectives and to undertake the summative assessment of practice.

Principles

You will have supernumerary status throughout your programme. This means that you are part of the care team but extra to the staff allocated complement.

You should participate in the same shifts – or part of shifts – as your mentor for at least 15 hours per week.

Since nursing involves 24 hour care, where appropriate to the area of care, you are expected to work shifts, and in order to experience and contribute to 24 hour care

provision are encouraged to attend the hand over meetings at the beginning of the shifts. This may include start times of 07:00 hours on some occasions. Some wards and units follow a 12 hour shift system and where appropriate, you should follow this pattern. Where this is difficult, an alternative time may be negotiated between student and mentor.

You are not normally expected to work no more than 75 hours per fortnight (i.e. the equivalent of 37.5 hours per week)

Please note that lunch breaks whilst on practice are not included as part of your practice hours and cannot be included as hours on your timesheets.

Weekend shifts and night duty are part of the 24 hour care provision and you are

encouraged to work these shifts. However, you should not normally work more than two weekends in any four week period during the programme. For some experiences, on call

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arrangements may be more appropriate. The aim is to provide you with a realistic experience of care, which involves more than a 9 – 5 day. As a guide approximately 14 shifts incorporating an ‘on call’ or night duty experience would be expected in a 3 year programme, and this would be recorded in the student experience record sheets which are submitted to Programme Administration.

You are responsible for notifying both your placement and the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences Programme Administration Team if you are unable to attend due to sickness.

You and your practice area will be given a list of study days where you do not have to attend placement. These days are timetabled and your practice hours are calculated accordingly.

You must not take additional study days unless they are specifically granted by the university and your placement area is informed directly, any additional days that you take as study time will be classed as absent and you will consequently be down on your required hours to register with the NMC.

If you feel that your placement allocation is a cause for concern for personal reasons, e.g. your own GP practice, you should discuss the situation with your personal tutor so that alternative arrangements can be considered.

Trust Induction

When commencing any placement it is a requirement that you complete the appropriate Trust induction within the stipulated timeframe required by that Trust. This ensures you are familiar with the policies and procedures within your Trust. Induction may take the form of an on-line package or require personal attendance. On line packages may be available through POW and, where this is the case, you are encouraged to undertake this activity at the earliest opportunity before you start your placement.

You should record completion of the appropriate induction within your Ongoing Achievement Record (OAR). If you are not able to undertake this activity within the required period you must contact your personal tutor as failure to attend or undertake on line induction in a timely manner may lead to withdrawal from practice.”

You should contact your practice area a week before you are due to commence placement to make any arrangements and meet your mentor if necessary. On starting your placement you should discuss your practice learning outcomes and assessment documents with your mentor.

If you have any concerns or issues you feel are affecting your practice experience, you should discuss them with your personal tutor as soon as possible to provide the best chance of addressing them allowing you to complete your assessments.

5.5 Employment Law

A student who is on placement may not be considered as an employee and does not have the same rights, pursuant to employment legislation as if they were to be treated as an employee. Therefore in so far as an employee might have the right to request flexible working in order to deal with post-pregnancy issues, that right does not apply to persons who are on placement.

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The Nursing and Midwifery Council advise that flexibility can only be achieved if it is available at a local level. We will, as a Faculty, always do our best to be flexible and accommodate students’ requests, however due to the limits placed on us by the placement process; it may not always be possible to do so.

The Faculty abides by Section 22 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 recognising that is unlawful for the “responsible body” of an educational establishment to discriminate on grounds of sex. Furthermore we cannot, and indeed do not, discriminate in the terms on which it offers to admit a student, or by refusing or deliberately omitting to accept an application, or the terms upon which a student, once admitted, is given access to facilities.

5.6 Risk of bias in practice

1. You must not have a mentor/practice assessor to whom you are related or are close friends or well-known to you or your family. If this occurs you must inform the practice area and your Personal Tutor

2. If you are placed in a GP, community practice or an acute care area, where you or your family is being treated you should make this known to the University's practice

placement team and the unit's staff 5.7 Paid Employment

Should you take up paid employment outside your programme you must be aware of the following issues

5.7.1 Area of Employment

You must not work as an HCA / phlebotomist etc. in any area where you are currently also being placed as a student. If your paid work is within the same trust you must be in different departments and 'geographically' separate. This is

because there may be a perceived blurring of the role being undertaken by a student

5.7.2 Students Undertaking Paid Employment in Addition to Programme Hours The University is aware some students may undertake paid part time employment outside the programme to finance their studies. If this applies to you it requires careful consideration on your part as it may have implications for your professional programme.

5.7.3 Professional Responsibilities

The Pre-Registration nursing framework and midwifery curriculum is made up of practice hours and theory hours (classroom and directed study hours). These hours are essential to meet the learning outcomes of the programme; therefore paid employment that impinges upon this is likely to affect your learning and professional development.

Paid employment can take many forms but students who do work in the role of care assistance must recognise that this role is inherently different to that of a student nurse/midwife. As this is a professional course, working in the capacity of anything

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other than a supervised student nurse/midwife may compromise your ability to appreciate the professional boundaries and integrity of the role.

If you do choose to undertake paid employment, it is advisable that you do not undertake more than 15 paid hour’s employment per week whilst undertaking theory and that any additional employment does not conflict with your programme. Because of the professional implications and long working hours we recommend

that students do not undertake additional part-time employment whilst in practice.

You should also be aware of European Directives regarding working hours. 5.7.4 Specific Areas of Concern

In any form of paid employment the following activities will be considered serious and may require disciplinary action, which may result in discontinuation from the programme.

 Students who have not attended programmed sessions within the University

because they have or are undertaking paid employment.

 Students who work consecutive shifts (within the same 24 hour period) as this

may lead to excessive tiredness, which may endanger patients and the students themselves. This includes working before or after a study day at the University.

 Students who alter their practice shifts to undertake paid work elsewhere.

 Students who are identified on the duty roster in their practice placement and

who take sick leave or absence in order to work as agency or bank staff in any healthcare environment or in other employment.

5.7.5 Further Information

If you require further advice or guidance on any of the above please contact your Personal Tutor. Students who do not receive a bursary may face specific

challenges and should discuss these in advance with the Stage Lead/Field Lead. 5.8 Escalating Concerns in Practice

The best way of overcoming challenges within the National Health Service resulting good outcomes for the public and those who care for them is good communication, honesty and transparent through partnership working.

If you feel you have seen excellent practice and your colleagues need applauding

then please tell them. This makes a different to those working hard under

pressure.

Should you have an uncertainty or be unhappy about any person’s actions you are encouraged discuss this with your mentor and your personal tutor. This needs to

be done immediately so your uncertainties or identification of poor practice can be

addressed without delay. If required your concerns will then be escalated to the appropriate personnel. If your mentor or personal tutor is not available you should

contact either the Placement Team or the Head of School’s office. Please do not

PROGRAMME HANDBOOK 2014/2015

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

School of Nursing and Midwifery

BSc (Hons) Nursing

(Adult, Child Health, Mental Health)

Leading to eligibility to apply for Registration with the

Nursing and Midwifery Council

PROGRAMME HANDBOOK

2014/2015

If you require any part of this publication in larger print, or an

alternative format, please contact Professional Services at:-

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

Plymouth University

Floor 4, Rolle Building

Drake Circus

Plymouth

PL4 8AA

Faculty Student Reception telephone numbers:

01752 586999, 585332, 585335

e-mail

[email protected]

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

Plymouth University

Knowledge Spa

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Treliske

Truro

TR1 3HD

Student reception telephone number: 01872 256450

e-mail

[email protected]

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

School of Health Professions

Plymouth University

Peninsula Allied Health Centre

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 6BH

Student reception telephone: 01752 588800

DISABILITY INFORMATION - Important: please note

DISCLAIMER

SELF - DECLARATION

Contents

USEFUL INFORMATION

1.

INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR PROGRAMME

2.

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

3.

TEACHING AND LEARNING ON THE BSC NURSING PROGRAMME

4.

THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

5.

ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE