NMC publishes evaluation of simulated practice learning

Within pre-registration nursing programmes, SPL allows approved education institutions (AEIs) and their practice learning partners (PLPs) to deliver a proportion of practice learning through simulation.

As part of our regulatory role to promote high standards of education, we wanted to understand more about the development, implementation and evaluation of SPL, and its impact on student nurses’ education.

The findings in this report are based on the experiences of 19 AEIs that are approved to deliver up to 600 hours of SPL (within the 2,300 practice learning hours nursing students must complete). It includes feedback from students, people who use services and their carers, practice supervisors and assessors, PLPs and academic staff.

The report shows that SPL:

• offers authentic practice learning experiences where students can demonstrate their skills within a variety of contextualised scenarios
• allows students to practise and reflect on their learning within a safe and supportive environment, developing their competence and confidence as future professionals
• has become a valued part of the practice learning experience for many future nurses.

The report also highlights some challenges involved in delivering SPL, including pressure on AEIs’ resources.

How we will use these findings

These insights will support our regulatory work in education. For example, the findings will inform our ongoing support for the implementation of education standards, ensuring that students have the right knowledge and skills to deliver high quality care for people when they graduate.

We’ll also consider this evaluation alongside the independent research being carried out by The Nuffield Trust as part of our practice learning review. This will help us to recognise and acknowledge innovation, and ensure that our practice learning requirements support and equip students to deliver the best possible person-centred care for people across a diverse range of practice learning environments.

We also hope that by sharing this evaluation, other AEIs can consider and reflect on their experiences or future plans to introduce SPL into pre-registration nursing programmes.

Professor Paula Jane Holt MBE DL, NMC Senior Nursing Adviser, said:

“As health and care continues to evolve, so too does nursing education. Simulated practice learning allows students to practise, repeat and reflect on their skills, preparing them to join our register and deliver the high standards of care everyone has the right to receive.

“We’re grateful to all 19 approved education institutions (AEIs) involved in this evaluation for their rich insight, including the valuable feedback from students, educators, practice learning partners and people who use services and their carers.

“This has helped us to develop a clear, holistic understanding of simulated practice learning within nursing programmes at these AEIs which we will now use to inform the implementation of our education standards, and our ongoing practice learning review.”

Further information:

• More information about simulated practice learning
• More information about our practice learning review

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