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In 2024 we commissioned independent research from the Nuffield Trust, in partnership with the Florence Nightingale Foundation, to better understand what contributes to effective practice learning across the UK and in other countries.
The report examined the evidence relating to regulations and standards around students’ practice learning. It investigated how our requirements are being implemented, and the opportunities and challenges in providing optimal practice learning placements for the next generation of nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
The findings reflect positive learning experiences, but also highlight how nursing and midwifery students across the four nations experience varied practice learning and supervision. This includes a need for clarity around practice learning requirements and a consensus that quality should outweigh the quantity of learning (however there is limited evidence about the appropriate number of assessments, practice hours, or births for midwifery, that students should undertake during their education).
The report further identifies areas where the NMC, its approved education institutions and practice learning partners can strengthen learning experiences for students across a range of practice settings. This includes greater communication around practice learning requirements, further research about the impact of simulated practice learning on student learning, greater support for educators, and an expansion of community-based placements.
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