Who are academic assessors and how are they prepared?

Academic assessors are registered nurses, midwives, and nursing associates, or in the case of prescribing programmes any qualified prescriber. Academic assessors collate and confirm student achievement in the academic environment for each part of the programme. They work with a nominated practice assessor to make recommendations for progression for the student they are assigned to.

They have been prepared and supported to take up their role and have current knowledge and expertise relevant for the proficiencies and programme outcomes they are collating and confirming.

The academic assessor is similar to the practice assessor role in many ways; but given that learning and assessment is structured differently in the academic environment, the academic assessor role is expressed to reflect this difference. Students may have on-going course work and assessments that are conducted by those delivering the academic learning, such as lecturers. The academic assessor is expected to ‘collate’ and ‘confirm’ the student’s academic outcomes for the part of the programme they are assigned to the student, before recommending them for progression on to the next part of the programme.