Nursing & Midwifery Council: Help us review nursing and midwifery practice learning

Summary

The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) is commissioning independent research into nursing and midwifery students’ practice learning to ensure members of the public can shape this work from the start and throughout. One way people can get involved is by being part of a new Public Advisory Group on practice learning.

Content

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the regulator for nurses and midwives in the UK, and nursing associates in England. We make sure nurses, midwives and nursing associates work in ways that are safe and kind and have the knowledge and skills they need to provide good care.

Demand for health and care is rising, with advances in technology and treatment options growing. Peoples’ individual needs and the support professionals provide for families can be complex. That’s why the NMC has a responsibility to make sure professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Practice learning is a key part of this.

What is practice learning?

Nursing and midwifery education and training takes place at NMC approved educational institutions. Half of the programme consists of academic learning. The other half is practice learning, where academic learning is applied to their developing practice, through supportive, supervised practice with direct contact with people receiving care and their families. This can take place in the community or in hospitals, or care homes for example.

The review

We want to review practice learning for both nursing and midwifery. We want to identify good practice, innovation and collaboration in the UK and internationally. And we want to hear what you think about nursing and midwifery student learning. What support do you think students should receive when they are caring for people or observing the way people are cared for? What is most important to you when thinking about receiving care?

We want to hear from you on these and other questions. So, if you’d like to have a say and help shape the review, please get in touch by Wednesday 15 May 2024.

We’re setting up a public advisory group. It will be made up of people with lived experience of nursing and/or midwifery care, and colleagues from charities, advocacy and patient groups.

Everyone’s voice matters. We’re keen to hear from a range of people from different backgrounds and with diverse health and social care experiences, including people from black and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people and people living with long-term conditions.

Please note that places on the advisory group are limited so please get in touch as soon as you can.

Meetings will take place online every six to eight weeks between June and November 2024 during the initial phase of the work. We have an involvement payment policy in place to support your participation.

To find out more, please reply to PracticeLearningReview@nmc-uk.org.