Practice Educator (Nursing Apprenticeships)

Scope & Authority

Communications and Relationship skills

• Provide effective written and verbal feedback on performance using tact and diplomacy, handling sensitive and confidential information as per Data Protection and Trust guidelines.
• To appropriately challenge poor practice sensitively, escalating and documenting as required.
• Working with administrative staff in NRED to support the needs of apprentices.
• To re-assess previously identified areas of poor practice and feedback on changes in performance.
• To competently demonstrate effective communication skills with underpinning knowledge whilst establishing rapport with apprentices and their managers.
• To create a positive learning environment wherever teaching occurs and promote a culture of reflective practice to underpin learning for support workers.
• Provide written and verbal reports to the Director of NRED, Practice Education Facilitators and Lead Nurse for Education and Training on work in progress or as requested.
• Assist in facilitation of Practice Assessor and Supervisor training/updates as requested.
• Contribute to the delivery of student induction days and workshops as preparation for practice, and employment.
• Contribute and support relevant conferences and NRED events.
• Work closely with the Workforce recruitment department to ensure clear connections with education providers to support recruitment of apprentices.
• Engage with apprentices to guide and enhance their interviewing skills and curriculum vitae writing skills. 
• Promote and contribute to the Preceptorship Programme in the trust.

Analytical and Judgemental skills

• Contribute to a positive culture, demonstrating effective professional attitudes and behaviours internally and external to the Trust, to enable continuous quality and service improvement, and maintain good working relationships.
• To use judgement skills to analyse complex situations and formulate solutions from several options to provide advice and guidance for support workers, nursing apprentices, practice assessors and supervisors and other colleagues.
• To support the multidisciplinary team in the development of clinical areas for nursing apprentices and act as a clinical and educational resource to all members of the multidisciplinary team.
• To positively promote the use of clinical supervision and reflective practice amongst the teams.
• To develop facilitation skills for the post holder to be able to facilitate action learning sets.

Planning and Organisational skills

• Support the planning of Trust focused apprenticeship events, including programme completion.

• Advise and support apprentices who are failing.  Escalating serious concerns to the Practice Education Facilitator, adhering to NRED processes.
• Actively monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the clinical area as a learning environment for the apprentice engaged in education and training.
• Deputise for the Practice Education Facilitator at Trust and Higher Education Institution (HEI) meetings as a department representative by developing and maintaining strong communication links to enhance partnership working.
• To contribute with other members of NRED, participating in university teaching.
• Support the planning and organising of practice placements and spoke opportunities ensuring that their educational outcomes are met whilst ensuring equity of capacity across the Trust.
• To monitor educational audits and ensure appropriate action plans are agreed to address identified issues, supporting the placement learning environment for apprentices.
• Contribute to projects and project teams that relate to the practice educator role and responsibilities.

 Patient/ Client Care

• Ensure that all planning and delivery of care reflects best evidence-based practice.
• Ensure that best practice in care is delivered.
• To work alongside clinical teams ensuring effective communication with apprentices and professionals within the clinical teams and across all disciplines.
• Recognise and act on situations that may be detrimental to the health and well-being of an individual.
• Recognise own limitations and only work within own scope of professional practice and competence

Policy and Service Development Implementation

• To read and comment on proposed policies under review.

• Understand local audit processes and take opportunities to initiate audits and participate in NRED audits.
• To support the implementation of any changes because of Regulatory Body recommendations. For example, Ofsted or the NMC.

• Assist Practice Education Facilitators in maintaining and expanding the quantity, quality and diversity of learning opportunities.
• Contribute to university practice learning meetings as required.
• Ensure all the regulatory requirements for apprenticeships are met for the trust.

Financial and Physical Development

• Have an awareness of cost implications and assist in the management of resources e.g. equipment and supplies.
• Have the knowledge, understanding and competence when using equipment. Ensures its safe use and maintains clinical equipment.

Human Resources

• Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with line manager as part of the personal development planning process.
• To achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff as required.
• To promote the principles of Improving Working Lives amongst learners ensuring fairness and equality.

Information Resources

• Manage and keep up to date own electronic calendar and book meetings as required.
• General duties required to facilitate courses such as register preparation and photocopying.
• Maintain electronic course/education records in line with Trust requirements.
• Keep contemporary and accurate records of clinical and non-clinical meetings, action plans, evaluations and outcomes.
• Create reports on clinical learning environments & student and mentor experiences as required
• Accurate and timely data input and validation of the designated databases.

Research and Development

• Assist in promotion of a culture of research mindedness and assist in ensuring that links between research recommendations are established by changes in education and training practice.
• Support the Director of Nursing Research, Education and Development to promote the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Research Strategy Plan.
• Contribute to the overall development of apprentice placement experiences through involvement in education and training to ensure quality improvements focus on the fundamentals of care.
• Participate in research studies when opportunities arise to support the development of own practice and that of others.
• Attend any HEI or Integrated Care Board education /learning research and development events and feed back to team

 Please see attached job description and person specification for full details.