Mentor Workshop:

1. Mentor Workshop: The Learning Environment Facilitated by the Practice Education Facilitators

2. Workshop Aim: To engage in a discussion of what constitutes an effective learning environment, whilst recognising the challenges and factors that influence and support learning in the clinical area.

3. Workshop Outcomes: The participants will be able to: • Identify the student development we are trying to achieve as mentors and recognise the factors that influence student learning in the clinical area. • Discuss the components of the learning environment, identifying the challenges and opportunities within clinical learning.

4. What do we want the students to develop when they are with us? • Interpersonal skills • Clinical skills • Theory and practice integration • Problem solving / decision making skills • Critical thinking • Professional socialisation • Confidence • Adaptability in a constantly changing and complex organization • Professional responsibility • Professional accountability

5. Student anxiety / vulnerability Changing role Student preparation, attitude and motivation Mentor attitude/skills Mentor anxiety Team leadership Ward atmosphere Previous experience Self Directed Learning Unclear expectations of: themselves the mentor the learning outcomes Unfamiliar environment What affects Student Learning?

6. The learning Environment “A SETTING WHERE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE PROVIDED AND MAXAMISED” (Lickman 1993)

7. What makes up the learning environment?

8. What makes a good learning environment? • Learners are welcomes into the team by genuinely interested staff • Quality mentoring by excellent role models who are experts in their field • Learning is through direct experience in the clinical context • Learning is valued within a positive ward atmosphere • Learning is negotiated and challenging • The potential of planned and unplannedopportunities are seized

9. Environment Continued: • 2 way process of learning • Open communication of questioning, challenging, respect and feedback • Utilisation of the entire care team • Support and promotion of self confidence • Resources • A safe environment • Recognition that the entire team has a contribution to make and that everyone within it is constantly learning

10. Recognising the Challenges we face • Lack of reward/recognition • Unprepared mentors – lack of mentors • Competing demands / rapid change • Time constraints / workload • Staffing levels – staff moral • Student attitude – the passive observer ! • Poor awareness of curriculum and cap book • Little time for reflection • Staff attitudes - opting out • Colleagues follow routine and ritual practices • Poor awareness of the importance of the mentor role

11. Recognising Our Influence “ No other teacher in nurse education has the power to shape student practice, knowledge and thinking as mentors do “ (Price 2004)

12. Quality Mentoring requires: • Excellent role models • Enthusiasm to promote the profession, individual expertise and clinical learning • An interest in nurturing our future colleagues • An appreciation of the learners needs and anxieties

13. Quality Mentoring continued: • Adaptable, responsive, flexible and innovative ways in realising learning opportunities • Providing continuous assessment and documented feedback • Lifelong learning

14. What can we offer the learner? • Active participation • The opportunity to achieve clinical competencies • Explanations of our rational and practice • Learning through questioning, challenging beliefs and values, learning resources • Reflective time

15. What’s on offer continued: • Familiarisation of equipment (pumps, monitors – following the manufacturers handbook) • Time to familiarise themselves with the apparatus (checking the arrest trolley, suction checks) • Documentation past and present – the patients journey • Development of a revision resource by the student • Observation of experts at work- clinical skills, team working, communication, quality care provision, other health care professionals

16. Ultimately the clinical learning environment allows us to: Enable the student to develop clinical skills, integrate theory and practice, applying problem solving skills, develop interpersonal skills and become socialised into the formal and informal norms, protocols and expectations of the profession. (Jackson & Mannix 2001)

17. THANK YOU ANY QUESTIONS ?