Critically analyse and discuss the role of the coach in owning a student who is not obtaining competence in some of these practice outcomes which is not demonstrating an appropriate knowledge basic.
Within this assignment I will endeavour to clarify the role of the mentor and student high light the various barriers to learning, critically analyse different theoretical practices to allow learning and be able to theoretically underpin the strategies that I am hoping to place into practice as a mentor should I face issues with students being unable to underpin their knowledge with repetition, Duffy and Hardicre (2007), suggests that mentors find that one of the very most challenging aspects of the mentoring role, is when students aren't achieving the expected degree of performance. This article is not focusing of how to fail students from the medical course, but to go over why a student may be having difficulty in demonstrating the mentor that they are competent with a few of their practice effects and the university student being unable to show the mentor that they can connect their theoretical knowledge to the practice. The coach is pivotal in being one of the first to usually recognise battling students, and need to assess, plan, and evaluate how these obstacles can be removed, defeat, compensated for, or supervised. This should be, documented, the form of your action plan devised by the learner and the coach perhaps with advice from sign-off mentors on the ward, or if required outside the house sources including the disability adviser, or the educational website link lecturer for the position. Arguably the three main areas that can impede students capacity to learn will be the mentor, the university student and the position environment.
The placement itself has may have some preset constraints in conditions of environment, room size, as well as some strong concerns such as learning opportunities, work insert, time restraints, sound, temperature.
The term coach comes from a character in an ancient Greek play, The Odyssey. Back in 1978 Levinson et al defined the core the different parts of the coach not only as an exemplar and counsellor but also as a teacher, sponsor, designer of skills, creator of intellect and host, (cited in Oliver and Endersby 1999). The NMC (2006) referred to a coach as an individual who has achieved the data, skills and competence necessary to meet the defined outcome in stage 2 of the developmental construction to support learning and diagnosis used, cited RCN toolkit (2007), which means mentor has the shared improved knowledge foundation and key skills which is pivotal in encouraging the college student in attaining competence in the required skills of an medical, this is shown in the amount of school room theory, and ward based mostly learning being truly a 50% split, of the students time for the 3 years pre-registration. Insurance policy documents such as Criteria to aid Learning and Assessment in Practice (NMC, 2008a) show the capabilities that a professional needs to display and the standards a professional should work to achieve the status of coach. Lloyd Jones et al (2001) have recommended three core reasons for providing ward centered learning for scholar nurses are:
- The acquisition of skills and knowledge
- Application of theory to practice
- Professional identify formulation and 'enculturisation'
Mentorship therefore has emerged to signify, Haggard et al, cited Nick et al (2012), a someone to one reciprocal romantic relationship between more experienced and experienced faculty member and a less experienced one. Regarding to Cahill (1996), cited in Morton-cooper and Palmer (2000), the college student mentor relationship steps through three different stages during the length of time of a placement these are:
- Initiation phase
- Working phase
- Termination phase
One of many facts to consider during this essay would be the assessment process and how this needs to be good and steady for the university student and allow them to build up individually to accomplish a level of competence in the abilities required to become a professional nurse.
Before students even starts on the ward the coach should prepare for the students introduction researching the wards pleasant pack, ensuring that it is current and that the info held within it is still valid and relevant. The welcome pack will include the positioning ethos, seeks, learning benefits content, and exactly how they are to be assessed. In addition the welcome pack recognizes all the functions that take place whilst the student is starting the location and support mechanisms open to the student. This will allow the pupil to undertake any pre placement reading, and displays to all students that the location calls for educating students really from the beginning. The mentor also needs to prepare their transfer pattern to support the pupil. Mayall et al (2008) undertook a report exploring the experiences of student nurses and practice mentors and found out that 10% of scholar nurses experienced that during some of their placements they had 'never' been allocated a mentor, and of those who was simply allocated a known as mentor, 24% experienced that they might have liked to spend more time with them. Therefore making certain the preparation work for the placement is in place, assists the student to form a good opinion for the training environment, and romantic relationship with the mentor, from the beginning improving the probabilities for lack of competency to be attended to early.
During the first interview that the mentor has with the college student, in the first week of positioning, the mentor should review the improvement of the scholar from any past placements and experience they have gained. The coach also offers an opportunity to review the responses given to the college student from the previous mentor. The mentor can review the abilities book to find competencies not achieved in earlier placements, and highlight learning opportunities within the position that the learner may be missing at this stage of their research that the student can gain during the placement. This may simply be due to the previous location not being able to give a learning opportunity credited to case insert, time, and type of placement, or this could have been as a result of previous mentor's attitude. Darling (1986), cited in Walsh (2010), described four types of dangerous mentors that can adversely affect a student's ability to achieve competence these are
- Avoiders
- Blockers
- Destroyers
- Dumpers
The pupil has a responsibility lay out by the guidance on professional do for nursing and midwifery students to have responsibility because of their own learning, working safely for individuals they look after, under the supervision and support of a qualified nurse NMC (2010). This responsibility should allow the scholar to openly talk to the mentor highlighting any deficit in their practice or their under pinning theory which needs to be focused on in order to become experienced, these learning needs could be communication issues and educational requirements such as should a student has English as a second terminology, dyslexia, dyscalculia or hearing issues can be considered a huge barrier as it can lead to misinterpretation of main theories, or reviews from the mentor. This essentially should be reviewed at the initial interview; nevertheless the student may well not feel confident within the partnership to reveal slight issues at this time but the coach may offer an instinctive sense from the evidence provided by the learner from their prior placement which could restrict the student's capabilities for achieving competency in their theory or practice.
The mentor must have prepared for the original interview and take control of the continuous examination of the student's sensible learning and also link this to underpinning theory, by building a placement plan for the student to examine. The learner and the coach should both contribute to a learning deal to that they both sign up to what the college student and the mentor expect to realistically achieve by the finish of the positioning. Indicating how this is to occur and any learning needs of the learner, so when the practical and theoretical proof should be formatively reviewed and assessed. After the foundations of the position prospects have been decided then the formative part of the student's placement where the coach should be formulating an view of the student's competency practically and theoretically, based mostly upon data either observed learning, conversations, spoke feedback forms etc.
During the 'original period' of the location the mentor has a duty to foster a professional romantic relationship with the scholar. It's important that whenever the scholar is in the ward with their mentor that they feel a feeling of belongingness as accepted by Levett-Jones & Lathlean (2007) as this can 'improve a students' potential for learning and inspired their future career decisions. ' The partnership can there for move from the 'initiation phase' to the 'working stage', Cahill, (1996).
During the 'working stage' feedback is an essential aspect for both college student and the coach. The mentor gets feedback from colleagues, spoke placements, previous placements or the college student which will assist them in forming an view of the student's competency to the required level of analysis. The university student, themselves, must receive consistent, clear constructive opinions, on their progress, from their coach. It is one of the NMC requirements that the coach provides feedback to a student normally as it is required to guide performance (NMC 2008). Accurate opinions will encourage students to think about their learning and provides an chance to identify how they can improve their performance (Elcock and Sharples 2011). This should take place from patients or other co-workers', and ideally this should be provided with as soon following a positive or a negative incident. The reviews should be non judgemental and form the basis of a conversation. This should get when both scholar and the coach is calm and should be specific on the talents and weaknesses. Duffy (2013) provides five key points for providing constructive feedback
- Set realistic goals
- Gage student targets of feedback
- Gather information on student practice
- Act immediately
- Be specific
The reviews sandwich where in fact the mentor gives compliment, criticism followed by compliment, that the learner has brought for an incident is an effective reviews theory which can help with presenting criticism of an student's failings, while still motivating them, however this must be achieved effectively. Belludi (2008) illustrates what sort of mentor can use this technique improperly,
- giving too much weight to the praise compared to the criticism
- by the reward being trivial and having no function
- By overusing the sandwich reviews style to a point where the pupil recognises that the mentor uses this at all times and waits for the criticism whenever the coach gives praise.
The feedback sessions should permit the student to reflect on the incident and invite the university student to ask questions. The responses should highlight any more learning required and solutions to addresses these shortfalls in knowledge. This may be backed up on paper up of the responses as a discourse or planned following leaning requirements to build up themselves, this written feedback will provide facts for the student's competence and development through the placements assessment.
The mid-point interview is the formative interview. Up to this point the student's romance with the coach has ideally developed, so long as the mentor has not been a toxic mentor, Darling (1986), to the main point where, previously, undeclared learning needs of the college student may be exposed. The formative interview allows the learner and the mentor to determine the progress up to now and formatively assess the student's competency and attitude. This is actually the point of which deficits in learning should be formatively dealt with. Duffy (2003) recognised that "Failing woefully to tell students that they have not reached the mandatory standards will not protect the interests of the public or occupations and sets the patients who will be under their attention vulnerable". The mentor may have concerns regarding the students practice or theory shown but is uncertain how to approach this, the mentor may need to liaise with another mentor, or a sign-off coach for their view as they could have significantly more, or different experience in mentoring and also recommend the student's mentor as to a strategy to present to encourage competency. The university student should bring with them the evidence of these competence collected throughout the location. The mentor must highlight to the university student where they are lacking competence and an action plan should be written up talking about how the issues should be addressed. If the mentor has not already highlighted concerns they have with the student's competency with the academic establishment then there could be an chance to invite them to attend this getting together with. The student's academic advisor, or the link lecturer, may assist in the formulation of the action plan and be supportive of both the college student and the mentor. This insight by the educational establishment is essential at an early stage if the student continue to not illustrate competency either basically or theoretically and go on to are unsuccessful the summative area of the positioning. The action plan, however, should identify plainly learning outcomes describing how these can be achieved during the location, list the evidence required for success and indicate by when the data must be provided. This needs to be decided by both coach and the pupil.
The final area of the position, the termination stage, concludes with the final interview this is summatively evaluated and if students has not been showing competency recently can also be attended by the link lecturer or another educational member, and should review the complete development of the learner during the location. Evaluating the data that the learner has provided and all being well the student, with the coach, must have responded positively to the feedback provided through the position and address any the action plan put in place at the mid-interview. Meaning that by this aspect the student should be able to show competency both practically and theoretically having data to underpin this.
The attitude of the pupil, during the time of the positioning, to absorbing knowledge is affected by many factors. The backdrop experience that the college student has experienced such as, previous work experience or learning experience from a mentor, be that positive or negative. Personal life issues i. e. house moving, child care and attention. Financial stress can impact the student's receptiveness to learning. Academic pressures based on the pupil can distract the college student from increasing an result in the ward based positioning. As eluded to earlier a student also needs to feel a feeling of owed within the placement team, when students are secure in the data that the medical personnel are supportive of their learning needs and focused on their professional development they can concentrate on learning somewhat than being preoccupied with interpersonal associations, (Levett-Jones and Lathlean 2007).
Student nurses have had their learning styles categorised into different kinds by various authors, a widely used classification of learning styles is Flemming's VAK model which he later broadened to VARK. These acronyms stand for
Visual -students give better results in pictures, graphs, diagrams
Auditory- students learn better with listening to lectures, or speaking about learning opportunities
Reading and writing-learn better with word learning i. e. Reading publications, reports
Kinesthetic/tactile learners learn best through demonstrations, practice experience.
This highlights the necessity for being in a position to adapt the coaching style of the mentor compared to that of the college student, and should be taken into account during the location when learning, engaging or researching learning opportunities, or by the mentor while creating a lessons plan. Honey and Munford 1986 cited in Dark brown and Plant 2013 suggested a scholar can be labeled into several of the next four styles
Activists -these students need to see situations and may become disheartened as long as they not be allowed the possibility to undertake skills
Pragmatists-these students prefer to 'have a go' but need to observe how the training opportunity fits into the final result.
Reflectors-these students will welcome the chance to observe and reflect on confirmed learning result prior to starting it but may require encouragement to almost commencing a learning opportunity.
Theorists-these students want to explore and understand learning opportunities probing questions to discover reasons and concepts and do very well with set ups pathways and systematic approach to nursing but can find it difficult to transcend that knowledge in light of swift changing learning opportunities
Getting the mentoring style incorrect when instructing the student, will have a negative effect on the student's ability to accomplish competence in a learning opportunity. In case a visible pragmatists learner is given a verbal lecture in regards to a learning objective and not shown how the opportunity fits into the wider care and attention of the patient care, then the learner may have less understanding of the training opportunities, and targets asked of these at that time and would need longer time and additional investment by the mentor with some other approach being used to become capable.
The role of an mentor is diverse, in their responsibilities, and requires the professional to be self alert to all the factors that can impede the student manage their objectives, and gain competence in confirmed area. The mentor needs to follow the analysis process to provide regular assessments that will indicate regions of learning and allow the student to activate. Aswell as widening a romantic relationship with students, the mentor needs to be able to consider many factors that inhibit learning, recognising that each student, is an individual with the own learning styles and needs. The coach must feedback to the student regularly, motivating them to boost after their current achievements. It should not be overlooked by the coach that there are many resources available, with increasing competency used and/or theory, to support both the mentor and the student through what could be a stressful experience in the form of literature, e-learning, other mentors or hyperlink lecturers. All the written documents, skills reserve, learning contract, student handbook, location plan, feedback varieties, discussion sheets, lesson plans should provide an appropriate record of the student's development and enhancement as a student, throughout the positioning. Not addressing a short show up in a students learning, early could make it difficult to evaluate the useful or theological practice of student's summatively and not carrying out a clear examination process means that the student could appeal any decisions made at the final reaching. Students often go placements despite there being serious concerns from mentors. Gainsbury (2010).
