BSc (HONS) PARAMEDICPRACTICE
MENTOR HANDBOOK
SEPTEMBER 2015
CONTENTS
WELCOME AND OVERVIEW Page
1STAFF CONTACT DETAILS/ZONE TUTORS4
2PLACEMENT AREAS &PREPARATION5 2.1 Student Preparation for Practice Placements 5 2.2 Home Stations 5 2.3 Working Hours 6 2.4 Non-Paramedic Placements 6
2.5Supernumerary Status7
2.6Placement Overview7
2.7Elective Placements8
2.8Student Identification/Patient Safety8
3PLACEMENT MANAGEMENTCO-ORDINATION9
3.1Reporting Sickness10
3.2Student Accidents/Reportable Incidents/Support10
4PRACTICE PLACEMENT ASSESSMENT10 4.1 Practice Competency Initial & Midpoint Assessment 10
4.2Practice Competency: Summative Assessment11 4.3 Practice Objectives: Non-Paramedic Placements 11 4.4 How areStudents Assessed on a Non-ParamedicPlacement? 12
4.5Practice Skills: Demonstrating Competence12
4.6Drug Administration 12
4.7Student Expectations/Workload13
4.8Skills Updates/Changes14
5YOUR ROLE WITHIN THE PROGRAMME: 15 5.1 Paramedic Mentor 15
5.2What Should I do if a Student is not Performing?15
5.3How will I be supported? 16
5.4Fitness to Practice16
6TYPICAL STUDENT JOURNEY17
APPENDICIES
Examples of Documentation within the Programme:
Appendix 1Initial Meeting
Appendix 2Mid-Point Formative Assessment
Appendix 3Paramedic Practice Placement Assessment
Appendix 4Non-Paramedic Placement: Caring
Appendix 5Placement Hours Record
Appendix 6Simulated Competence
Appendix 7Skills Summary Record
Appendix 8HCPC Standards of Proficiency for Paramedics
USEFUL WEBSITES
WELCOME AND OVERVIEW
Bsc (Hons) Paramedic Practice Programme & Mentorship
Welcome and thank you for being a Practice Mentor. Being a Practice Mentor is a challenging and rewarding role. Effective Mentoring gives the student the opportunity to share your experiences and knowledge to facilitate their learning and professional development. Mentorship will hopefully increase your job satisfaction, encourage critical reflection for both you and your student and lead to an enhanced service user experience and continuous improvement in clinical outcomes.
The importance of the Practice Mentor’s role cannot be underestimated. The public have a right to expect that those who are responsible for their care are safe and competent. As an assessor it is your role to ensure that protection of the public and service user safety is your primary concern and that each student meets the criteria set out in the ‘Practice Assessment Document’. You are asked to use your professional judgement to ensure thatstudents entering the profession are suitable to do so. Students will draw on your considerable experience in the clinical care environment to enhance their learning and you will be able to give feedback to students on their performance to identify areas of strength and areas for development.
The book is divided into a number of sections for ease of use and access of information. You will find an index of topics at the front of this handbook. If you have any queries or questions about the content of this booklet, or you would like to discuss your Mentorship role in more detail, please contact your Academic Zone Tutor contact details can be found under the ‘Programme Team’ section in the booklet.
To support you in your role Teesside University has provided an excellent support site dedicated to Mentors which you can access from any computer:
Support is also available from your Practice Placement Facilitator within your organisation and the Zone Tutor for your area.
I hope that you will find your role challenging and rewarding and look forward to working in partnership with you.
Marion Richardson
Marion Richardson
Programme Leader – BSc (Hons) Paramedic Practice
School of Health & Social Care
Centuria Building - H2.31
01642 738507
1STAFF CONTACT DETAILS AND ZONE TUTORS
University Address
School of Health & Social Care
Teesside University
Centuria Building
Middlesbrough
TS1 3BA
Staff Contact Details
Member of Staff
/ Role / Tel Number / Email AddressMarion Richardson / Programme Leader
Senior Lecturer / 01642 738507 /
Mark Nevins / Senior Lecturer / 01642 738242 /
Gary Vale / Senior Lecturer / 01642 384077 /
Chris Jones / Senior Lecturer / 01642 342539 /
Matt Capsey / Senior Lecturer / 01642 384154 /
Chris Jones / Senior Lecturer / 01642 384 100 /
Academic Zone Tutors
Paramedic Zones / TutorsNorth East Paramedic / Chris Moat
Yorkshire Paramedic / Matt Capsey
Non-Paramedic Zones / Tutors
Great North Air Paramedic / Mark Nevins
County Durham & Darlington / Mark Nevins
North Tees / Chris Jones
South Tees / Gary Vale
Tees Esk & Wear Valley / Marion Richardson
Twitter?
University Programmes: Follow @teesparamedic
Student Society: Follow @teesparasociety
Facebook?
University Programmes:
Student Society:
** The Student Society on Twitter/Facebook are managed entirely by our students **
2PLACEMENTAREAS & PREPARATION
Students are expected to attend all allocated placements and should be prepared to travel, sometimes at a distance, to placement areas and be prepared to work days, nights, weekends and bank holidays as necessary.
2.1Student Preparation for Practice Placements
Prior to each placement students will attend a preparatory workshop during which information will be providedabout the placement area and the learning objectives/outcomes to be achieved.
Students should make contact with you prior to starting their placement.
During each year of practice students must demonstrate competence in specific competencies and skills in order to progress to the following year. The competencies and skills are contained within their practice assessment document. There is a specific set of skills that they must demonstrate each year and those are listed in the Skills Log. They are cumulative and they are expected to demonstrate competence throughout the programme.
The whole ethos of the programme is based on competence, compassion, caring, courage, communication and commitment for service user care and as such these areas form key themes throughout the programme. Students should be exposed to and facilitated to demonstrate these skills in your practice area.
Please complete the induction that is set out in the practice assessment document on the first day that you work with your student.
2.2Home Stations
What’s a ‘home’ station?
The student will be allocated to you and follow your shift pattern for the whole of the practice year. They are ‘based’ at your station and will follow your shift pattern but if you are on holiday and/or sick they will remain in their ‘home’ station and follow another Paramedic until you return. This allows for continuity and provides a stable environment for the student to learn.
Why do they change stations each year?
We would prefer our students to get a wide range of learning experiences – rural v urban and RRV v Ambulance and in this context this is partly around giving the student the widest possible experiences. We also recognise that there is a phenomena called ‘failure to fail’ and we would prefer the students to spend a maximum of one year with a mentor (15 weeks in practice) before moving to another. This allows for a much wider and hopefully more objective assessment and experience.
2.3Working Hours
What hours should students be working?
An average of 37.5 hours per week. Nights, weekends, bank holidays and days in exactly the same way that you work.
Can students ‘go in the back’ with an ECA/Technician?
No. When the student is working with you at no time must they be supervised by any other person than you. Our students should always been under direct supervision by a Paramedic at all times.
Are the students observational?
No. They are not observational at any time during the entire programme. They must participate in all aspects of care.
What does supernumerary mean?
They are not part of or employed by the workforce. They are addition to and over above the normal workforce numbers.
Can they do extra shifts?
No. Students shifts are pre-programmed by your employer for Health & Safety reasons.
How much time should I sign them off for?
This is entirely at your discretion but we would expect them to be signed off for the normal shift duration minus any breaks.
Do they accrue time when we get a late job?
Yes. All ‘late finishes’ are counted as part of the hours.
2.4Non-Paramedic Placements
Students will attend a number of non-Paramedicplacements in each of their practice year. The numbers and duration vary from year to year but they will not exceed more than 5 weeks. You should expect your student to advise you when they have a planned non-Paramedic placement as this may fall at any time within their 20 weeks placement experience. Non-Paramedic placements are designed to give students a wider experience of working with service users, other professionals and contexts outside of the Paramedicenvironment. You can use the feedback gained during Non-Paramedicas evidence to contribute to their summative assessment of students at the end of each practice year.
learning outcomes to be achieved. There may be some unique features that you may wish the student to experience or demonstrate and any negotiated objectives in relation to this should be documented in the relevant non-Paramedic placement form.
2.5Supernumerary Status
None of the placements in any area at any time are observational
The student is expected to fully engage in all practice areas and participate in all aspects of service user care, assessment and management according to their scope and stage of learning across the whole programme.
2.6Placement Overview
In each of the THREE years they will spend 15 WEEKS with a Paramedic and 5 WEEKS in a non-Paramedic placement based on a 37.5 hour working week. This equates to 20 weeks of supernumerary practice (750 Hours) in each year totalling 2250 supernumerary hours over the three years. This is supplemented with the same amount of theoretical learning.
Year 1
Care Placement 2 Weeks75 Hrs
History Taking3 Weeks112.50 Hrs
Paramedic 15 Weeks562.50 Hrs
750 Hours
Year 2
Critical Care2 Weeks75 Hrs
Paediatric Care 1 Week37.5 Hrs
Mental Health 2 Weeks75 Hrs
Paramedic 15 Weeks562.50 Hrs
750 Hours
Year 3
Minor Injuries 5 Weeks187.50Hrs
Elective4 Weeks150 Hrs
Paramedic11 Weeks412.5 Hours
750 Hours
2.7Elective Placements
In Year 3 the student may have chosen to return to your practice area or, if available, a placement with another Paramedic service in another part of theUK or an international or individually negotiated placement (such as working in a commercial environment) subject to meeting the University’s agreed processes and approval. While on elective placement the student will be expecting to complete a learning contract with you which identifies specific learning outcomes. If your student is working with you during an elective placement this is centred on their transition to autonomous practice.
2.8Student Identification/Patient Safety
What uniform/PPE will they have?
Our students are issued with full PPE hi-viz jacket, helmet, safety boots, goggles) and have a grey uniform which is show below. They should also bring a spare set of uniform with them should they become soiled or need to change during the shift.
Why is the uniform not green?
This is for patient safety reasons. Our students should not ‘blend in’ they are not part of the workforce. They must be clearly and visibly identifiable to staff and patients as students. This is why they are in a different colour to staff and/or internal students who are employed by some organisations.
Confidentiality and Informed Consent for Students on Placement
Students must gain informed consent before engaging in any service user care episode including assessment, treatment and management. Students must also gain specific consent if they wish to use any information relating to a service user in their academic work, this should be recorded using the appropriate documentation and witnessed by you. .
Students must inform service users that they are a student and give service users the opportunity to decline care by them. This is their fundamental right as a service user.
3PLACEMENT MANAGEMENT & CO-ORDINATION
3.1Reporting Sickness & Absence
What happens if my student is off sick?
You should let your Divisional Facilitator/PPF/Placements Office know and the Zone tutor for your area of work.
North East Ambulance
North East Zone Tutor : Chris Moat ( )
NEAS Divisional Facilitator (North) Ashleigh
NEAS Divisional Facilitator (Central) Fay Lane
Divisional Facilitator (South) Ruth Bissell
Yorkshire Ambulance
Yorkshire Zone Tutor: Matt Capsey ( )
Placements Manager Sam Smithson
What happens if they don’t turn up for a shift and they haven’t let me know?
If they do not turn up for a shift you should not wait for them.
However, please report this to the Academic Zone Tutor and your Placements Manager/Facilitator internally.
What if they have a GP/Dental/Hospital appointment can they go early to attend?
No. Wherever possible they should organise this on their days off like you do but there may be occasions where they can’t (for example hospital appointments – but with ‘choose and book’ this should be rare) they would need prior agreement and authorisation from us.
What if I get a late job and I don’t have 11 hours between my shift and come in late the next day, does that apply to students as well?
In practical terms yes as they will not be able to start work until you do.
What if my partner doesn’t turn up because of sickness and I get sent elsewhere?
The student should go with you to your new location.
What if I call in sick?
The student will normally go out with another Paramedic crew that particular day. If you are a single vehicle station we would expect your partner to call your placements office and advise them to enable the student to be re-allocated to another location.
3.2Student Accidents/Reportable Incidents/Support
Can the student access the University counselling service as well or instead of?
They can use both if they choose to. If you have any further specific concerns please contact the Academic Zone tutor to facilitate sign-posting to University based services if the student would prefer to access those.
Whilst on placement, the student should report this to you, the Zone Tutor and call the University on their first day of sickness and on return to work.
What if the student has an accident or comes into contact with someone that has a reportable disease?
In hours you should contact your Education Department as soon as possible/Out of Hours your normal Out of Hours contact. The Ambulance Trusts hold emergency contact details for all of our students
What if the student is involved in a ‘bad job’ - can the student access our internal support services?
Yes. We have the agreement with all our partners that students can access the support/counselling and other services that are offered to all other trust staff.
4PRACTICE ASSESSMENT DOCUMENT
4.1Practice Competency – Initial & Mid-Point Assessment
When do I complete the initial meeting?
You should do this in the first phase of Paramedic placements. Please refer to the Practice Assessment Document.
When do I complete the mid-point assessment?
You should do this at the half-way point of Paramedic placements. Please refer to the Practice Assessment Document.
Supervising clinician’s are expected to provide the Practice Mentor with formative feedback to contribute to that assessment using the non-Paramedic practice placement feedback forms. This assessment allows the Practice Mentor and the student to discuss progress on meeting the competencies and practice skills. It will also highlight any areas of good practice or areas that require further development before the summative assessment at the end of the practice year.
4.2Practice Competency – Summative Assessment
In each stage of the programme only the Practice Mentor can summatively assess the students’ ability to meet the competencies and skills required to complete each practice year successfully. Practice Mentors will, however, be expected to utilise feedback from the non-Paramedic placements from Supervising Clinicians to contribute to their summative assessment of the student.
When do I complete the end point assessment and ‘sign off’?
You should do this at the end of Paramedic placements. Please refer to the Practice Assessment Document.
Can we accept witness testimonies as evidence?
Yes but they should not be included in their Practice Assessment Document. This would be for your personal use only to determine whether or not you will accept such testimonies or not to meet relevant competencies. You will note that we use the ‘academic escalator’ throughout the three years. This means that the standards are presented in EXACTLY the same way in all three years:
Year 1 they must DESCRIBE how they meet them
Year 2 they must CRITICALLY ANLAYSE how they meet them
Year 2 they must EVALUATE how they meet them
This means that students are assessed at a progressively higher level in each practice year.
Why aren’t all the Standards of Proficiency in there?
They are assessed in an academic context. For example Paramedics are required to evaluate and comment on evidence and have well developed research skills. Those proficiencies are assessed in their academic work. The standards that you will be assessing them on relate to PRACTICE
4.3Practice Objectives – Non-Paramedic Placements
Non-Paramedic placements have formative learning objectives consisting of core objectives and placement specific objectives. Students are expected to works towards those objectives during non-Paramedic placements. There may be further opportunities in the programme for students to gain those experiences if they have not been exposed to them in those areas.
4.4How areStudents Assessed on aNon-ParamedicPlacement?
The supervising clinician is expected to provide the Practice Mentor with feedback on their non-Paramedic placement areas. This is formative feedback that will be used to contribute to both the mid-point and end of practice year assessments.
4.5Practice Skills: Demonstrating Competence
Theskills log is a continuous record of the skills that students have demonstrated as they have progressed through your programme.
Each Year of the programme has specific clinical skills whichmust be demonstrated and summatively assessed by Practice Mentors.
Once the student has passed their simulated assessment an academic member of staff will sign and date the ‘Ready for Practice’ section of the skills log. This means that they can practice ANY skill that has been deemed to be ‘Ready for Practice’ in the clinical area. If the signature is missing the student cannot perform this skill at this time.