for the Honour’s Degree
in Pre-Registration Nursing
(employees from health or care settings
with health-related foundation degrees)
Information and
Frequently Asked Questions
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Version Control
Version / Status / Reason for Change / Date(mm/yyyy) / Editor
0.1/2016 / DRAFT / Format updated to align with advanced entry Master’s in pre-registration adult nursing pack / 04/2016 / Sue Hill
1.1/20160 / Published / Format and content changes. Pay scale increased to represent 2016/17 AfC pay rise. / 11/05/16 / Laura Mallett
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Table of Contents
Section Title / Page(s)Information on Work-Based Learning Routes into pre-registration nursing / 4
General information – questions and answers / 4-8
Flow chart showing the Steps for recruitment and selection onto the WBL Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing / 9
Step 1: Expression of Interest – applying for a place on the programme / 10
Step 2: Selection by Employer (nominating an applicant for the HEI selection process) / 13
Step 3: Selection by the HEI for a conditional offer for a place on the WBL Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing / 14
Step 4: Applicants with a conditional offer undertake the APEL process / 15
Step 5: Applicants start the WBL Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing / 17
How do I find out more information? / 18
Appendix 1: Person Specification / 19
Appendix 2: Expression of Interest/Application Form / 21
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Information on the Work-Based Learning routes into pre-registration nursing
This information sheet is intended for anyone who would like an overview of the Work-Based Learning routes into pre-registration nursing.
What are the Work-Based Learning routes into pre-registration nursing?
These are educational pathways that have been designed in response to requests from the NHS Service Providers for complementary alternatives to the conventional three year Honour’s degrees for nurse education, as currently provided by local Higher Education Institutions (HEIs are also known as universities).
This particular Work-Based Learning (WBL) Programme provides a route into nursing for staff working as health/care support workers or in assistant practitioner positions. This group of individuals may not have been able to access the conventional nursing pathway but have completed a healthcare foundation degree. The most frequently cited reason for this group not accessing nursing degree programmes is the need to continue to earn a salary. For this reason, we have developed this specific work based ‘earn as you learn’ pathway that Accredits Prior Experiential Learning (APEL).
This WBL Programme offers the opportunity to gain accreditation for having completed a healthcare foundation degree. The contents of healthcare foundation degrees, which are primarily designed for trainee assistant practitioners, have been mapped against the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s (NMC) requirements for nursing registration. The mapping has shown that there can be accreditation against some of the NMC’s requirements enabling the remaining aspects of the Pre-Registration Nursing Degree to be completed in 18 months.
This WBL Programme provides a ‘grow your own’ route for those holding a foundation degree and will create registered nurses from individuals that are already experienced, valued staff who demonstrate the right values and culture for the NHS.
Why?
This WBL Programme has been developed in response to a number of national and local publications/ recommendations as well as a local desire for an alternative to the traditional 3-year undergraduate delivery model.
What does it involve?
In the WBL Programme all students will have prior learning from their foundation degree accredited to allow entry to the existing pre-registration programme at the midway point. The students will then complete the final 18-months of the existing programme.
All students will remain in employment within their ‘host’ organisation and ‘earn as they learn’.
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General information /Can an individual without a foundation degree be considered for this Programme? / Not at this time, the applicant will be required to hold a suitable foundation degree to enable accreditation against the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requirements.
What is the WBL Programme model? / It is an educational model that enables individuals to become student nurses for a proportion of the working week, whilst delivering service as a health care support worker for the remainder of the working week.
What will be included in the WBL Programme model? / It is expected that students on the WBL Programme will be working in an organisation that is willing to support their learning within this pathway, in terms of funding and placements.
It is expected that the individual will be employed by the organisation as Registered Nurse upon successful completion. This provides students with continuity of employment and return on investment for the organisation.
All individuals will work two days per week supernumerary as a student nurse within their organisation.
· The students are expected to work two consecutive 7.5 hour days within the ‘home base’. These days will be set for the duration of the programme and will be negotiated between the student, employer and the HEI to ensure that both the service and educational needs are met.
· A university student uniform and ID will be worn on these two days. Where uniforms are not used within the placement area student nurses are recommended to wear an informal uniform, in addition to their ID, to visually re-enforce their differing roles.
The remaining 22.5 contracted hours will be worked in their substantive employed post. However this may differ from organisation to organisation.
· There will be a full induction week at the beginning of the programme, which will take place within the Higher Education Institute (HEI) and a further 20 study days. These study days will be ‘face to face’ with the HEI and will be included in the two days per week when the student is supernumerary.
· The student nurse will also have three periods of 4 weeks each in an alternative placement area where they will be supernumerary for 37.5 hours per week. During this period the student nurse may be in an alternative organisation or within a different area of their employing organisation. They will be expected to work the standard hours within that service, following the shifts of their mentor including weekends.
· There will be a requirement that they undertake a minimum of 4 and maximum of 10 night shifts during their programme to meet the requirements of the NMC.
· In addition the student nurses will be expected to undertake 14 hours of self-directed study per week. This will be directed by the HEI and will fulfil the majority of the theoretical hours required.
· Currently there is a requirement for the student to be in full time employment (37.5 hours per week) in the organisation for the period of the programme.
How long will the WBL Programme take to complete? / The university will accredit the foundation degree and the individual’s prior work experience towards the work-based learning programme. This means the student will be able to enter the current three year pre-registration nursing programme at the mid-way point; therefore leaving 18 months of the programme to complete.
What types of programmes are available? / WBL Programmes in adult or mental health pre-registration nursing are currently available, although some HEIs may differ in terms of what programmes they are able to offer.
What is the application process? / The first stage is for the individual to gain the support and agreement of their line manager/Matron and to put forward an ‘Expression of Interest’ to the Education Lead within their employing organisation. In the absence of a named lead they should be put forward to Laura Mallett, Strategic Development Manager, Norfolk and Suffolk Workforce Partnership, HEE ().
There is a standard Expression of Interest form. Please contact your education lead or Laura Mallett for a copy. They can also be obtained from the Norfolk & Suffolk Workforce Partnership website – (https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/wps/node/2468)
If the individual is successful at the internal interview within their employing organisation, they will be supported through the application process with the HEI.
Please note: success at the internal interview with an employer does NOT guarantee the right to an interview with the HEI or the right to an offer of a place on the WBL Programme.
· The interview process at the HEI will be the same as for all other pre-registration nursing interviews. In addition, the HEIs can only consider candidates that meet the necessary requirements and have been successfully selected by their employer.
· Support from the employer does not guarantee an interview with the HEI. The HEI will further shortlist candidates upon application.
Does there need to be a gap between completing the foundation degree and starting the WBL Programme? / Individuals can step straight onto the WBL Programme if they have successfully completed the foundation degree and have been interviewed successfully by both their employer and the HEI.
However, employers may wish potential candidates to have had a period of consolidation after completing the foundation degree and prior to being considered for this Programme.
Do individuals require specific numeracy and literacy qualifications? / No, there are no additional requirements for numeracy and literacy. However all candidates will be tested for their competence in numeracy and literacy by the HEIs during the application process, in line with all other pre-registration nursing programmes.
Sample test papers will be available and individuals may benefit from additional support or study skills in preparation for being tested on the day of interview.
How much will it cost the individuals? / There is no financial cost to the individual for the educational aspect of the programme, however there may be other financial implications such as
· salary may be reduced for the two ‘student’ days
o there will be no unsocial hours payments on the two student days
o there may be no incremental pay increases for the salary on these student days.
· The student will be unable to undertake any other employed work over their 37.5 hour contract and 14 hours per week Self Directed study within the 18 month period, even during annual leave. This is in order to comply with the EU working time directive. This will be monitored closely by both the organisation and the university. Breaches within this may have disciplinary consequences.
What support will be available for the student nurses on the WBL Programme? / WBL Programme students receive the same mentoring as other pre-registration nursing students. Mentors and sign-off mentors must meet the Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice (SLAiP standards 2008).
Mentors for WBL Programme students will be invited to a briefing about their role before commencing mentorship duties. This briefing will include the following aspects.
· An introduction to the WBL Programme
· The student’s experience of ‘learning and working’
· Managing the mentor/mentee relationship over 18 months
· Managing conflicts of interest with students
· Support systems for mentors.
When will the WBL Programme run? / The programme will commence in spring 2017.
The initial cohort has been commissioned from University Campus Suffolk. It is currently unclear if there will be additional providers from 2017 onwards.
How do I find out more information? / If you are interested in expressing an interest or finding out more information please contact your Education Lead if you work within an NHS partner organisation and for those working outside of these organisations and primary care please contactLauraMallett ( or 07904970383) or see https://heeoe.hee.nhs.uk/wps/node/2468
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Flow chart showing the steps for recruitment and selection onto the Work-Based Learning Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing
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Step 1: Expression of Interest – applying for a place on the WBL Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing /When will Expressions of Interest open for the WBL Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing? / The WBL Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing will be advertised in a variety of ways – including the following
§ through normal communication channels within employing organisations such as general emails from HR, leaflets on noticeboards and in staff rooms, team meetings/Matron meetings, newsletters etc.
§ on the health care sections of the webpages for the HEIs involved in the programme e.g. UCS.
What is a ‘Person Specification’? / A Person Specification is a description of the idealised candidate to be selected for the places on the WBL Programme for the Honour’s degree in pre-registration nursing (see Appendix 2). This description explains the personal attributes, experiences, competencies and character that would be ideal as a student nurse on the programme.
In reality not everyone that applies will have all of the points described, but the Person Specification is created to provide an indication of the type of person that the selection panels will be looking for.
Potential candidates are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the contents of the Person Specification before completing their Expression of Interest application form as it is important for the individual to highlight how they meet the criteria in the specification.
What are the entry criteria? / All applicants must hold a foundation degree in a relevant health-related subject. It is anticipated that candidate will have completed this foundation degree within the last 5 years.