Mentor Standards:

The following table sets out the NMC required standards for mentors (NMC, 2006). You may use it to identify where you currently feel confident with the standard (Conf), where you feel you have some skills but wish to update and/or develop further (Need Dev.) and where you feel you currently are lacking in skill (No skill). The NMC require you to provide evidence at annual appraisal that you have mapped the ongoing development of your mentor role against the NMC standards. This exercisewill provide this evidence and also help you to plan your own self-development.

NMC Standard / No
Skill / NeedDev. / Conf.
1. / Establishing effective working relationships:
a) Demonstrate an understanding of factors that influence how students integrate into practice settings.
c) Provide ongoing and constructive support to facilitate transition fromone learning environment to another.
c) Have effective professional and interprofessional working relationships to support learning for entry to the register.
2 / Facilitation of learning in order to:
a) Use knowledge of the student’s stage of learning to select appropriate learning opportunities to meet their individual needs.
b) Facilitate the selection of appropriate learning strategies to integrate learning from practice and academic experiences.
c) Support students in critically reflecting upon their learning experiences in order to enhance future learning.
3 / Assessment and accountability:
a) Foster professional growth,personal development andaccountability through
support of students inpractice.
b)Demonstrate a breadth ofunderstanding of assessmentstrategies and the ability tocontribute to the totalassessment process aspart of the teaching team.
c)Provide constructivefeedback to students andassist them in identifying
future learning needs andactions. Manage failingstudents so that they may
enhance their performanceand capabilities for safeand effective practice or be
able to understand theirfailure and the implicationsof this for their future.
d) Be accountable forconfirming that studentshave met, or not met, the
NMC competencies inpractice. As a sign-offmentor confirm thatstudents have met, ornot met, the NMCstandards of proficiencyin practice and are capable of safeand effective practice.
4 / Evaluation of learning:
a) Contribute to evaluationof student learning andassessmentexperiences -proposingaspects for changeresulting from suchevaluation.
b)Participate in self andpeer evaluation tofacilitate personaldevelopment, and
contribute to thedevelopment of others.
NMC Standard / No
Skill / NeedDev. / Conf.
5 / Creating an environment for learning:
a)Support students toidentify both learningneeds and experiencesthat are appropriate totheir level of learning.
b)Use a range of learningexperiences, involvingpatients, clients, carers
and the professionalteam, to meet definedlearning needs.
c) Identify aspects of thelearning environmentwhich could be enhanced -
negotiating with others tomake appropriatechanges.
d)Act as a resource tofacilitate personal andprofessional developmentof others.
6 / Context of practice:
a) Contribute to thedevelopment of anenvironment in whicheffective practice is
fostered, implemented,evaluated anddisseminated.
b)Set and maintainprofessional boundariesthat are sufficientlyflexible for providinginterprofessional care.
c)Initiate and respond topractice developments toensure safe and effectivecare is achieved and aneffective learningenvironment is maintained.
7 / Evidence-based practice:
a) Identify and applyresearch andevidence-basedpractice to their areaof practice.
b)Contribute tostrategies to increaseor review theevidence-base usedto support practice.
c)Support students inapplying an evidencebase to their ownpractice.
8 / Leadership:
a) Plan a series of learningexperiences that willmeet students definedlearning needs.
b)Be an advocate forstudents to supportthem accessinglearning opportunities
that meet theirindividual needs -involving a range ofother professionals,patients, clients andcarers.
c)Prioritise work toaccommodate supportof students within theirpractice roles.
d)Provide feedback aboutthe effectiveness oflearning andassessment in practice.

Reference

NMC (2006)Standards to support learning and assessment in practice

Second edition, published July 2008

Nursing and Midwifery Council, London

1

JW amended August 2008