RCN backs NMC proposals to challenge nurse stereotypes
New professional standards are a welcome challenge to public perceptions of nursing that are based on mythical ideals and stereotypes, the RCN says.
The college makes the point in its response to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) consultation on the regulator's overhaul of education standards, which closed this week.
The RCN said the review of standards required for entry to the nurse register allows the profession to address nurses' contribution to changes in health and care.
RCN head of professional learning and development Anne Corrin said: ‘We look forward to working with the NMC to develop and implement these exciting new standards.’
Invest in people
But she warned of the importance of investing in the current nursing workforce to ensure full implementation in practice.
The proposed standards cover proficiency for registrants, an education framework and prescribing and
New professional standards are a welcome challenge to public perceptions of nursing that are based on mythical ideals and stereotypes, the RCN says.
The college makes the point in its response to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) consultation on the regulator's overhaul of education standards, which closed this week.
The RCN said the review of standards required for entry to the nurse register allows the profession to address nurses' contribution to changes in health and care.
RCN head of professional learning and development Anne Corrin said: ‘We look forward to working with the NMC to develop and implement these exciting new standards.’
Invest in people
But she warned of the importance of investing in the current nursing workforce to ensure full implementation in practice.
The proposed standards cover proficiency for registrants, an education framework and prescribing and standards for medicines management that would enable nurses and midwives to prescribe earlier in their careers.
More than 600 RCN members took part in nationwide workshops to help inform the college's response, along with an online survey that received more than 7,000 responses.
Concerns to emerge
Emerging themes from members focused on simulation in learning, supervision and assessment, pre-registration prescribing and nursing and clinical assessments.
The RCN has called for clarity about how the education framework will be quality-assured and called for a continuation of the NMC mandating standards to ensure consistency and quality in practice placement settings, adding they must be monitored and properly resourced.
The submission also asks for formal mandatory training for the practice assessors.
Support for CPD
In other areas, it highlights the need for continuing professional development funding to ensure the current workforce has the skills and knowledge to support learners. It also wants protected time for the practice supervisors and practice assessor roles and a robust evaluation of early adopters of the new framework.
The college also calls for the NMC to double the amount of assessed simulation in the training of nurses to 600 hours.
The RCN supports the NMC proposal to standardise the student nurse education and experience by outlining the clinical and professional skills required of all newly registered nurses. It is calling for a UK-wide common practice assessment document.
Prescribing
The college told the regulator the move to ensure newly registered nurses are ‘prescribing-ready’ supports timely patient treatment, reduced waiting times, continuity of care and an improved patient-nurse relationship.
However, the RCN calls for updated standards for medicines management, and cautioned against delegating this to other staff who do not have jurisdiction over nursing.
Further information
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