Nurse education staff and student nurses at The University of Nottingham and Birmingham City University have collaborated on the development of an innovative online activity about professional behaviour and public expectations. This came about following a previous successful staff collaboration. Discussions about the revised Nursing and Midwifery Council's 'Code of Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour for Nurses and Midwives' sparked the idea to develop a student–led resource about professional guidance.
During their studies healthcare students explore and reflect on becoming accountable and responsible for their actions. Over a period of 18 months the teams worked together to create the aptly titled 'Unlocking the Code.' This is available in the public domain as an open educational resource via helm open. The first of its kind, 'Unlocking the Code' offers an online light-touch and proactive overview of actions and consequences.
The aim of this resource is to trigger awareness of potential inconsistencies in behaviours and actions, the implications for professional integrity and the impact on the general public. The small chunks of learning within its structure introduce and unpack the four principles of the NMC Code: 'Prioritise People, Practise Effectively, Preserve Safety and Promote Professionalism and Trust.' By structuring these principles into visual and manageable parts, the student and the registered practitioner can interpret and reflect on detail about professional behaviour and actions in a range of settings.
Supported by Cascade funding from The University of Nottingham's Alumni and a donation from the strategic leads at Birmingham City University, the two Institutions recognise the value of offering students extra-curricular opportunities to develop skills for partnership working, reflection, self-awareness and communication. The positive evaluations from the initial launch show the value of an interactive component to explore professional guidelines.
Posted on Monday 28th November 2016