A ‘radical overhaul’ is coming to nursing education as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) opens consultation for a framework factoring in both mental and physical health with a focus on working in the home and the community.
The NMC is asking healthcare professionals, patients and the public to share their views on proposals to help shape the future of nursing education through new standards for the education of pre-registration nurses.
Over the past 18 months, the regulator has worked with nurses across the UK at all levels as well as students, educators, other healthcare professionals and patient groups to develop proposed new standards of proficiency that reflect what the public will need from ‘tomorrow’s nurse’.
In proposals outlined on 13 June, the revised framework would see nurses in all fields of practice gain a more detailed understanding of both mental and physical healthcare. Responding to changing demands in the UK population, the framework would also see more care being delivered in homes and in community settings.
NMC chief executive Jackie Smith said: ‘The health and care landscape is changing at an unprecedented rate and nurses and midwives are being asked to undertake more complex roles than ever before.
‘In the coming years many thousands of nurses and midwives will join our register, delivering care to millions of people. Our standards must ensure that they are able to work in ways that are not only fit for today, but also for the future.’
The proposed framework covers both nursing and midwifery education provision. It is built around five key areas; learning culture, educational governance and quality, student learning and empowerment, educators and curricula and assessment.
Over the next thirteen weeks the NMC will run a series of engagement events open to anyone who would like to hear more or share their views. There will be a series of webinars and Twitter chats and workshops across the UK.
Consultation on proposed pre-registration education standards for future nurses and the new education framework runs from 13 June until 12 September 2017.