School of Health Professions

BSc (Hons) PARAMEDIC PRACTITIONER

Named Paramedic (NPM)

A guide to supporting students in clinical practice
Table of contents: Page
1. Meet the team 3

2. Welcome Mentors 6

a) What is a mentor 7

b) Introduction to the NPM role 8

3. The Importance of practice placement learning 9

4. Programme structure 10

5. So what is my role as a NPM? 12

a) What will I do day-to-day? 12

b) So I have my student, now what? 13

c) What happens if I take leave? 13

6. Portfolio: what we are looking for 14

7. Useful information about terms used in this document 17

8. Providing feedback to learners 18

a) How do I give feedback? 20

b) What is Plymouth University doing to help me? 20

c) How should I assess my student? 21

9. What happens if I have challenges or concerns? 23

a) Value added comment? 24

b) Professional behaviour and attitude 25

10. A mentors own audit/record 26

a) Okay, I think I have it but 27

11. Thank you 31

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 1. Meet the team

Ms Kirstie Brown; Programme Lead; Lecturer in Paramedic Practice

Kirstie.brown@plymouth.ac.uk 01752 586547

Mr Peter Allum; Lecturer in Paramedic Practice

Pathway lead for MSc Critical Care peter.allum@plymouth.ac.uk 01752 586505

Mr Tristan Henderson; Lecturer in Paramedic Practice

Tristan.henderson@plymouth.ac.uk 01752 588821

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Mr Andrew Webber; Lecturer in Paramedic Practice
Andrew.webber@plymouth.ac.uk 01752 587552

Clare Keenan: Associate Head of School (Practice Learning). Lecturer in

Paramedicine Placement clare.keenan@plymouth.ac.uk 01752 587597

Dr Helen Nicholson: Lecturer in Paramedic practice

Helen.nicholson@plymouth.ac.uk

Matt Griggs Lecturer in Paramedic practice matthew.griggs@plymouth.ac.uk

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JASON LONG: Lecturer in Paramedic Practice , Jason.long@plymouth.ac.uk

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 2. Welcome Mentors

Welcome to the BSc Paramedic Practitioner Named Paramedic Mentor (NPM)

Handbook. This will be a valuable resource to assist you in your role in supporting
a students frontline placements, whilst nurturing their talents.

Following your feedback we have created a document with clearer information to

help explain your role and the students role. This guide will also look at the
students personal placement portfolio, which is formatively assessed throughout
the year, and also summatively assessed at the end of each academic year.

The role of the NPM is essential to the student having a successful and enjoyable
frontline experience. For the student, their memories of the beginning of their
paramedic career will be strongly linked to their experience of working with you
and this experience will shape the type of paramedic they become.

This would give me ample opportunity to work and learn closely

alongside some of the best ambulance staff in the country". Josh
Guinane (Graduate Paramedic, September 2015)

NPMs have huge amounts of credibility with their Plymouth University students;
students are enthusiastic to share, not only your knowledge, facts and skills, but
to learn your attitudes, values and beliefs. NPMs are an influencing factor in the
future of paramedic graduates; this is your chance to really influence the future of
the paramedic profession.

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 Sharing my
knowledge

What is a Mentor ?
Mentor;

An experienced practitioner, who through promotion of a professional relationship

can facilitate anothers personal growth and development, create an enabling
environment, seek learning opportunities and supportive interventions. The
mentor:

Can provide constructive feedback and monitoring through excellent

written and verbal means.
Is an advocate of continuing professional development (CPD).
Is competent within their own skills.
Can also provide demonstrable behaviour.

Introduction to the Named Paramedic Mentor (NPM) Role

Why do we need mentors within the local ambulance service?

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We need paramedics and others who currently work in the ambulance service
who can be a role model and mentor. Currently the BSc Paramedic Practitioner
Programme is three years in duration. Many students coming onto this
programme will have very little experience of working for an ambulance service.
You have many skills that you demonstrate every day in practice without realising
it, such as:

Your systematic approach and how you communicate with the patient or
family.
Skills in adaptation for managing acute and non-acute situations.
Level of diverse knowledge and dexterity of managing care and treatment
Professionalism and integrity
Desire and motivation to use the best available evidence to improve the
quality of the patient experience, and advance the profession.
Organisational and team working skills, including the multiprofessional
team situation.
Ability to support and either guide or direct others.

The key to providing a valid placement experience are the knowledge, skills
and enthusiasm of the Named Paramedic Mentor.

3. The importance of Practice Placement Learning

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Practice learning experiences are a very important aspect of all health care
programmes. A range of clinical staff will support students placement
experiences during a variety of other acute trust placements. Students will have
the support of different mentors in these types of placements. Whilst they are on
frontline ambulance practice, they have access to only you, their NPM. The
students personal tutor, who is an academic member of staff from the School of
Health Professions, will also be available if required for Tripartite meetings. The
student will know who their personal tutor is. Personal tutors are available to
provide tutorial support to the student and also support and advice for the mentor,
when required.

Key points the students NEED to achieve

3 year programme to gain BSc (Hons) & HCPC registration

750 (minimum) hours in placement over 5/6 blocks per year
Practice placement equates to 50% of course
Range of placements over the 3 years
2250 (minimum) hours over the 3 years (Evidenced through feedback)
Summative learning outcomes each year as indicated in the portfolio

Paramedic practice mentors are pivotal to the success of an educational

curriculum where 50% of learning takes place in practice, predominantly within
the frontline ambulance placements. Whilst students are in practice they have a
supernumerary status, this allows for every patient experience to be an
opportunity for learning, and helps to prepare the contemporary student
paramedic for continuing development within evidence-based autonomous
practice (College of Paramedics, 2014).

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Practice placements should be integral to the programme, enabling the amalgamation of theory
into practice, thus continuing the development of clinical skills. This requires the use of practice
in emergency care, and also in more general health and social care settings. The quality of the
placements is central to the success of the academic programme and, ultimately, the development
of the student paramedic (College of Paramedics, p.42. 2014)

4. Programme Structure

Over the three years the curriculum is designed to enhance the students
placements and vice versa. The following modules are designed to provide the
underpinning knowledge base on which the students build throughout the year
within their placements time and academic time.

The modules listed below for the three years are shown for your information.
This will give you an insight into the subject your student is studying;
learning should become evident throughout their practice.

Year one;

MODULE CODE THEME MODULE LEADER

SOHP 101 Preparation for Practice Miriam McMullan
SOHP 102 Introduction to anatomy Kirstie Brown
& physiology
PARA 101 Foundations of Kirstie Brown
Pre-hospital pt. care
PARA 102 Safe systems of work Andrew Webber
in clinical practice
PARA 103 Practice portfolio Peter Allum
(SOHP: refers to Interprofessional module. PARA: paramedic specific modules)

Year two;

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 MODULE CODE THEME MODULE LEADER
SOHP 201 Advanced patient Care Tristan Henderson
SOHP 202 Pharmacology Kirstie Brown
& medicine mgt
PARA 203 Acute Cardiac Care Clare Keenan
SOHP 201 Project Studies M. McMullan
(Interprofessional) Gary Strong
PARA 204 Practice portfolio 2 Peter Allum

Year three;

MODULE CODE THEME MODULE LEADER

SOHP 301 Practitioner skills Andrew Sutton
SOHP 302 Preparation Cathy Smith
For professional practice
PARA 302 Clinical decision making Helen Nicholson
in Paramedic Practice

SOHP 301 Research Project Miriam McMullan

(Interprofessional)
PARA 303 Practice portfolio 3 and Tristan Henderson
Elective

5. So what is my role as a NPM?

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A NPM is the designated person responsible for the co-ordination, and
development of the student on placement and is the registered health care
professional who makes the decision whether the student is safe in practice.
Your role as a NPM plays an essential part in facilitating students as they gain
the knowledge and skills necessary to become eligible to apply for entry to the
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register as a Paramedic (after 3
years and securing a BSc (Hons) in Paramedic Practice). A key function of
mentorship is to protect the patient by ensuring the graduate paramedics are fit
for practice.

So what will I do day-to-day?

As the NPM you will work alongside the student in the practice environment,
helping the student to link theory to practice, supporting and guiding them as
they gain experience. There is an expectation that you co-ordinate relevant
experiences with other members of the inter-professional team; and judge the
students competence against set learning outcomes at particular points in the
programme. Towards the end of each academic year, you will be required to
review two of the students written reflective accounts against each of the seven
Summative Learning Outcomes within their portfolio.

The programme aims, objectives and learning outcomes have been mapped
against the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standard of
Proficiencies for Paramedics (2014) and the College of Paramedics Curriculum
Framework (2015).

So I have my student, now what?

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The NPM will use their professional judgement to assess a students ability
against specific learning objectives and ensures the student capably completes
their portfolio competencies. Together these achievements contribute to the
learning outcomes for different modules. These are completed by using a range
of formative and summative assessments. Evidence through learning contracts
and written feedback to your student should be produced throughout the
placement (within portfolio section). It is important to build evidence throughout
the placement and not leave it until the end. This is twofold; it enables you to
provide continuous constructive feedback as well NOT having to complete all
the documentation in one go, which can be time consuming.

What happens if I take leave, if I am sick?

If you are the NPM, in your absence (off duty, annual leave etc.) it is anticipated
you and your colleagues will assist the student in finding another registered
Paramedic. These Paramedics should be able to supervise and support the
student and if necessary sign off any relevant formative portfolio competencies
and provide feedback to both you as the NPM and to the student. It is important
for your Paramedic colleagues to provide witness statements and testimonials,
regarding the students performance in the clinical environment. It is advised
that the NPM and the student negotiate a format for recording witness
statements (testimonials) that is acceptable, and evidenced within their practice
portfolio.

Promotion?
In the event of promotion or secondment, it may be possible to continue
mentoring your student depending upon the role, however if it is untenable, it
would be appropriate to contact Marie Knowles, practice placement coordinator;
marie.knowles@swast.nhs.uk or Clare Keenan; clare.keenan@plymouth.ac.uk.

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 6. Portfolio: What we are looking for

Signing off / Competence

This programme uses the NPM as the sign off assessor. Therefore, at each
summative stage of the assessment at the end of the academic year, you will be
involved in making the decision as to whether the student is fit for purpose and
practice.

Other health care personnel from a wide variety of different disciplines, such as
registered nurses and medical staff, will also be involved in assessing the
students capability for decision making and contributing towards the development
of the students experience and acquisition of skills. To clarify this position we
have indicated the NPM will be responsible for formative assessment by
completing the placement feedback form and for summative assessment through
their annotation of the 7 Summative learning Outcomes in the student portfolio.

See example below (Summative Learning Outcome 1) (SLO 1). There are 7 SLOs
each reflecting the Assessed Learning Outcome of the module;

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 Overall competency assessment must be by the NPM; this is pass/fail and
is indicated by circling Achieved / Not Achieved on the example below,
followed by signatures for all 7 SLOs. Page 16 also has to be signed by
the NPM in BOTH the signature box and in the HCPC standards of conduct
as well as circle the Has / Has Not.

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Please watch the NPM podcast on your mentor Moodle page for help

with this.

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 7. Useful information about terms used within the document.
Ongoing achievement is A record of learners progression that results from their activity
recorded via a Portfolio within clinical practice. The document is completed by the
learner but the mentor will be asked to contribute towards it.
The learner should produce their portfolio at the start of
commencing a new placement and its content used to contribute
toward developing a learning contract or development plan for
the learner. This is important, if the student does not
produce relevant documentation and seems unwilling or ill-
prepared to contribute, a member of the programme team
should be contacted.

Learning contract A learning contract refers to a list of identified learning objectives

that have been agreed by the learner and mentor. These
learning objectives have been agreed as achievable in the
current learning environment and time allocated. Expect your
learning contracts to be fluid documents; you will amend as
more time is spent with your student.

Formative assessment Commonly known as the assessment period whereby the

learner is forming their ideas and progression is beginning to
take place. It is an opportunity for the mentor to discuss and
identify to the learner the stage of progression to date. It is
helpful to mention both good points of the learners practice and
where further progression should and needs to be made.

Do use the learning contract or development plan to help the

learner work towards their formative assessment, by setting
deadlines.

Summative Learning The requirement for the mentor to identify whether the learner
Outcomes has successfully completed the required summative learning
objectives for the particular stage of their academic programme.

Refer to:

Colleagues the learner has worked with

The learning contract or development plan

Summative learning outcomes (SLOs)

Programme/module handbook

https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/

Placement Development This team is there to support and offer guidance to the mentors.
Team They can be consulted at any stage of the learners placement
especially if the mentor or others have concerns or questions.
Involve the PDT earlier rather than later. The team include:

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 Programme lead: Gary Strong (details front page)

SWAST PDT lead (Marie Knowles, mobile 07826 995736)

Placement co-ordinator (Clare Keenan)

Personal tutors, all details front of book.

Audit trail As a mentor it is good practice to keep some form of written

evidence of any activity with the learner that you have been
If it is not written involved in. This does not mean that you keep notes about
down it was not everything that occurs on a daily basis, but you could keep a
done!
record of the weekly debrief/ tutorial for example. It means that
should you ever need to present any evidence about a
learner you have it at hand. Likewise you could also store
good examples of activity the learner has undertaken such as a
project or reflection. This can then be submitted into your
students portfolio.

Get in contact with the students personal tutor early on.

Send them evidence of your meetings and keep them
informed of any evidence positive/negative.
This means all communications will be logged firstly by
you and the university and you will have plenty of
information to source should you need plus a well-
informed academic tutor to offer support should you
need.
Come to mentor days to meet your students personal
tutor.

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 8. Providing feedback to learners?

Providing feedback to a learner is an essential part of your role as a mentor. It is

a method which aids structured information to provide the learner progression
through their academic and practice placement pathway. It is valued both by the
learner and by the academic institution.

Mentors should make it their business to become aware at an early stage of

their students strengths and areas for improvement. From programme
experience mentor/student communication can sometimes be difficult depending
upon student performance. Therefore mentor preparation is a mechanism which
helps with regard to improving communication and preventing failure to fail.

What to do if you feel you have a student who is not achieving:

Be vigilant and observant of their practice.

Be robust in reporting and providing feedback at the end of each
placement.
Indicate of what progress needs to be attained and or met.

These action points, if undertaken in a systematic manner will further

contribute towards preventing a failure to achieve situation, as well as
promote good relationships.

Each academic institution and its programmes have specific clinical practice
assessment needs for their learners. This document does not cover all of the
programme requirements. Instead it reviews the principles of practice when
providing feedback to a learner.

Continuous monitoring of student progress will enable the students to meet

HCPC standards. Professional behaviour is a learnt behaviour that the learner
needs to understand and abide by if they are to be successful in their future
profession. Thus commentary is also welcomed on the students motivation,

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attitude and behaviour as well as comments regarding their professional
development in clinical practice.

How do I give feedback?

Perhaps the most important aim of feedback is to ensure the learners standard
of professional practice meets the required standard of keeping the patient safe
in their delivery of quality care. Additional aims of providing feedback from one
placement to another are to:

Enable a mentor to make an accurate judgment regarding the learners

overall performance whilst on the placement
Track those elements of the learners professionalism relating to
approach, behaviour and attitude
Summarise a learners development of applied knowledge
Feed forward to future mentors any concerns or challenges
Identify any particular strengths the learner has and to build upon these
Ensure learners receive constructive feedback and to offer suggestions
on how to make further improvements to promote progress
Provide an audit trail and monitor the learners practice development so
that the learner makes a meaningful contribution towards overall
professional performance and is meeting the standards required by the
HCPC.

What is Plymouth University doing to help me?

Mentor days within the university

Offering Webinars
Use of an online mentor to mentor discussion forum (Students will not
have access) the tutors will also be able to answer any queries.

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 Access to the modules your students will be studying.

How should I assess my student? (Formative assessment)

Faculty of Health, Education and Society programmes often ask mentors to

make a judgement within the formative assessment on (for example) a measure
of competence.

Within the clinical portfolio of evidence you will find three categories for your
learners progression. You can add to the formative process by signing the
relevant stage as the learner achieves it:

Taught Can be undertaken via simulation in

practice

Stage one Performed under direct guidance to a

satisfactory standard

Stage two Performed under observation / indirect

supervision to a satisfactory standard.

EXAMPLE

Defibrillating a patient in simulation

Defibrillating a patient in real life scenario

under supervision from you

Defibrillating a patient in real life scenario

whilst leading the scene with mentor
overseeing indirectly but not supervising
closely

This measure of competence often requires a tick (or the registered

practitioners initial) in a box to reflect both your and the learners perception of
their level of progression. However, there is additional commentary required as
regards your learners progress. So this is where you agree, with the learner,
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any required amendments of their learning contract and write some comments
regarding their developing skills. The following shares ideas of what could be
said in a statement regarding overall performance:

Excellent: The learners overall performance has been

outstanding and safe in relation to attitude, knowledge base,
application of theory to practice, and level of skill.

Commendable: The learners overall performance has been

a high and safe standard in relation to attitude, knowledge
base, application of theory to practice, and level of skill.

Good: The learners overall performance has been a good

Overall and safe standard in relation to attitude, knowledge base,
Performance application of theory to practice, and level of skill.
Can relate to

Satisfactory: The learners overall performance has been a

satisfactory and safe standard in relation to attitude,
knowledge base, application of theory to practice, and level
of skill

Not yet satisfactory: The learners overall performance is

below the satisfactory and/or safe standard in relation to
attitude, knowledge base, application of theory to practice,
and level of skill. Additional support and guidance was
required and is recommended in any future placement.

What do I do if the student is not yet satisfactory?

The not yet satisfactory statement in this example may need to be passed on to
the learners personal tutor at the University and you the mentor may need to
expand upon these concerns in a separate statement. Do ensure the learner
has a copy of this statement and keep a copy for your own records and for audit
purposes.

Whether a formative or summative assessment, it is important that written

feedback via the portfolio or an ongoing achievement record of practice

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assessment is available for the next mentor. Even if the learner does not yet
have a formal ongoing achievement record, similar information may be entered
into a learning contract. Evidence such as;

Witness statement
Evidence products of their own work
Direct observations
Placement mentors commentary
Other form of learner feedback form
Transcript of a Q&A session

The important aspect is that future mentors can see

what development has been achieved and what needs
to be further developed.

Think about a time when you received a learner into your clinical area and
considered such statements as

o I am not certain what the previous mentor felt but...

o I am sure this learner would have learnt to...

o I have real concerns about this student......

What happens if I have challenges or concerns?

This relates to reporting information but could apply to any practice

component. The point is that any concerns or challenges are passed on to the
next mentor, and are documented / audited to highlight progression. It is
pertinent to highlight that most students at some point will face challenges and
that it is normal for mentors to report concerns. It is the ACTION PLAN that is

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implemented which is important. The examples below hopefully will give you
some idea as to what to write.

Reporting information: requires supervision at times and needs to

build upon existing knowledge to ensure information is passed on to
the team in a more timely manner

Reporting information: Needs to apply greater accuracy when

recording information. We have discussed this as applied to
recording observations and some progress is being made

Reporting information: has mastered the necessary confidence for

reporting to a team member in a handover but needs to further
Example: develop confidence in terms of reporting to the wider multidisciplinary
reporting info team

Reporting information: there are some challenges in this area. We

have discussed remedial action and used the learning contract to
identify how they could be applied

What examples could you give as

information to pass on to another mentor

Please utilise the mentor forum on Moodle to share experiences and ask
questions to support your feedback.

Question: documents often ask for value added comments, what are these?

Value added Comments?

These are comments that offer information regarding the professional image,
general impression or other aspects of the learner. An opportunity to do this is
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often included in the summative learning objectives forms or final report where
there is a blank section for placement mentors commentary.

Examples of value added comments are.

Professional behaviour and attitude

Such as, communication skills, attitude to the team, conscientious and

patient centred approach

How do the learners manage issues such as managing their shift work in
relation to their child care, time keeping, conforming to the regular shift
patterns of the placement area?

Since healthcare delivery involves 24 hour care, learners are expected to

work shifts, and in order to experience the 24 hour care provision, are
encouraged to be active in pre-shift and post-shift activities (vehicle
checks, vehicle cleaning, incident de-briefs and patient handovers). On
some occasions this will include varying start times. Weekend shifts and
night duty are part of the 24 hour care provision and learners are required
to work the full range of shifts. The aim is to provide the learner with a
realistic experience of emergency, urgent, unplanned, primary and
secondary care, which involves more than a 9 5 day.

Professional development:

How has the learner demonstrated the following?

Self-confidence
Self-motivation
Self-evaluation

Interpersonal Skills:

How has the learner demonstrated thoughtful consideration of others?

Self-Management:
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 How has the learner demonstrated their ability to take responsibility for their
own professional development?

Has the learner been conscientious to follow their learning contract

Seek feedback
Undertake reflections of their learning and share them with the
mentor

Situational Leadership

Has there been an opportunity for the learner to demonstrate leadership

during placement? If so, has the learner used these opportunities to
develop any leadership skills?

Interprofessional Learning

Has the learner demonstrated an ability to work with other professionals

during placement?

Change Management

How has the learner adapted to change? For example organisational,

procedural, staff and or client focused change.

The mentor is not expected to use all of these examples for each learner but
rather to support their own thinking and ideas about the learners progression.
These ideas can be reviewed to create an overall written account of the
learners development and progression.

10. A mentors own audit/record.

It is essential that mentors keep their own record of feedback to learners. This
can be a photocopy of the summative commentary sheet or a copy of the
learners collection of evidence and or a copy of an ongoing achievement
record. This documentation can include

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 Learning contract
Formative Assessments
Summative Assessments
Witness statements
A mentors own notes
Whatever resource is used it can be facilitated by completing the required
programme documentation in a timely manner. So wherever possible, make
appointments for the learning contract, formative assessment, summative
assessment or final review at the beginning of the learner placement. Record
when they are via e-mail plus inform the personal tutor. More information about
how to create a good mentor record will be available on Moodle and at mentor
days where you can bring along documentation for review by programme team

Okay, I think I have it, but still have concerns about what to write?

On the next page, are themes or cues created according the level of the
learners practice (1st, 2nd and 3rd years). Again, they can be used to formulate
questions or act as prompts when considering the learners general level of
progression.

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This grid offers areas of key themes for mentors when needing to write about a
learners progression.
1st year learners
Subject knowledge
Sound knowledge of the
basic concepts
Levels of safety and
responsibility
Clinically safe, and
accurate, requiring some
supervision
Begins to develop own
professional principles and
judgement and is therefore
able to challenge ideas
Characteristics of
performance
Increasingly efficient, co-
ordinated and confident in
the delivery of care
Needs some reminders
and prompting to facilitate
the delivery of care in non-
routine situations
2nd year learners 3rd year learners
Subject knowledge Subject knowledge
Sound understanding of Understanding of a
the principles of complex body of
professional practice, and knowledge, some of it at
will have learned to apply the current boundaries of
those principles widely. professional practice
Levels of safety and Levels of safety and
responsibility responsibility
Clinically safe, accurate Clinically safe, accurate
when working alone with when working alone
minimal supervision without supervision
Applies own professional Able to critically review
judgement and experience evidence, arguments and
to make clinical decisions assumptions to reach
and is able to accept sound clinical decisions;
challenge from others and is able to accept
challenge from others
Characteristics of
performance Characteristics of
performance
Proficient, co-ordinated
and confident in the Highly proficient, co-
delivery of care ordinated and confident in
the delivery of care
29
 Needs minimal prompting Needs no prompting to
to facilitate the delivery of facilitate the delivery of
care care
Levels of supervision

Evaluates own
Levels of supervision
performance, although
appreciates regular Levels of supervision Actively seeks and makes
feedback use of feedback
Actively seeks and makes
Begins to interact use of feedback Takes a leadership role in
effectively within a team care delivery and within a
Begins to take a leadership
and is able to develop team
role in care delivery and
professional partnerships
within a team Evaluates own
Recognises personal performance and others
Evaluates own
strengths and areas for performance
performance and others
development
performance

30
An on-going achievement record can take many forms. The learners or mentors who wish to
devise their own format of evidence can do so and an example might be

PLACEMENT Area.......................................................................

MENTOR .....................................................................................

Dates of Placement......................................................................

Mentors comments:

(Consider students enthusiasm, attitude, willingness to learn, areas of strength, areas to

develop including issues and concerns)

This page is normally an A4 page size, and it needs to contain meaningful

commentary that will be read by the next mentor, a member of the programme team,
usually the personal tutor and IMPORTANTLY the student.

Mentors Signature..........................................................

31
Qualification....................................................................
11. Thank you

The personal tutors and all the lecturers on the programme appreciate your time and
effort; they are available to support you, with any of your decisions. Within South
Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust, there is a practice placement co coordinator,
Marie Knowles; 07826 995736. The placement coordinator within the university is
Clare Keenan; 01752 587597. The Trust and University work together to promote a
holistic development of the students, to enable our mentors to best support the
students whilst enjoying the role that mentorship has to offer.

Mentor days

CPD and simulation days

Access to Moodle (Online learning platform)

Access to library

CPD for your career

Regular contact with university paramedic team

Access to support services

32
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE DOCUMENT APPENDIX 3
EXAMPLE
DOCUMENT FACULTY OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND SOCIETY

SCHOOL OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS

BSc (Hons) Paramedic Practitioner

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE DOCUMENT

STAGE 1 YEAR 1 Summative Learning Outcome 1

Demonstrate competency when responding to a range of presented patient conditions by conducting appropriate
dynamic risk assessments, by using a range of diagnostic equipment and by providing appropriate basic
therapeutic interventions based on the scene, situation and clinical needs of patients during practice placements..
(Links with PARA 101 and PARA 102)

Name of Student ..........Clare Keenan.....................................................................................

Cohort 2015.. Registration numberStudent No..

Paramedic Mentors Name A. Great. Mentor.....................

Name of Personal Tutor ..............Student knows own personal tutor..

ATTEMPT 1st / 2nd / 3rd (Please circle as appropriate)

Achieved or Not achieved must be circled to achieve a pass for this module.

Year one Programme Learning outcome ACHIEVED / NOT ACHIEVED Date

(Mentor to delete as appropriate)
Signature of Student Please Sign

Signature of Paramedic Mentor Please Sign

Signed by Uni tutor
Signature of Personal Tutor

WRITE IN THE BOXES BELOW THE NUMBERS OF THE COMMENTS WHICH YOU
HAVE SELECTED FOR YOUR DECISION
These numbers represent your feedback to your student in relation to your decision about the student meeting the specific SLO page
33 (See NOTES)
20 26 31 31 31

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 SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICE STAGE 1

STAGE 1 YEAR 1 Learning Outcome 1

Demonstrate competency when responding to a range of presented patient conditions by conducting appropriate
dynamic risk assessments, by using a range of diagnostic equipment and by providing appropriate basic
therapeutic interventions based on the scene, situation and clinical needs of patients during practice placements.
(Links with PARA 101 and PARA 102)

EVIDENCE State minimum Evidence Reference in

There must be two forms of evidence for requirements achieved as Portfolio
each objective per evidence sheet in Inserted by student
portfolio
1 Direct Observation 1 Minimum 1

2 Questioning Oral/Written
3 Statements From Others
4 Simulation
5 Evidence Products Of Your Work
6 Reflection 1 2 Minimum 2

Not assessed

Written reflective accounts Paramedic Mentor Signature Reference in Portfolio

relating to learning outcome

Mentor/Assessor to INITIAL appropriate box

Details of assessors other than the Mentor must be entered on the Placement Record

HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (2008)

Again same as Achieved/not achieved on page 1, circle Has/ Has not.

This student HAS / HAS NOT (please circle) consistently demonstrated high standards of
behaviour in keeping with their duties as a prospective registrant.

Name of Paramedic Mentor

Signature of Paramedic Mentor .

Placement area/ clinical
specialty
Contact Telephone No:

NOTES:

34
The Named Paramedic Mentor will initial the appropriate evidence boxes of the assessment grid to document
that a practice objective has been achieved. No grading or mark is attached to the achievement by the NPM,
however they can comment on overall performance by indicating with the following codes;

The NPM selects up to FIVE comments from the list below

which most nearly describe the performance of the student.
1. (Not Achieved) Lack of evidence showing that the student has met the required skills and
competencies required for this level
2. (Not Achieved) Unsafe to practice
3. (Not Achieved) Displays a negative attitude
4. (Not Achieved) Behaves in an unprofessional manner
5. (Not Achieved) Appears to lack motivation
6. (Not Achieved) Does not define own learning needs
7. (Not Achieved) Lacks self-awareness and the effect of behaviour on others

8. (Achieved but with future recommendations) Competent with skills but needs to take
more responsibility appropriate for this
level
9. (Achieved but with future recommendations) Lack of confidence inhibits effective
performance
10. (Achieved but with future recommendations) Would benefit from more experience at
this level
11. (Achieved but with future recommendations) Competent with skills but reacts
adversely to constructive criticism
12. (Achieved but with future recommendations) Can be slow to settle
13. (Achieved but with future recommendations) Lacks maturity which needs further
personal development

14. (Achieved) Needs to be more assertive though

15. (Achieved) Could have made more use of available resources
16. (Achieved) Has not yet achieved full potential
17. (Achieved) Willing to try
18. (Achieved) Has developed in confidence
19. (Achieved) Skills will develop with practice
20. (Achieved) Assimilates new information
21. (Achieved) Accepts appropriate responsibility
22. (Achieved) Fits well into the team
23. (Achieved) Has a pleasant and approachable manner
24. (Achieved) Displays a mature attitude
25. (Achieved) Well-motivated and adaptable
26. (Achieved) Is able to reflect on outcomes
27. (Achieved) Identifies own learning needs
28. (Achieved) Has made a useful contribution to the work of the team
29. (Achieved) Shows a good understanding of the concepts of being a Paramedic
30. (Achieved) Displays confidence
31. (Achieved) Analytical in approach, drawing from a wide range of sources
32. (Achieved) Offers informed and considered opinions
33. (Achieved) Realistically evaluates performance
34. (Achieved) Capable of informed decision-making
35. (Achieved) Shows a mature understanding
36. (Achieved) Valued team member who has gained respect
37. (Achieved) Innovative, develops fresh ideas
38. (Achieved) Consistently works at a higher level than expected
39. (Achieved) An excellent performer in all areas

Best practice is for the student and the mentor to add written comments to the document.

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36
If you require any part of this publication in larger print, or an
alternative format, please contact Programme Administration at:-

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

Peninsula Allied Health Centre
University College Plymouth
Derriford Road
Plymouth
PL6 8BH
Telephone number: 01752 588800 or 01752 588833

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

University of Plymouth
Nancy Astor Building
Drake Circus
Plymouth
PL4 8AA
Telephone number: 01752 586999 or 586964

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

University of Plymouth
Knowledge Spa
Royal Cornwall Hospital
Truro. TR1 3HD
Telephone number: 01872 256450

Faculty of Health and Human Sciences

University of Plymouth
Somerset Centre
Wellington Road
Taunton. TA1 5YD
Telephone number: 01823 366900

Important: please note

Dear Student / Mentor

If you have a disability

37
The University is very supportive of students with disabilities, and yearon-year we
are making adjustments to assist students with special needs. It may be that we
have already put in place changes which will assist you but unless we know what
your needs might be, we cannot guarantee that that will be the case. If we can
identify your needs sufficiently far in advance of when you intend to start a course at
the University, we are better able to put in place appropriate arrangements or, if
there is a health and safety issue or an issue about the expectations of students on
the course, to advise you on alternative options. However, we may not be able to do
so if we do not know in advance.

If you have not told us about your disability

Please do contact the Universitys Disability Assist Services on Plymouth 01752

587676 to discuss your needs. While we are making reasonable adjustments to our
provision, we may not be able to meet your individual needs if we do not have the
opportunity to assess them in advance, and that could impact negatively on your
experience on the course or even your ability to take up your place.

If you have told us about your disability

You may be asked for additional information or invited to attend an interview with
Disability Assist Services. This is in order that we can properly assess your
individual needs and ensure that we have the best possible chance of meeting them.
Please do provide any information requested and come in to see staff if asked to do
so, since otherwise you and we could find ourselves in a position in which it is
difficult or even unsafe for you to take up your place.

So please tell us about any disability even if you do not think it will affect you
while you are at the University and respond positively to any requests for
further details or for an information interview. If you do not do so, you may
find yourself unable to take up your place or unable to complete the course
because we have not been able adequately to meet your particular needs.

All readers PLEASE NOTE:

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All students undertaking programmes delivered by the Faculty of Health and
Human Sciences are reminded that any alteration to University documentation,
including practice portfolios, involving forgery or falsification of a mentors
comments or signature/initialling will be investigated. This investigation could
lead to disciplinary action, which may lead to a students being unable to
achieve professional registration.

Disclaimer

All the information in this handbook is correct at the time of printing. Courses are
regularly reviewed and updated so details may change. Occasionally, a module
listed in the programme handbook may be replaced or withdrawn.

Plymouth University is proud of its teaching and research and it undertakes all
reasonable steps to provide educational services in the manner set out in this
Handbook and in any documents referred to within it. However, it does not
guarantee the provision of such services. Should industrial action or circumstances
beyond the control of the University interfere with its ability to provide educational
services, the University undertakes to use all reasonable steps to minimize the
resultant disruption to those services.

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