Skip to content

Standard 6 - Effective clinical learning

VN in surgery

Standards

All students are provided with safe, effective and inclusive clinical learning experiences. Each clinical learning environment has the governance and resources needed to deliver education and training. Students actively participate in their own education, learning from a range of people across a variety of settings.

Requirements

Accredited education institutions, together with centres and training practices, must:

  1. ensure clinical learning facilities are adequate to support and deliver the RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. TP/aTP list including RCVS TP number
    2. TP/aTP approval and monitoring documentation for UK practices
    3. TP/aTP approval and monitoring documentation for international practices
    4. Centre approval forms
    5. Consumable and equipment lists
    6. Memoranda of Understanding

    7. TP/aTP risk assessments

    Guidance/Examples

    Clinical learning facilities on campus should be fit for purpose and equipped with equipment that is relevant to training and widely used in practice.

    An inventory of clinical equipment and consumables is well maintained, and stock rotation/stock take carried out regularly.

    Ensure students are well prepared for the placement environment.

    TP/aTP approval and monitoring documents should be available and RCVS TP/aTP numbers detailed within the documentation.

    Appropriate support/risk monitoring in place with an appropriate policy to ensure any high support/risk practices are closely monitored and supported.

    Documentation for any international practices is robust and specific health and safety requirements for each country is relevant to the requirements of student nurse training.

    Approval of TPs is at the discretion of the AEI; it is important that clinical facilities, resources and equipment are reviewed in accordance with specific programme requirements and outcomes.

  2. ensure that students are enrolled with the RCVS prior to undertaking clinical placement (in order to comply with legislation).

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. Enrolment policies and procedures

    Guidance/Examples

    Enrolment policy in place as well as enrolment requirements detailed within the entry requirements and Programme Handbook so that students are aware of the process and requirements.

    Clear timeframes in place to ensure that there are no delays to enrolments and students will be enrolled prior to commencing placement or employment.

  3. ensure students are actively learning and adequately supervised in all clinical learning environments.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. TP/aTP Rotas
    2. Programme timetables
    3. Clinical placement records
    4. Job descriptions for educators, assessors and support staff
    5. Student feedback
    6. Quality assurance reports

    7. Clinical placement evaluations

    Guidance/Examples

    Where students are registered as apprentices, it is expected, in accordance with this requirement, that students are actively supported until they have achieved their qualification.

    TP/aTP approval and annual monitoring paperwork details RVN/MRCVS (UK Practising) supervision of student veterinary nurses when in practice.

    IQA sampling policy is in place and implemented to ensure regular logging of the DOC/DOS on the relevant platform.

    The Placement Handbook details roles and responsibilities of all parties i.e., Clinical Supervisor and Student Veterinary Nurse to ensure active learning and supervision.

    Clinical Supervisor (CS) training and standardisation incorporates roles and responsibilities of the CS to ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities as a CS and how to support students with their learning in practice.

    TP/aTP rotas reflect adequate time allocated for training and tutorial time for CSs and SVNs.

  4. ensure clinical learning environments are provided for every student, within a RCVS listed training practice or auxiliary training practice, for a minimum duration of hours as stipulated in the RCVS Veterinary Nurse Registration Rules.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. Clinical placement lists
    2. Memoranda of Understanding
    3. Registers
    4. Record of Employment
    5. Programme specification
    6. Time tables
    7. International clinical placement lists
    8. Self-Assessment Reports

    Guidance/Examples

    The AEI/Delivery site can demonstrate the retainment of TPs/aTPs for student training.

    Student, Placement and Programme Handbooks detail minimum placement hours and the process for recording and making up absences to ensure the minimum number of RCVS training hours are achieved.

    There is a process in place to audit training hours to ensure the minimum number are being met by each student to allow for registration as a Veterinary Nurse.

    Secondment documents are in place and reviewed for all practices that require students to gain some DOC/DOS evidence in different locations.

    Where international TPs/aTPs are utilised, there should be evidence of sufficient communication between the AEI/Delivery site and the practice to ensure they are fully aware of the registration requirements as these may differ from their own country’s requirements.

  5. all students must have sufficient time within the programme to achieve the VN Registration Rules hours requirement.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. Timetables
    2. Planned placement model
    3. Programme specification
    4. Individual learning plans
    5. UK clinical placement lists
    6. International clinical placement lists

    Guidance/Examples

    Student, Placement and Programme Handbooks detail minimum placement hours and the process for recording and making up absences to ensure the minimum number of RCVS training hours are achieved.

    The course structure is well balanced to allow sufficient time to gain all required theory and practice hours to meet RCVS registration requirements. This should also include any blended learning requirements.

  6. ensure all students are allocated a clinical supervisor responsible for confirming competency of RCVS Day One Skills for Veterinary Nurses. All clinical supervisors must be RVN or MRCVS (UK practising), be experienced and able to demonstrate an experienced level of clinical skills and ongoing professional development.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. CVs
    2. Records of co-ordination and continuity of support and supervision
    3. Records of CPD to support role
    4. Job description
    5. TP/aTP approval forms
    6. Clinical Supervisor checks made by provider

    Guidance/Examples

    TP/aTP paperwork details key staff within practice that will be involved in student training and that those persons have suitable Clinical Supervisor Training/Standardisation and keep up to date with RCVS CPD requirements.

    The IQA team regularly audit and monitor Clinical Supervisors i.e., sampling CPD records, CVs and job descriptions and carrying out direct observations, to ensure their assessment practice is current and fit for purpose.

    Support/risk banding assessments are completed to ensure appropriate monitoring/support is in place for new/high risk Practices or Clinical Supervisors.

    MoUs are in place with each TP/aTP and regularly reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose.

    The Placement Handbook stipulates the role of the Clinical Supervisor in practice to ensure roles and responsibilities are clear and transparent to all parties.

  7. maintain accurate records of student clinical learning environment attendance and provide these to RCVS upon request.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. Registers
    2. Records of Employment
    3. Records of training

    Guidance/Examples

    Student registers for theory and placement requirements are maintained and available for audit.

    Absence policy is in place to ensure that the correct process for absence recording is followed, and students are aware of when they need to make up hours.

  8. there must be sufficient TP support available for all recruited students.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. TP/aTP lists
    2. MOUs
    3. Secondment agreements and records
    4. Evidence of communication with primary affiliated centres
    5. TP/aTP visit strategy

    Guidance/Examples

    The AEI/Delivery site can demonstrate the retainment of TPs/aTPs for student training. The number of recruited students should not exceed the number of affiliated training practices available to support clinical learning.

    MoUs are in place with each TP/aTP and regularly reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose.

    Secondment documents are in place and reviewed for all practices where students are required to rotate to different branches or TPs/aTPs.

  9. ensure that training practices either hold a primary affiliation with the Approved Education Institution itself or its delivery site, or, where the training practice is to hold a secondary affiliation, that the training practice also holds a primary affiliation elsewhere and is an RCVS listed practice.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. TP memorandum of understanding
    2. aTP memorandum of understanding
    3. TP / aTP lists
    4. Student secondment records

    Guidance/Examples

    All TPs/aTPs utilities are RCVS accredited practices and relevant support/risk assessments are in place to ensure appropriate support and guidance is provided.

    MoUs are in place with each TP/aTP and regularly reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose.

    A placement tracker may be utilised to monitor the allocation of placements and any issues/concerns that may arise.

  10. ensure that where a secondary affiliated training practice is used there is a Memorandum of Understanding and robust communication between the Centre responsible for the secondary affiliated training practice and the Approved Educational Institution.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. Communication records
    2. Memoranda of understanding

    Guidance/Examples

    Communication between delivery sites is maintained and archived appropriately for future reference/transparency.

    MoUs and Secondment documents are in place with each TP/aTP and are regularly reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose.

    A placement tracker may be utilised to monitor the allocation of placements and any issues/concerns that may arise.

  11. be compliant with the RCVS standards framework for veterinary nursing education, including clinical requirements for all periods of learning undertaken outside the UK and comply with all relevant legislation and UK animal care and welfare standards (including the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966).

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. International placement policies
    2. Approval and monitoring records
    3. International training practice lists

    Guidance/Examples

    Where international placement practices are utilised, there should be an appropriate policy in place detailing the requirements for the TP and the processes that will be followed to ensure any differing requirements i.e., Radiation Protection that may differ from the UK are suitable to support training requirements of UK student veterinary nurses.

    International TP/aTP approval and annual monitoring documents are completed and maintained with relevant support/risk assessments completed.

  12. ensure clinical learning experiences are tailored to the student’s stage of learning, competences and programme outcomes.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. Rotas
    2. Timetables
    3. Day One Skills recording tool audits
    4. Clinical placement records and action plans
    5. Individual learning plans
    6. Student handbooks
    7. Placement handbooks
    8. Clinical Supervisor training and standardisation

    Guidance/Examples

    Encourage the completion of learning styles for learners to highlight individual learning needs.

    Discuss and promote learning styles and different coaching methods within CS Training and Standardisation materials/sessions.

    Evidence of time allocated to educators and clinical supervisors within work time to complete necessary documentation and provide one-to-one support to students.

    SEND support available to students along with reasonable adjustments where applicable.

    Clear guidance and targets detailed within Placement Handbook for the logging and completion of DOS.

    Evidence of regular tutorials between students and Clinical Supervisors/Tutors detailing discussions regarding academic and DOS progress with clear actions and support mechanisms in place where required.

  13. the veterinary team contribute to learning in the clinical environment in accordance with the RCVS Codes of Professional Conduct.

    This may be evidenced through:

    1. Clinical placement records
    2. Staff Codes of Conduct
    3. Staff rotas / timetables
    4. Witness statements
    5. Team meeting minutes
    6. TP/aTP approval and audit forms
    7. Memoranda of Understanding

    8. TP/aTP risk assessments

    Guidance/Examples

    Discuss and promote professional collaboration and learning from members of the veterinary team within CS training and standardisation materials/sessions.

    Implement the use of documented witness statements for observation of DOS in practice where required.

    The Placement Handbook should detail and encourage learning from other members of the veterinary team, supporting the role of the Clinical Supervisor.

    TP/aTP approval and monitoring paperwork details the recommendation for students to gain experiences from the veterinary team.

    The RCVS CoPC should be embedded and referred to within the Placement and Student Handbooks with clear links to the clinical environment and experiences gained.