Guidelines for Sign-Off Mentors
The sign-off mentor role is a requirement of the NMC (2008) Standards to Support
Learning and Assessment in Practice to ensure that students have reached the
required standard of proficiency for safe and effective practice for entry to the NMC
Register.
A sign-off mentor will be required for:
 All midwifery placements from September 2007
 Students
in
the
final
Practice/Management
assessed
module)
of
3
placement
year
(Preparation
pre-registration
for
nursing
programmes starting from September 2007. The first sign-off placements
will therefore be in 2010
Who can be a sign-off mentor?
 In CMFT any nursing staff who qualified as mentors prior to September
2007 will automatically be placed on the live register as a sign-off mentor. All
other mentors will need to meet additional criteria
 The NMC requires mentors who have not yet met the additional criteria to be
supported by a sign-off mentor or a practice teacher if it is the student’s final
placement
The sign-off mentor, who has met the NMC additional criteria for assessing
proficiency, is responsible and accountable for making the final sign-off in practice
therefore confirming that a student has successfully completed all practice
requirements.
Role of the Sign-Off Mentor
At the end of a student’s programme a sign-off mentor will use the Ongoing
Record of Achievement (student passport) along with other evidence to
determine that a satisfactory standard of practice proficiency has been achieved as
well as being demonstrated in the current placement.
Fig 1. Ongoing Record of Achievement
Responsibility and Accountability
 Your professional accountability remains the same.
 At present a mentor signs off a student in the final placement, confirming to
the NMC that they are have achieved the required standards of proficiency
to be entered onto the professional register. This is exactly what a sign-off
mentor will do, but will have access to more information (Ongoing Record of
Achievement) to support the decision to pass or fail the student.
 A sign-off mentor will not be expected to re-assess decisions made by
previous mentors.
 In order to make a judgement regarding the student’s suitability to progress,
sign-off mentors must be satisfied that the student is competent in each
learning outcome.
 Sign-off mentors may need to use different sources of evidence
(observation, question and answer, simulation, student portfolio)
 As a Sign-off mentor you must document any concerns that you have with
regards to the students progress
 You must feedback to the student any concerns you have about their
progress to allow them opportunity to make improvements. You must involve
others i.e. other mentors, Practice Education Facilitator, if you have
concerns
Once qualified, all nurses on the professional register are accountable for their own
actions. As the sign-off mentor who has assessed a student you are ONLY likely to
face a formal proceeding if:
 The role of sign-off mentor has been taken on without having the
appropriate qualification or authorisation for doing so
OR
 The sign-off mentor has been irresponsible in their decision-making.
All mentors will need to have their performance as a mentor reviewed (by their
employer) once every three years (the triennial review) via the Trusts Annual
Declaration Form
Support for Sign-Off Mentors
 The NMC requires that sign-off mentors have time to reflect, give feedback
and keep records of student achievement in their final period of practice
learning. NMC recommends that sign-off mentors should be allowed 1 hour
protected time, per student, per week in order to support them in this role,
and for student assessment to take place.
 Similar to their mentor role, sign-off mentors must work with the student at
least 40% of the time to be able to make fair and appropriate final
judgements
 Mentors and sign-off mentors should always take account of the input of
other members of the team when dealing with assessment decisions
 Concerns and worries should always be shared with the PEF/ personal
tutor/ link lecturer
 Mentor updates and meetings will provide further advice and guidance
If you require any further guidance on your role as sign-off mentor in
CMFT please contact your Practice Education Facilitator for your area
Sharon Green Sharon.green@cmft.nhs.uk
Trish Morgan trish.morgan@cmft.nhs.uk
Patricia Ormrod patricia.ormrod@cmft.nhs.uk
Roisin Bradley roisin.bradley@cmft.nhs.uk
Mike McNamee Mike.mcnamee@cmft.nhs.uk
0161 276 4372
0161 276 4745
0161 276 4075
0161 901 1854
0161 901 1855
SIGN OFF MENTOR FLOWCHART IN PRACTICE
All Third year, Final placement
students should be allocated a Sign
off mentor in practice.
Sign off mentors should have ‘live’ mentor
status.
(Attended an annual mentor update within
the last 12mths)
Sign off mentor Initial meeting should identify mid and final point review
of Practice Placement Documentation / highlighting final sign off of the
ongoing Record of Achievement.
OUTCOMES NOT ACHIEVED BY END
OF PLACEMENT?
1.
1. SIGN APPROPRIATE OUTCOMES AS “NOT
ACHIEVED” OR “POOR”.
2.
2. STUDENT OR MENTOR SHOULD CONTACT
PERSONAL TUTOR / ULL AND INFORM PEF FOR
YOUR SPECIFIC AREA
3.
4.
3.ACTION PLAN / PRACTICE REFERRAL .
OUTCOMES ACHIEVED BY END OF
PLACEMENT?
1. CHECK AND SIGN PRACTICE OUTCOMES AS
ACHIEVED.
2. SIGN AND VERIFY ONGOING RECORD OF
ACHIEVEMENT / STUDENT PASSPORT.
3. CHECK THAT ALL SECTIONS OF THE PASSPORT
ARE SIGNED AND DATED.
4. IF THERE ARE ANY GAPS IN THE PASSPORT
REFER STUDENT TO ULL /PEF.
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF PRACTICE ASSESSMENT /
ONGOING RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT
Mentor / Student support is available from your Practice
Education Facilitator Team at any stage during this process.