Wendy Watson
Senior Lecturer Edinburgh Napier
University/ Lead Practitioner for
Practice Education NHS Lothian
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Background
Proposed Student calculation Tool
Progress to date
Implementation Plan
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Student numbers decided by the Scottish
Government
Based on work force planning requirements
High numbers in current work force nearing
retirement
Student numbers continue to increase-up 10%
this year
NMC -Students need to spend 50% in practice
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Service re-design
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HV requirements
ITU re-organisation in NHS Lothian
Wards opening –temporary
Wards closing/reconfiguring at short notice
Health/Social Care Agenda
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There is inequity and inconsistency in student
numbers within placement areas where
staffing and care contexts are similar.
There is no obvious correlation between
current NMC Mentor and student numbers in
placement areas.
How and where placements are utilised is not
always reflective of student learning needs,
university programmes or current and future
services and roles.
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Work is being under taken across NHS Lothian
and NHS Borders to scope and develop the use
of a student allocation calculation tool to
address issues highlighted
Background
 The work is based on a formula considering
bed/staff numbers and mentor numbers and
builds on positive feedback from work carried
out in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and
NHS Lanarkshire.
This will be based on a formula considering
bed/staff numbers and mentors.
 Scoping currently in progress across all fields
of practice
 Different calculations for wards(? 4 beds one
student) 1:1 care delivery areas and community
settings
 Proposed mentor calculation -1.5 mentors per
student
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(a) In-patient bed holding areas: 1 student per 4
beds (0.25 wte students per bed)
(b) Day patient bed/trolley areas: 1 student per 4
beds/trolleys
(c) One to one care delivery areas (e.g. ITU;
Theatres; OPD; Treatment Room): beds/treatment
areas divided by 2 = student number
(d) Day hospital services and community nursing
services: 1 student to every 2.5 wte registered
nurses/midwives (excluding Senior Charge
Nurses/Team Leaders and including Community
Practice Teachers)
NHS Borders
 Discussions ongoing to consider
implementation of a calculation tool
NHS Lothian
 Data is being collated from placement areas in
relation to current student/mentor numbers
and this is being re-calculated to show changes
if the calculation tool is used
Meetings now taking place with Associate Nurse
Directors to discuss their individual results using
the proposed tool and highlight any issues that are
foreseen.
Issues will include
 Lack of trained mentors
 Lack of registered staff
 Current university curriculum not suitable for
proposed student increases eg theatres and ITUs so
will not be possible to implement until the new
ENU curriculum is commenced in September 2016
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Any specific areas which will not be able to meet
the agreed calculation within the next year will
have alternative arrangements in - line with
clinical reality agreed by the local Associate Nurse
Director
Once individual Associate Nurse Directors have
agreed the calculations (and any alternative
arrangements) for their areas the tool will be
phased in over the next year.
This will involve the local PEF meeting with the
Charge Nurses with the paperwork for the new
allocations and any phased arrangements.
January 2016
 Allocations to be made in accordance to agreed
Student allocation tool where possible within
current curriculum
Sept 2016
 Calculation tool implemented to full potential