Successful Practice Learning for Nursing Students: (Transforming Nursing Practice Series)

About the Book

Pre-registration student nurses spend 50% of their training in practice which provides a wealth of opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. However, many new students find themselves in a clinical environment which is foreign and confusing. The new edition of this popular book (formerly Learning to Learn in Nursing Practice) helps nursing students prepare for their practice learning experiences, and get the most out of them in order to achieve the required standards. This book is, first and foremost, a practical guide for students on developing learning skills during their practice experiences.

Table of Contents:
Introduction What Is Practice Learning? How Do I Learn? Preparing for Practice Working with My Mentor Planning My Practice Experience Independent Learning in Practice Using Feedback to Learn Succeeding in Practice

About the Author :
Kath Sharples is a Senior Lecturer in Adult nursing and Kingston University. As an experienced Registered Nurse and Registered Nurse Teacher, Kath has a comprehensive understanding of the current challenges and developments within nurse education. Her main area of pedagogic interest and research activity is related to self-regulated learning in practice. Kath’s expertise is in developing and delivering innovative approaches to nurse education, with a special interest in developing the self-regulatory skills of student nurses undertaking their practice experiences.

Review :
′This book, part of the Transforming Nursing Practice series, is a revelation. I enjoyed it an would recommend it to every nursing student and those returning to practice. I just wish this book had been around when I began my return to practice′ -
Nursing Standard

"Smacks of authenticity - it′s clearly written by someone with first hand knowledge of placement learning. I liked this book very much indeed′ -
Lecturer, NWE

A useful book that is simple and relevant to nursing students and learning the practice of nursing. I would find it useful in facilitating reflective practice skills with students.
Thanks for the copy A good book to introduce the students to mentoring as they prepare for future roles. I particularly like the scenarios Liked the format of the book, easy to read and to dip in and out of. Good links to NMC. This is a very timely book owing to the increased emphasis on effective mentoring of pre registration students. Its format of information followed by activities renders the book appealing and practical. This book would also be a useful addition to any ward learning resources Recommended for purchase for clinical practice modules in all 4 years of the programme. This is a great book to help students at all levels prepare for the demands of practice learning. We use it in association with Reflective practice in nursing book in same series to help students understand their rights and responsibilities when learning in placement. We welcome this new edition which discusses the role of the sign off mentor. Would recommend this to new student nurses prior to their first placements. Easy to read and clearly set out. Particularly liked the mentor section. I would recommend this as background reading for students embarking on clinical placements. It can provide students with a focus and maximise their learning opportunities, especially if they feel challenged or uncertain with regard to clinical placments. It provides some useful case studies and activities and feels of an appropriate length that students might read all chapters. If offered a choice, whilst the topics are different, I feel this is more useful text than the clinical judgement and decision making for nursing students in the first year of study - especially now that credit will be awarded for practice experience. Explanation of terms E.g. standards, essential skills, clusters etc. Activites - which can be adapted for other courses. Unique. Clear signposting for students. i liked the ability to translate theory into practice - it is no easy task and the book achieves it I absolutely love this book,it will be recemmended reading for all of the students on the mentor preparation course.The format of the book is such that it allows mentors to understand how nurse education has evolved and to appreciate their role in the development of future nurses. It also helps them understand the importance of the student′s assessment book (that they all complain about so much), and why it is presented in the way it is in relation to the NMC standards. All of the chapters are well written and highly appropriate and the directed reflections are thought provoking. This is an excelllent book, straightforward to read and easy to engage with. A great addition to the teaching and learning repetoire. This should be a very useful resource for students, particularly those in the first year of the pre-registration nursing programme who are going onto practice placements for the first time. It could also be helpful to mentors and assessors as a reference point in supporting students. Lots of useful information and provides information about motivation to learn. Advice on practice and experiental learning processes I will ask the library to stock this book, as I feel it is a resource that some of our students will find useful. It gives ideas about leanring in practice and how to problem solve some of the issues. It is a book that can be ′dipped′ into, and signposts students quickly. it is not unsuitable, but i do not think the students would find this as important as learning the core topics during their first few months in practice.
As a lecturer i may use it in my sessions to develop discussion about placement areas prior to the students going out into the clinical environment.
Although similar to nursing, the ODP curriculum differs from some of the examples given. Written according to new NMC standards. Clearly written with helpful tips for students and mentors. Excellent text for students to prepare them for practice learning. Sample chapters which give background to NMC requirements and help to frame how practice based learning works. Packed with lots of practical advice for the student. accessible, comprehensive, address issues students are interested in and worry about.
Good chapters on organising learning and using feedback.
Strong links to NMC standards and ESC The book is really good for student nurses but I am module leader for post-reg mentoring so it′s not suitable for my courses. I will however bring it to the attention of some of my collegues who may find it suitable.
I do however think it gives good, systematic advice to new nurses on how to be successfull and what their responsibilities are.
I particularly like the use of examples and activities and feel this will help them with practcal application.
The chapter on feedback is especially good for students as well as the one on learning styles, which will help them with self assessment and development.
Nice links to skills clusters and NMC standards and the layout is aesthetically pleasing which always helps make reading more easy for me. Better placed in module 1 or 2. Another very good book. Well layed out, up to date, informative and at the right level for initial student nurses. I will be recommending this for my own personal tutor group. A clear simple to read text. Easy for students to understand and follow. a really good tool for the student′s tool box. An easy to read, useful text which will help provide valuable information to students commencing their practice placement. Readable and very practical for nursing students. Reader oriented text, clearly linked to nmc standards. Text provides generic advice and activities. The text offers student nurses strategies for exploring how to learn in and from practice′ and represent this learning in their portfolios and assignments. It is clearly linked to the new NMC competencies and provides frameworks for students to think about how the NMC key skills are relevant in nursing practice, and will provide opportunities for them to develop their ability to critically think about nursing. Again another very good book. Useful text for both pre registration students and return to practice nurses. Text address′ relevant issues well referenced. Excellent activities. This is an excellent book that links the students learning and the new curriculum. The activitives and reflection sections helps students to make sense of the wider curriculum. My only reservation is that it covers concepts that might be a little to complex for first years, however, it would be excellent for third years and academics who are not familiar with the new curriculum I like how the book is organised and the activities. It would be useful if there was a section on expected professional behaviours as this would link well across the content and could be linked to recent research related to this. In regards to presentation - the blue text boxes are rather hard to read. In future editions, it may be useful to review the use of the work ′training and refer to education instead. Really useful book in year one of the course when students are going out to placement. Good supporting reference book in the latter years as well. It is clear and simple, ideal for novice nurses and also mature learners. It incorporates many learning and reflective activities. The books is well referenced and provides adequate links for further research. A very useful text for students undertaking the mentorship module as an introduction and to help them appreciate the needs of the student.
A very useful text for 1st year students to help them prepare for their placements As with the other books in the series, the content and format is clear and concise. The opening chapters are similar but I appreciate that this needs to be the case as it is unlikely that a student will buy every book in the series! I have had a look through the book and find it a well balanced and ′easy to read′ text. I have indicated to learning resources that it would be of value to a student undertaking their preparatory programme. Excellent and easily digestible. Essential for any student in clinical placement. I really like the way it links up with the NMC essential skills clusters as this aligns it with many of the course module objectives on our u/g programme. Any text that discusses the importance of sound clinical skills and how to learn from practice should be recommended to all students for the three year programme. It′s an excellent resource for the mentorship programme, puts what a student wants and needs into a clear format for trainee mentor - answers the ′what do I do for students?′ ad what constitutes a positive learning environment. Easily digestible. The additional comments about the book which I would wish to add apart from recommending it are that it is easy to read, practical in its application and attention to relating theoretical issues in a well constructed format. very useful book to develop the students knowledge and skills whilst on practice placement. useful resource for mentors and education facilitators highlighted by case studies and scenarios User friendly and will help the students to understand the various learning methods and theories. It will also help me as a lecturer to identify student learning styles and plan my session according to students′ learning styles. I will recommend it to colleagues who provide teaching and pastoral support for first year students and those waiting to commence BSc NURS courses, as it comprehensive and provides a useful perspective for students to help them understand the learning opportunities and how to best take advantage of them An excellent and timely book for those undertaking degree level studies in nursing and for those in the process of rewriting curriculum. This is an excellent read, clearly written, contemporary and a good aid memoire. I′ve recommended it for a mentorship module but equally it is suitable for other practice based nursing education, reflection and modules where learning and teaching theory and practice are integrated into critical discussion of developmental issues. I particularly like the way the book presents learning styles in relation to the students practice experience - the activities and case studies engage students′ to discover their own learning style. This second edition has benn brought up to date in line with the NMC standards and should prove valuable to both pre registration students as well as qulaified staff undertaking modules associated with professional clinical education experience. Continues to develop the series. Takes the student through the placement experience from start to finish. The information related to feedback was especially useful. This book provides a good overview of practice learning and what to expect. Good links between the theories of learning and the practical applications. Very good use of the NMC Standards to make sense of these for the students. I like this book and feel it has some useful information. I would have liked to see some inclusion of feedback from service users and how this might be undertaken and detail on the hub and spoke approach to practice experiences recommended by the nmc. Really useful, easy to read and informative resource which will be useful for students who are preparing to go out into practice placement areas. I will be recommending this text to colleagues as an addition to the student non essential reading list.
I particularly liked the links to NMC standards and the activity based approach.
I am a little concerned that many of the references used in the book are from the 1990s. This will limit the longevity of the book. Finally I was pleased to see that the language used in this book is both modern and accessible. I look forward to seeing other books from this series I support mentors in clinical practice, and although this is a good text it focuses primarily on the needs of student nurses, which isn′t in my remit. I will forward to colleagues who may find it more applicable for thier modules I like the way the book is arrnged and the associated activities that enable studenst to think about thier practice, like the case studies, scenarios and focussed activities , will use it with stuednst in preapartion for practice An excellent book that prepares the student for learning in both university and clinical practice. I like the exercises, they test the students knowledge and build their confidence. Well done Kath. I thought that this book was invaluable for new student nurses. It gives clear direction and help with regards to the clinical practice documents and clinical practice itself. Easy to read, I especially like the scenarios which really apply the theory to practice examples. Excellent resource for students prior to starting their practice experiences
Would recommend this book for students prior to commencing the programme and in their first term
The student and mentors responsibilities are clearly outlined and the scenarios are very current Not enough to interest MH/LD nursing students - examples seen to be Adult/Child field focus. Clear understandable text, visually interesting. It speaks directly to the students′ own role and responsibility in their learning. This book I believe would be useful for students across all three years. It outlines for junior students how to get the most out of their practice experience. As they progress through the program it brings in teaching and learning issues, that certainly for our program is very relevant for our 3rd year students who develop teaching packs. A very informative book that is well laid out and is useful to both students and mentors to encourage maximum learning in the clinical environment Relates well to the student′s likely viewpoint and anxieties about being within practice. Anticipates the probable questions students may have and reinforces important aspects of the student experience. Overall, a comprehensive guide for students entering nursing practice. I will be making my colleagues in practice aware of this book as I think mentors will also benefit from this book. Although this well clearly written book is aimed at student nurses it is extremely useful to support new mentors undertaking their mentorship course. it gives an insight and an understanding of what may occur in practice , their expectations of students and mentors alike as well as demonstarting the potential ways of enhancing the learning experiences Very useful for learners and mentors. Excellent layout and very easy to read short sections without having to read whole book/chapter. Accessible for learners and registered nurses. This book is invaluable for preparation for practice, making the most of practice learning and evaluation of learning for all student in all fields of practice. tHIS BOOK WILL SUPPORT STUDENTS IN MAXIMISING THEIR PRACTICE OPPORTUNITIES AND GAIN THE MOST OF THOSE EXPERIENCES IN A STRUCTURED WAY. THE LINKS TO ESSENTIAL SKILLS CLUSTERS AND NMC STANDARDS FOR PRE REGISTRATION IS OF USE AS IT ALLOWS THE LINK TO NATIONAL REQUIRMENTS. Well structured, easy to follow and read. Covers key aspects of practice learning. It is easy to read- I have read most of it! However, it is very broad i.e. learning/motivation/development of nursing education. Perhaps it would benefit from being more focused? Recommended to my own group of students to assist them in practice. Clearly written and uses NMC Standards and Essential Skills clusters as the framework for each chapter. However, this is not followed through in each of the chapters.
It makes the assumption that learners are new to practice learning - would not be suitable for students already into their programme.
Focus could be more slanted towards experience in community and social care and interprofessional learning.
I also did not identify terminology associated with new NMC standards ie generic and field specific competencies. However, a good basic background to the topic It gives a clear outline of the ways in which students can gain the best out of their practice learning environments. Good for tutors to plan their lessons from. Good for supplementary reading for students prior to clinical placement. This is a very well written book that will prove very useful to both students and their teachers. This is an easy access book with useful activities for both students and lecturers to use.The layout makes the book accessible for applying theory to practice and a book where students can ′dip′ into. It addresses the students and therefore a supportive style of writing. I am sure it will be successful and popular with students and lecturers I use this on open days for applicants considering nursing as a career it is a comprehensive guide to practice learning for students, the text is laid out in a logical manner The positive aspects of this book include the ′useful websites′ and common sense approach to practice learning - I have also found this text useful for mentor preparation/support. Helpful for both students and mentors in the preparation of developing a good learning environment for those in practice.
a nice guide to help students recognise the elements of practice learning essential for their programme of study I like that it is clearly set out, easy to read and understand, relates well to practice
I feel that some of the examples are stated in a rather negative language as if the author anticipates problems Like provides clarity regarding expectation in practice learning environment. Relating this to a reflective model veryuseful in support of teaching particularly at beginning of the course. With regards to teaching from middle of year 2, it is a little basic. Hence wouldn′t feature on my reading lists. Students on placement will find this useful to help them to understand how to work towards achieving the NMC standards in practice. Valuable tool to direct students and to encourage independent and pre placement preparation. Particularly find chapter 3 and 4 encourage students to take responsibility with regards to planning and reflection. A useful book which we will request for the library as an additional resource ...I liked the activities and supportive tone the book clearly guides students in their development as a student and will be a useful resource. For Mentorship module, rather limited in depth of content for the Postgraduate Certificate in Health and Social Care Education Programme. Useful to prepare students for practice while in the university setting and for reflection upon their experiences. Reccommended to placement mentors to help support and develop student experiences. A useful book for guiding students as they enter the various practice learning opportunities. I will recommend to my second year students Logical order and content.
It does appear quite text heavy.
Use of more bullet pointed signposting would be useful I think. Structure around the NMC Standards and domains etc is useful as an introduction to practice education/placement learning.
Case studies good for capturing key points of learning for students (and mentors). Would have liked a section on placement evaluation responsibilities of the student (and mentor) for quality enhancement processes, as these may be overlooked. Really friendly text, easy to read. Really well laid out book. Easy for students and lecturers I will be recommending this to first year students as background reading as to how to manage their learning in practice and help identify how they can positively prepare for clinical placements I am not sure I like the layout, too many dots/grey/black etc but good to see the book is very up to date re sign off mentors etc Strong application to practice. Students have requested more praparation for practice and this text will assist us in that. As will most of the new publications, this book should prove very useful to students. I shall make reference to it in particular with my year 1 students. Clearly laid out with logical order. Easy for a student to dip into and gets them thinking about how they learn in practice (often they get too tied up in the doing and can forget the learning). Also like the fact that most books in the learning matters series are available on kindle as many students have these. Easy to read with lots of really super advice and guidance, a real support for the student.