@article{Cushen-Brewster_Barker_Driscoll-Evans_2022, title={The Experiences of Practice Educator Facilitators and Academics Supporting Adult Nursing Students Completing a Paid Placement During the COVID-19 }, volume={10}, url={https://publications.coventry.ac.uk/index.php/pblh/article/view/722}, DOI={10.18552/ijpblhsc.v10i1.722}, abstractNote={<p><span class="TextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9" lang="EN-GB" xml:lang="EN-GB" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">The first phase of the COVID-19 global pandemic had a significant impact on </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">nursing </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">students studying in the United Kingdom, heralding changes to every aspect of their lives</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">Practice </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">E</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">ducat</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">ion</span> <span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">F</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">acilitators </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">(PEFs) and academics had to respond quickly and work in close collaboration with their wider system partners</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">,</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> Health Education England</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> (HEE)</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> and the Department of Health (DH). C</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">hanges in emergency measures implemented by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) provided nursing</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> students in their final six months of study with the opportunity of completing a paid placement. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">The </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">objectives </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">of this study </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">were </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">to explore the experiences of academics and PE</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">F</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">s supporting </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">nursing students and to identify examples of good practice. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">A</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> phenomenological approach</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> was used </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">seeking to understand the lived experience of PEFs and academics within one case study site. A purposeful sample of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">ten </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">participants w</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">as</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> chosen </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">using s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">emi-structured interviews and focus groups </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">to collect the data </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">via a virtual platform. The results highlighted three themes</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">: </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">communication, innovative learning opportunities and the importance of support mechanisms. PEFs and academics reported how they had increased their competence and confidence in using virtual platforms. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">They suggested that c</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">hanges they implemented </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">during the pandemic </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">to support staff and students w</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">ould </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">become embedded in their future practice. Th</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">is study </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">provide</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> insight</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> into how PEFs and academics transformed their practice to support students and clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having robust virtual platforms for the development of continuing learning opportunities and enhanced communication approaches across health and academic environments </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9">was essential to this success. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW225961396 BCX9"> </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW225961396 BCX9" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559685":567,"335559737":567,"335559739":240,"335559740":276}"> </span></p>}, number={1}, journal={International Journal of Practice-based Learning in Health and Social Care}, author={Cushen-Brewster, Noreen and Barker, Annie and Driscoll-Evans, Paul}, year={2022}, month={Oct.}, pages={11–22} }