Wednesday 9 November 2011

Quality assuring nursing education

As I sit in the midst of my institution’s NMC Annual Monitoring visit, I am reflecting on the ways in which organisations work to ensure that the quality of their courses is of the highest standard. While the Monitoring Visits, and the other organisational quality assurance processes, are of absolute importance, I would suggest that quality assurance is an embedded feature of our everyday working lives. As an educator - whether in the university, in practice or both – we will all work towards the enhancement of the delivery of an educational experience for students that aims to prepare them as effective practitioners. I’m currently delivering a Clinical Leadership Masters module – an online module – and have worked very hard to provide creative learning materials and activities that will inspire the students to engage actively in the learning experience. Quality assurance for this comes through peer review, technological support, and external validation. Most importantly for me, the students’ responses to the activities and their ongoing feedback keeps my feet firmly on the ground, and my mind firmly focused on quality assurance and enhancement.

My own view is that the monitoring of quality is a learning opportunity – as well as an opportunity to celebrate what others tell us we are doing well. I personally experience this in my work life every day.

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