The Development of the Post Registration Career Framework for Nurses in Wales: Implications for

the Advanced Practitioner

Dr JEAN WHITE

Welsh Assembly Government

• Overview of the policy drivers/unique features

• Key aspects of the proposed career framework

• Issues for advanced practitioners

This session will provide….

• Health is a devolved matter; professional regulation is not.

• Devolution has led to significant differences in health and social services policies between Home Countries

• Key challenge is how to ensure you have a flexible competent nursing workforce, fit for the needs of the service, whose members have recognisable skills and competencies which enable them to easily move around the UK [and beyond].

Devolution

• 35,518 registered nurses employed by NHS Wales

• 1,356 practice nurses employed by GPs

• All Wales Fitness for Practice Initiative to support 2002 curriculum change. Key elements shared across Wales

• All degree level initial preparation nurses 2004 & midwives 2003

• Since 2000 - standards for nurse, midwife, AHP and paramedic consultant posts – masters mandatory

• Free to Lead: Free to Care initiative (empowering ward sisters/charge nurses)

Nursing in Wales

“Nurses are vital to achieving the health care reform programme. We need to make sure that nurses have a career structure which enables them to work in different care settings, to take on changed roles and responsibilities, develop a varied mix of skills, to pursue education and training when they need it, and to develop both generalist and specialist skills as they require them.”

Modernising Nursing Careers: Setting the Direction (2006)

The ambition

Closing date 27.2.09

Starting point

1. Wales’ standards for non medical consultants 2. Scotland’s Advanced Practice Toolkit

Common themes in both:- Clinical/Professional Practice         - Leadership and Management       - Facilitated Learning and Development     - Research Nursing roles at career levels 8 and 9 ‘Leadership and Management’ will be extended to include ‘strategic service development’

Board level management roles will also include ‘corporate skills/responsibilities’.

Principles

Skills for Health - Career Framework Levels would be used

Recognition that although career frameworks are presented as ladders of progression, many nurses stay within a level, often doing different roles. Framework therefore supports lateral and well as vertical progression

Post Registration Career Framework for Nurses in Wales - consultation

Consolidation phase – increased rotation/taster experiences – some to be linked to patient pathways – include education, research, in-patient and community/primary care. Preceptorship – linked to NMC work.

Post Registration Career Framework for Nurses in Wales - consultation

Nurses to have development in each of the key dimensions commensurate with the role they are in

Career advice at key points

Specific management and leadership preparation for ward managers/sisters/charge nurses

Post Registration Career Framework for Nurses in Wales - consultation

Recognition of specialist and generalist practice up to advanced level. Education and training to prepare practitioners for roles – emphasis on knowledge and skills preparation that can be transferred.

Clinical Nurse Specialists to have a degree in a relevant subject and be able to demonstrate competencies in field.

Advanced level practitioners – develop existing clinical nursing staff so that they meet the description and role competencies of advanced practice, this includes supporting staff to reach graduate status and subsequently complete education at master’s level.

Expert Practice

Specialist Practice

Generalist Practice

Novice Practice

Post Registration Career Framework for Nurses in Wales - consultation

Flexible approach to clinical academic careers – greater movement between education and service.

Investment in research capacity building

Already in place:

- Research Capacity Building Collaboration Wales

- Clinical Research Collaboration Cymru – research networks, community of scholars

- Research policy board and external advisory board

Pre-registration degree level preparation

5

6

7

8

9+

Level

WIDE ENTRY GATE

Consolidation of practice

Careers in: generalist/ specialist clinical posts, academic and teaching posts.

Continued education in 4 ‘pillars’:• Clinical/Professional Practice • Leadership and Management • Facilitated Learning & Development• Research

Registration

Careers in consultant, senior and strategic level roles, senior clinical academic and academic/research posts.

Continued education in 4 ‘pillars’ plus (where appropriate)• Strategic service development• Corporate skills/responsibilities

Overview of the career framework

Graduate and post graduate

level study

Post graduate to doctorate level study

Advanced Practice

Careers in advanced generalist/ specialist roles, ward manager posts, management, education and research posts.

Continued education in the 4 ‘pillars’

Career Advice

The Challenge

The nurses we have now will be in our workforce for the next 20-30 years.

Academic attainment – will take time to realise aspiration of an all graduate profession

Misleading use of titles, especially specialist/ advanced practitioner

Financial pressures – will it inevitably lead to less nurses and more support staff? Or will we see more advanced practitioners with expanded remits?

Will people still want to be nurses in the future?

Questions?