Innovation
Developing and co-ordinating a user and carer involvement group (June 2010 to present day).
A fundamental way that I have sought to make learning environments more effective across college programmes has been to establish a service user and carer involvement (health) group, with myself as co-ordinator. Our service user and carer colleagues are now involved in interviewing prospective students, classroom teaching, planning programmes and content and evaluation; with plans for involvement in student feedback and assessment processes. The user and carer involvement (health) group has focussed on the development of the new pre-registration nursing curriculum for the past two years. The group developed guidance which included ‘What’s wanted in a nurse, what’s wanted in healthcare and what’s wanted in nurse education?’, which has been a key part of curriculum design.
Service user involvement is now increasing across our health programmes, especially nursing, with our good practice highlighted nationally (Willis commission, 2012). I have selected this activity as I am very proud of how the group has grown and developed in the past three years. I have personally grown as a result of facilitating all aspects of the group, and the individuals involved in our group, in relation to their confidence and skill development.
What prompted innovation?
Professional programmes and regulatory bodies now require that education providers demonstrate how they have involved service users (health care patients) in the development and delivery of programmes.
Service user involvement benefits student learning with increased communication and empathy skills and understanding of the service user perspective (Terry, 2012). It also acknowledges the wider context of higher education, as local people have become increasingly involved, and empowered.Professional programmes and regulatory bodies now require that education providers demonstrate how they have involved service users (health care patients) in the development and delivery of programmes.
Service user involvement benefits student learning with increased communication and empathy skills and understanding of the service user perspective (Terry, 2012). It also acknowledges the wider context of higher education, as local people have become increasingly involved, and empowered.
What makes innovation different?
As this is now a requirement by regulatory bodies it need not necessarily be viewed as different. However, at the College of Human and Health Sciences in Swansea University our service user and carer involvement is functioning at level that of which we are proud.
We have developed from ad-hoc arrangements some three years ago, to significant involvement across a range of health programmes. We now have over thirty members on our database, including seven members who have become Honorary Associates of the College.
Changes in practice
- Students have increased awareness of the service user and carer perspective from their first module in the new pre-registration nursing curriculum, with increased knowledge about dignity and respect.
- Academic staff now consider and seek out service user and carer opportunities in a variety of ways, and ensure good practice guidelines are adhered to.
Impact
- In order to ensure evaluation processes and to measure impact, an annual review day commenced this year. This involves the user and carer group, students and academic staff.
- A user and carer involvement audit tool is currently under development in order that further impacts can be measured and evaluated.
- Student programme evaluations from the past two years have included positive comments about increased user and carer involvement in the classroom.
Dissemination
A number of service user and carer involvement projects have been disseminated, with further planned this year:
- September 2012 – Terry, J. (2012) The pursuit of excellence in user involvement in nurse education. 23rd International Networking for Healthcare Education conference. Cambridge: 4th September 2012, p19
- November 2011- Terry, J. (2011) The pursuit of excellence in user involvement in nurse education. Wales Centre for Practice Innovation conference. Swansea: Swansea University
- September 2011 – International Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research (NPNR) – The pursuit of excellence in user involvement in nurse education