After orientating Sunita to the ward and team, the next process is to conduct the initial interview so we could discuss learning needs and opportunities in placement area. Sunita had not had a previous placement in older adult setting and she is not sure what is on hand to learn as a result sunita will have an informal discussion with mentor to identify the learning opportunities. During the initial interview mentor will also verified Sunita level of knowledge and expectations. A mentor is accountable for making initial interviews with students to evaluate their learning needs and to create a plan on how to attend to these needs (RCN 2006, p.6). We looked through Sunita Practice Assessment Document (PAD) from previous placements and comments from her mentors.
Mentor initial thought was that she may need more support than she had expected at her stage of learning. It seemed that Sunita needs to develop confidence in her clinical skills and the underpinning knowledge. Sunita did express that she is unclear about what opportunities mentor area offers and is concerned about achieving her learning outcomes in her Practice.It is also important to consider that studies have shown that placements can be very stressful for students during training.
(Stuart 2007 cited in Beskine2009). Mentor and Sunita both then agreed and created a learning contract, the goals set were based on cooperatively identified need. Richardson (1987) demonstrate that the aim to create learning contract is to ensure learner can achieves agreed learning that learner required. Also The NMC (2008) summarize that an effective mentor needs to have knowledge of the student’s stage of learning consequently selecting relevant opportunities for those specific students learning needs.
Mentor decided that initially that she would become as Berne(1961) described nurturing parent to Sunita to establish boundaries to ensure Sunita felt safe. Until her confidence developed, then the rapport would be on an adult to adult basis on equal level for discussions and mutual expectations and discussions. By acting as an advocate for Sunita would promote her self-esteem and confidence. (Neary 2000) To articulate an effective learning contract it has to have necessary components as explained by Stuart (2007) learning objectives, the activities to facilitate these plans and resources for learning.In the learning process, it is important to identify sunita needs. This is to find out what type of learner is Sunita. From here mentor can find identify which learning style and learning theories that suitable for sunita. From the discussion between mentor and Sunita, it was noted that she has some difficulty linking evidence base and theory to practice, as well as prioritizing and coordinating.
She feels not confident. We agreed to make learning plan for improve her learning process. In this learning plan we concentrate with the important of delegating and prioritizing, what is the goal and what Sunita needed in this learning procedure. The objective is to achieve the goal of the target. My target for Sunita is I require her to be expert and understand the important of delegating.
In this situation, the main thing is to find what type of learner is Sunita and which learning style can be applied on her for the learning process. After identify which procedure that been chose, both of us have discussion to make daily plan to achieve our target within the set date. In this daily plan both of use will try to learn different method of learning style.I also provided Sunita, Honey and Mumford style of questionnaire.
The aim is to identify what type of learner and which learning style that appropriate in her learning process. Honey and Mumford have identified four type of learning style. The four learning style are activists, reflectors, theorists and pragmatist. This approach of questionnaire can help prevent repeating misunderstands by commencing activities of learning. From the interview Sunita admit that she is struggling to demonstrate the level of practice required for this part of her undergraduate programme.
Following been familiarize the important of this procedure and acknowledged the learning needed for Sunita , I have given her task to find the theories and correct procedure in delegation and prioritizing task when coordinating a shift. In this task, a time frame will be given as well. Learning plan is a process for helping person to enhance their knowledge (Duncan 1989).
