PLATO: A practice education tool to support learning and professional development

Kirsten Jack; Claire Hamshire

doi:10.1016/j.nepr.2019.04.008

PLATO: A practice education tool to support learning and professional development

Nurse Educ Pract. 2019 May:37:141-145. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2019.04.008. Epub 2019 Apr 24.

Authors

Kirsten Jack¹, Claire Hamshire²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care, Manchester Metropolitan University, Bonsall Street, Manchester, M15 6GX, UK. Electronic address: k.jack@mmu.ac.uk.
² Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care, Manchester Metropolitan University, Brooks Building, 53 Bonsall Street, Manchester, M15 6GX, UK. Electronic address: c.hamshire@mmu.ac.uk.

PMID: 31101382
DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2019.04.008

Abstract

It is important that nursing students are adequately supported during their clinical practice placements in order to promote effective learning and reduce student attrition. Educators have an important role and this paper offers an interactive tool, 'PLATO', (The Practice Learning and Teaching Orientations Tool) to support them to meaningfully engage with learners in the practice setting. To enable such engagement, four personal orientations are presented, (role model, advocate, legitimiser and respecter) which enable educators to explore their role, across both local and wider contexts. PLATO recognises the multiple and varied influences on practice education and supports educators to develop their practice in a positive way.

Keywords: Context; Educator; Relationships; Student.

MeSH terms

Clinical Competence
Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / methods*
Humans
Learning*
Mentors*
Nurse's Role
Qualitative Research
Staff Development*
Students, Nursing