The assessment process, using feedback and confirmation of achievement

Practice Assessor - Scenario 1

A discussion between student midwife and practice assessor – communication skills:

Ruth, aged 18 is a first-year student midwife. She has been working with 2 different practice supervisors on the labour ward for the last four weeks. Both have noticed, that Ruth appears very uncomfortable when observing or participating in intimate procedures (For example, vaginal examinations).

She is reluctant to discuss these aspects of care with women and whenever possible avoids participation by making excuses to leave the labour room. Ruth is generally very quiet and her overall communication skills are poor. Mostly she chooses not to engage in conversations with women and their birth partners and tends to avoid eye contact.

Both practice supervisors have discussed their observations and the importance of communication with Ruth, but no improvement has been seen. As Ruth’s Practice Assessor you have arranged to meet with her.

Think about the following and make notes to guide your discussion with the student midwife:

• What assumptions (if any) might you make about the student?
• What do you need to address in the meeting?
• What communication skills would you need to demonstrate?
• How would you frame the feedback that you give the student on their performance?
• What would you do after the meeting?
• How would you reflect and evaluate your own experience of the meeting?

Practice Assessor - Scenario 2

A discussion between student midwife and practice assessor – An issue of competency:

Rosie is a mature 3^rd year student midwife, who prior to commencing midwifery education worked as a care assistant in the maternity unit in her placement Trust.  She has been in placement on the antenatal ward where you are the Practice Assessor for five weeks. She has previously had 1^st and 2^nd year placements on the ward. She is known to be a very confident student who is overfriendly with trained members of staff.

Rosie’s practice supervisor has raised concerns about her performance because she has failed on more than one occasion to escalate observations which have triggered on the MEOWS chart or to recognise the seriousness of changes in maternal condition.

On one occasion she failed to recognise the presence of meconium after a spontaneous rupture of membranes. On another gave advice to a woman that a vaginal bleed was a show and advised that she should not worry. You have arranged to meet with Rosie as her practice assessor.

Think about the following and make notes to guide your discussion with the student midwife:

• What assumptions (if any) might you make about the student?
• What do you need to address in the meeting?
• What communication skills would you need to demonstrate?
• How would you frame the feedback that you give the student on their performance?
• What would you do after the meeting?
• How would you reflect and evaluate your own experience of the meeting?

Practice Assessor - Scenario 3

A discussion between student midwife and Assessor – Difficulty in collating feedback:

Rachel is a 2^nd year student midwife, who is currently 6 months into the academic year. She is now working on the postnatal ward. You have recently taken over the role of Rachel’s Practice Assessor from your colleague Jean who has now left the Trust.

Rachel’s initial interview was completed in October at the beginning of the academic year and Jean and Rachel last met in February to discuss her progress. It is now mid-April and you have been unable to arrange a meeting with Rachel despite several attempts to do so. Records that you have from the previous student assessor meetings show that no previous concerns were documented, but you have been unable to obtain formal feedback from either Cathy or Jamila, Rachel’s practice supervisors.

From your observation you have noticed that Rachel is keen to perform 3^rd year skills, such as suturing and cannulation and is reluctant to discuss this with you. Neither Cathy or Jamila have responded to your emails requesting feedback and whilst you have not seen Jamila recently, Cathy seems reluctant to discuss Rachel’s progress. This scenario is making your assessor role challenging.

Think about the following and make notes to guide your approach to this situation:

• What assumptions (if any) will you make about this scenario?
• What do you need to address?
• How would you approach this scenario?
• How would you frame the feedback that you give to the practice supervisors?
• How would you evaluate your own facilitation of that learning?