Learning and personal development – evaluation by a general practice nurse

Complete the following table:

What are the outcomes you hope for in assessing your learning and development over the past year?
For example: ‘the learning and development I have received during the past 12 months was provided in such a way as to make me feel confident and competent to be able to do the everyday tasks and take on the new roles and responsibilities I am expected to do as a general practice nurse (GPN) in this practice’.

What do you hope to gain by completing this evaluation of your learning?
For example: ‘to assess the content, how well my personal learning and development went and what I achieved, to prepare me to be able to do the everyday and new tasks I am expected to do as a GPN in this practice’.

Now complete all or part of sections A, B and/or C of this Tool to evaluate how your learning and development went in the last 12 months of your post as a GPN.

This is a self-assessment and your perspective might be biased, or you might not know what standards to expect. So it will be best if you compare your answers to the questions below with the responses to similar questions completed by your practice manager or one of the GPs or your primary care trust (PCT).

A. What was the content of your learning and development like? Have you:

drawn up a personal development plan (PDP)? If ‘yes’ is it:

up-to-date

accompanied by a record of your learning such as a learning journal (see
Tool – Creating a personal development plan )?

received a performance review or appraisal – Tool – Setting up a GPN forum ?

received in-house learning and development?

received learning and development from sources outside the practice team –
Tool – Identify your career anchors and how well you perceive these to match your current job and
Tool – Self analysis: your skills and strengths, plans and vision )?

received supervision: managerial, personal and clinical (see Tool – The GROW diagram )?

B. How did your learning and development work out? Have you:

discussed the contents of your PDP and what type of learning activities would suit your personal style with someone who is knowledgeable on the matter (see Tool – Hints and tips on compiling your CV )?

received a review or appraisal of the extent to which you have completed the PDP you had drawn up previously?

Was the review helpful and supportive, discussing and identifying further learning activities you could undertake and the resources to do so (see Tool – Setting up a GPN forum )?

been able to undertake the learning activities that were agreed in your PDP as in-practice learning?

been able to undertake the learning activities from sources outside the practice (eg e-learning, disease specific modules, cervical cytology training, nurse prescribing etc) that were agreed in your PDP
(see Tool – Identify your career anchors and how well you perceive these to match your current job ,
Tool – Self analysis: your skills and strengths, plans and visions and Tool – Careers information for nurses )?

received supportive supervision of your work as a GPN most of the time (see Tool – The GROW diagram )?

C. What was the outcome of your learning and development?

Have you gained any accreditation from the learning and development you have undertaken in the past 12 months?

Does an audit show that you are undertaking the tasks, roles and responsibilities that are part of your job in a consistently competent manner?

Can you show that you are competent to undertake the tasks, roles and responsibilities expected of you as a GPN?

Draw up a record chart including the skills you have, see Tool – Varying roles within general practice nursing (eg taking venous blood samples, recording blood pressure and pulse, recording an electrocardiogram, collecting and testing urine samples, wound care, recording visual acuity). Then you should complete it, and ask your supervisor to complete it independently. Compare your responses with those from your clinical supervisor for each type of skill and compare yourself with the best practice described in the Tool – Varying roles within general practice nursing

Conclusion

If things are going well, you will have answered 'yes' to nearly every question in each of sections A, B and C. Discuss any questions to which you have answered 'no' with your line manager and see if things can be improved for you.