A student coaching in practice (SCiP) approach: the impact on adult field pre-registration nursing students

This article discusses the findings of a research project that explored the impact of a coaching approach in preparing pre-registration nursing students for their next stage of learning (or registration) and to determine whether students perceived this approach as helpful in increasing confidence.

The development and implementation of the ‘student coaching in practice’ (SCiP) approach is discussed. The term SCiP was chosen from a range of ideas received from practice partners across three UK NHS trusts and students across years 1, 2 and 3 of their pre-registration nursing programme. The term was felt to encompass the approach of practice supervision proposed. Although not a specific aim of the research project, as part of SCiP implementation, practice capacity was significantly increased.

Coaching is a term that is used across a multitude of disciplines including health care and is not a new concept (Lobo et al, 2014; Clutterbuck et al, 2016). In the UK nursing arena, supervisory coaching as a concept is gaining impetus (Ashworth, 2018). This has been encouraged by the introduction of the Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment (SSSA) (Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), 2019), and a need to improve placement capacity for nursing students. Coaching does not require the same level of one-to-one mentorship described in the previous NMC Standards to Support Learning and Assessment in Practice (SLAiP) (NMC, 2008). However, it does continue to promote support and supervision to students in achieving their learning goals.