Professional Development

Author: Rachel A Munton RGN RMN CPN CERT RNT MA

Guidance on the completion of the MHNA Professional Development Record and the Attendance Certificate

This guidance will outline ways in which you can use the MHNA’s Professional Development Record and Attendance Certificate in a way which most effectively fulfils the PREP requirements (UKCC 1997). PREP is about developing individual nurses, midwives and health visitors in order to maintain and improve standards of patient and client care. Comprehensive information about the nature of these requirements in relation to mental health nursing practice is contained in the guidance on PREP.

In summary the following guidance helps you to address two of the four key elements of PREP:

a minimum of 5 days or equivalent (35 hours) of study activity every three years

maintaining a personal professional profile containing details of your professional development

The MHNA’s Attendance Certificate and Professional Development Record have been prepared to help members to meet these requirements. The suggestions for completion which follow are just that: suggestions. If you don’t want to fill in all the boxes, or if you want to use the form in a different way from the suggestions, this is entirely acceptable.
It is best to meet the PREP requirements in a way which you find meaningful and acceptable. MHNA members should also make reference to the pamphlet “PREP & You; Protecting the Public through professional standards” (UKCC, October 1997), which replaces the UKCC 1995 factsheets referred to in the earlier handbook insert.

Completion of the MHNA Professional Development Record and Attendance Certificate
Boxes 1-5 of the Professional Development Record: These first sections record factual details about you and the activity or event.
The Attendance Certificate: provides not only a confirmation of your attendance at a formal event, but also includes a framework to record Professional Development as a result of that attendance. This certificate may be issued at events in which the MHNA have had an involvement.

Duration of the Activity/event: As the PREP requirements stipulate a number of days of professional development over the preceding 3 years, an accurate record of the duration of the event is essential. Hours, or short activities can then contribute to a cumulative total, which you could note here if you wished. Records of Professional Development that you make in relation to periodic re-registration & the PREP requirements should be kept for 6 years (UKCC 1997).

Nature of Activity/Event: It is important to remember that professional development activity is diverse, and is certainly not confined to formal education events. For example, this record might be used for reflections on a visit to a Community resource, or a period of independent study in a library. Any event or activity from which you can distil learning, and which is relevant to your own professional role and registration is acceptable. The UKCC has provided 5 broad categories which may be of assistance in categorising the nature of the activity: patient client and colleague support; care enhancement; practice development; reducing risk; education development. You can read more about these categories in “PREP and You” (UKCC 1997, p11).

This event was facilitated/led by: It may be useful to record the other parties involved for events other than large study days or conferences. If there is an identified leader for the activity, this can be noted here.

My reason for attending were: This provides you with an opportunity to review your reasons for engaging in this activity before you did so. With this in mind, it may be nest to consider this section before the activity so that a meaningful comparison can be made with the actual outcomes of the activity in evaluation.

What were the learning outcomes of the activity/event: You should write here what you actually learned from the event or the activity. This may be different from your stated intentions in undertaking the event, or indeed from the stated learning outcomes at a formal study day or educational event. For example, a stated learning outcome at a workshop on Risk Assessment may be the definition of the term risk and the application to caseload management. However, your learning outcome may be write different, for example how helpful it is to provide handouts to support complex information.

What relationships does it have to my current role and professional registration: It is identification of the relevance and application of the learning to your current role and to your professional registration that is at the heart of the PREP requirements. To pursue the earlier fictitious example, following your learning outcome showing the value of providing written information to support complex material, you decide that the verbal discussions you have with clients about their medication could be improved in this box, you would record that in your current role as a qualified or student mental health nurse, you are accountable for the administration, monitoring and counselling of clients medication, and that you have identified that this is not done as effectively as it might be, as it is not supported by written information.

What were the strengths and/or weaknesses of the activity/event: This gives you an opportunity to evaluate the event in terms of its value to you. Criticisms such as the room was stuffy, or that you couldn’t see the overheads might be best addressed with the facilitator. Working through the fictitious example of a Risk Assessment workshop, it may be here that you say that you didn’t learn as much about risk as you wanted, but there were some useful gains in terms of information giving. Remember that is your record, you do not have to show it to anyone, unless you want to. You can be honest, but libellous remarks should be avoided.

Can I summarise the activity/events and its value: This gives you a chance to provide a succinct summary of the event with reference to the key components you have worked through: For example, of the Risk Assessment Workshop example:
“This half day was, on balance, helpful, as although the main speaker covered material with which I was familiar, the handouts were exceptionally good and made me realise how helpful it is to have written material to go back to”.

Links with Personal Development and Action Plan: A personal development and action plan may assist you in planning professional development activities which are likely to further your professional practice, in a focused, coherent way. The stages involved in the development of such a plan may include a review of competence; setting learning objectives; developing, implementing and evaluating the plan (PREP & You, UKCC 1997 p.11). you could link this section to an element of your personal development plan, or, if it has failed meaningfully contribute to your plan, detail this here. Such records may help you demonstrate developing professional competence and the meeting of objectives which can be of interest to other audiences, such as managers and clinical supervisors.

What areas for my further development can I identify as a result: This section is future orientated, and as part of the review of the present event or activity, ideas for future learning and development can emerge. Using the Risk Assessment Workshop example, you might decide that you still need to explore the concept of risk in greater depth, as this study day was too elementary for you. You might also resolve to produce an information leaflet for clients about their medication.

What follow up might be required: This is way in which your action plan may be modified as a result of the learning and reflection on this event. It may be concrete action of further reflection. Again to pursue the Risk Assessment Workshop example, you may note. “Speak to pharmacist about leaflet ideas”; “Plan 2 hours where I can go to library to read around risk assessment”; “Think about other ways I can help patients retain information”. you may wish to impose a date for review of these activities: this is the way in which you will be able to demonstrate developing professional knowledge and practice.

Any additional comments: Anything that has not been covered earlier.

Signature: Your signature and date. As an accountable practitioner, there is no need to have a corroborating signature.

In summary, standing alone, certificates of attendance, or accumulated points or credits have not intrinsic value in relation to meeting the PREP requirements. Rather it is the learning from your study or activity, and how it has informed and improved your practice which is essential. The MHNA’s Professional Development Record and Attendance Certificate provide one framework through which such learning and developments may be expressed.