Recently we popped along to one of the Theory into Practice sessions, known as TiP, to see what goes on. We spoke to our staff and students – as well as staff at Birmingham Children’s Hospital – about why it’s beneficial to our students and the relationship between us and placement providers.
Lecturer in Child Nursing, Stephanie Bryan, explained how the TiP programme came about:
“We introduced TiP as a result of our partnership with Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Both we and the hospital felt that student children’s nurses would benefit from enhanced education that focused particularly on key areas of practice within the Birmingham Women’s and Children’s (BWC) Trust, namely medication administration, patient assessment and communication.
“As time has moved on the programme has developed and sessions now include scenario based physiology and supporting end of life care. Reflective coaching is also an important part of the TiP programme. We aim to integrate reflective coaching into all our sessions and this is what makes TiP unique; we try to put the students’ experience in context and enable them to learn from it and develop through their undergraduate programme.”
Daisy Turner, a Child Nursing student, told us about her experience of TiP sessions:
“TiP sessions are lessons and workshops that take place within our practice areas which allow us to incorporate our theory into practice. Since first year TiP sessions have allowed me to learn new skills while on placement and has made me feel more knowledgeable and confident as a student nurse. The sessions have made my time on placement feel so much more valuable. It has allowed me to reinforce what I have learnt from practice simulations and learn new skills from peers too.
"It has also given me confidence when showing and telling others what I have learned from my specialist placement area and I can see just how far I’ve come since I began the course. I would recommend anyone to go for the TiP sessions as you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!”
Other ways to practise your skills
In addition to TiP sessions, we offer a room dedicated to brushing up on all those skills you learn in class called Skills Practice and Care Enhancement (otherwise known as SPACE).
