Mentoring community-based trainee assistant practitioners: a case study

Abstract

The healthcare workforce is changing, and the introduction of assistant practitioner roles in the community presents exciting opportunities for the unregistered workforce. Healthcare assistants wishing to become assistant practitioners are undertaking foundation degrees. During this period of study, they require support and supervision from a mentor to perform competencies; however, mentors are often poorly prepared for this role. This small-scale qualitative exploratory study sought to gain trainee assistant practitioner (TAP), mentor and management perspective on the level of support needed. Findings indicate that TAPs struggle for recognition and student/learner status; there was an assumption that mentors would be adequately equipped to mentor TAPs, and poor mentor preparation was linked to negative student experiences. This article considers the key factors, time and commitment, required to support TAP learners in the workplace. Further, it questions who is best placed to mentor TAPs. Recommendations include an increased level of preparation for mentors, a joint induction programme for TAPs and mentors, a raised profile of the assistant practitioner role within the wider healthcare team, recognition of the TAP as a learner, and allocated time for quality mentorship.

AP: a journey from Absolutely Petrified to Awfully Proud

“…I often felt torn between my desire to have protected learning space and my sense of duty towards the patients and staff. This is consistent with APs working in the community, who felt that loyalties were often tested (Griggs, 2012). It was expected of me to resume my role as an HCA and just get on with it.…”

Assistant Practitioners in the NHS in England

“…Mentors also needed to be able to ensure that Assistant Practitioners were not taking on tasks that were outside their scope of competence during the training, too. Griggs (2012) found that nurse mentors are often poorly prepared for supporting Assistant Practitioners. Nurse mentors can qualify through Nursing and Midwifery Council-approved mentoring courses, but these may not prepare individuals adequately to support trainee Assistant Practitioners.…”