Health Workforce (HW) postgraduate study funding for nurses

Applications for 2021 will open Monday 10th August 2020

CCDHB works with Health Workforce (HW) and tertiary education providers to support registered nurses across the district to study towards postgraduate qualifications.

Nurses can apply for papers that build towards a postgraduate qualification. HW prioritise funding towards a qualification rather than individual papers i.e. Postgraduate Certificate (60 pts), Postgraduate Diploma (120 pt) or Master (180 and 240 pts).

Additional funding supports graduate nurses in their first year of practice via the Nurse Entry to Practice (NETP) Programme

 

                     

 

• HW postgraduate study funding guide
• Postgraduate study funding flyer
• Prescribing or non-prescribing practicum flowchart
• CCDHB postgraduate study funding advisory group terms of reference

The application process is ONCE each calendar year and includes papers for the whole academic year i.e. Summer School, Semester 1 and Semester 2.

Steps include:

1. Complete your Professional Development and Career Plan (PDCP) in discussion with the appropriate person (Manager, Nurse Educator, DON) and identify career goals and how you will attain them i.e. appropriate paper/ programme choices in relation to your scope of practice, role and career plan. The Manager/NE and applicant agree and sign PDCP.

2. Check your eligibility:

• The HW criteria
• Your Tertiary Education Provide

3. HW application form: It is important that all sections are completed. If you are having difficulties completing the application form, please contact the Nursing and Midwifery Office Data and Funding Support for assistance.

4. Ensure the Nursing and Midwifery Office has received a copy of your PDCP and academic transcript. Email to professional.development@ccdhb.org.nz

5. Your application should reach the DONM Office before the deadline. You and your manager will receive an email acknowledging receipt of your application.

6. HHS only - Manager and NE consider service provision in relation to all applications in their area. Consider roster implications, skill mix on ward, how this paper will improve patient outcomes, how it fits with your areas PD plan, PDRP level of the nurse – have they attained the appropriate level or be supported to attain it. Where there are too many studying, has the area prioritised. Score the individual applications accordingly. You may wish to discuss with your Operations Manager and/or DON/DOM.

Following the cut-off, all applications will be reviewed to ensure they are appropriately completed and final prioritisation undertaken by the Nursing and Midwifery HW Advisory Committee to ensure a fair and equitable selection of eligible nurses.

Contact

Sheryl Hunt
Nurse Consultant, Strategic Workforce
Nursing and Midwifery Office
DDI: 04 806 2390
email: sheryl.hunt@ccdhb.org.nz

All nurses can apply for HW postgraduate funds provided they meet the following criteria:

• Are employed 0.6 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) or more (may be negotiated for Primary/ARC)
• Hospital nurses only - have maintained or progressed on the PDRP at the appropriate level
  • To meet this criteria you must have a:
    • Performance review less than 12 months old at time of application
    • full portfolio submission and assessment less than 3 years old at time of application
• Have a current Annual Practicing Certificate (APC) with no restrictions that would negatively impact on your ability to participate in the programme
• A current role description that requires a registration as a nurse
• Have an Annual Professional Development and Career Plan (PDCP)
• Have endorsement and approval to apply from their Line Manager
• Be a NZ citizen or hold NZ permanent residency (with proof) as conferred by the NZ Immigration Service
• Be a current permanently employed RN or EN
• Meet the entry criteria required by the education provider

Late applications will not be considered.

NOTE: All funding is at the discretion of the Chief Nursing Officer

Clinical Mentoring is the provision of teaching, coaching and mentoring by a relevant registered health professional (experienced competent practitioner) to support the HW trainee (student) to integrate their postgraduate learning into the practice setting. It supports nurses to extend knowledge and skills through clinical experience, critical thinking, skilled health assessment and comprehension of diagnostic measures and outcomes. These skills are required for evidence based clinical reasoning. Clinical Mentoring Support Plans must be approved with the Nurse Consultant Strategic Workforce sheryl.hunt@ccdhb.org.nz before you commence your paper.

Approval for up to 10-hours clinical mentoring support will be included in your HW Funding approval letter. On completion of the paper please forward your Clinical Mentoring Record with your academic results to professional.development@ccdhb.org.nz

This funding is only available for papers/courses that require clinical mentoring/clinical mentor in addition to academic teaching/mentoring. Clinical mentoring must be negotiated by the nurse enrolling in the paper in consultation with their Charge Nurse Manager and DON and approved by the Nurse Consultant Strategic Workforce, sheryl.hunt@ccdhb.org.nz.

Clinical mentoring support plan

To complete the Clinical Mentoring Support Plan section of the application form you will need to list:

• your proposed clinical mentor/s and their roles
• the proposed site/s for accessing clinical mentoring
• the proposed clinical mentoring hours required (up to 10 hours)

Use the clinical mentoring support template to record your mentoring plan.

Clinical mentoring examples

1. Clinical mentoring in an assessment paper/course

An assessment paper that requires learning and practicing new clinical assessment skills through accessing clinical mentoring to extend practice in the workplace or a new setting. Papers/courses include the following assessment papers:

• Assessment and Clinical Decision Making (Massey University)
• Advanced Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (Victoria University of Wellington)

2. Clinical mentoring in a practicum course/paper (HW levels one - three)

A practicum paper (below level four) that requires advancement of practice through engagement in critical thinking, reflection and scholarship. This engagement in relation to practice and the practice environment is facilitated through accessing clinical mentoring/mentor.

An example of this type of paper is:

• Practicum Papers (Victoria University of Wellington)

If you are planning to undertake a practicum, placement, project or prescribing paper to complete your degree in 2019, a Support Plan must be prepared before commencing the paper.

A Support Plan will address the additional expectations of clinical teaching (often medical), mentoring and professional supervision often associated with these papers. HW funding subsidises some of the additional costs associated with completing a Nurse Practitioner prescribing practicum.

Any paper/course requiring additional support beyond the usual study leave entitlements, requires negotiation with the Services and Organisations involved. The Support Plan is to help identify the required level of organisational support to successfully complete the practicum requirements. This information also informs work-site planning, HW funding prioritisation and DHB workforce development.

Practicum support plan

To complete the Support Plan form you will need to:

• discuss the paper with the university course co-ordinator and provide their name
• discuss the paper with the Nursing and Midwifery Office and provide their name
• discuss the practicum requirements with your Line Manager
• detail the university practicum requirements including practicum outcomes and anticipated amount of release time from usual substantive role
• indicate if your service intends to create a Nurse Practitioner role and outline the timeframe for this
• write draft a plan for practicum experience with mentors/preceptors including where and how practicum will occur, intended time in spent areas other than workplace i.e. rotations, clinics, other organisations etc.

Mentorship details

• name of mentors/preceptors
• role of mentors/preceptors
• workplace of mentors/preceptors
• clinical settings of practicum

Use the practicum support plan template to record your support plan.

Professional supervision

If professional supervision is part of your practicum plan, a list of supervisors can be obtained by emailing professional.development@ccdhb.org.nz once your application is approved.

Important funding that the DHB wants to encourage nurses to uptake is available to provide cultural supervision/mentoring and resources to support Māori and Pacific registered nurses enrolled in a HW funded postgraduate programme.

Application for Cultural Support funding is open to any person who has whakapapa and cultural links to whānau, hapū and iwi (for Māori) or is of Pacific Peoples descent and has established cultural links to the Pacific Peoples' communities.

Students who identify as Māori or Pacific Peoples descent in their application, will be invited to participate in a hui or fono to learn more about the cultural support available and how to apply.

Use the cultural support plan template to record your support plan and sessions.

Definitions

Cultural supervision

Either a formal or informal relationship between members of the same culture with the purpose being to ensure that the supervisee is practising according to the values, protocols and practices of that particular culture. It is about cultural accountability and cultural development (Eruera, 2005).

Mentoring

Mentoring is an advisory role in which an experienced, highly regarded, collegial person guides another individual in the development and examination of their own ideas, learning, and personal and professional development. The relationship is dynamic, complex and reciprocal. It supports growth and bridges the gap between the educational process and the real world. The relationship identifies the talents the mentee already possesses and the nurturing and encouragement of these talents in order to fully develop them (Barker, 2006; College of Health Disciplines, 2005; College of Nurses Aotearoa, 2007).

Mentor

An appropriately qualified and experienced person, who facilitates learning, supervises and assesses trainees continually so that the trainee achieves their outcomes at the end of the programme. Mentors motivate and encourage trainees to continue their education (HW, 2006).

A mentor may also be someone trained in providing clinical (professional) supervision.

Cultural development

This support can be combined with cultural supervision or mentoring but funds for cultural development are limited to:

• Cultural resources
• Membership to Māori or Pacific Health Professional Organisations
• Cultural activities including Kuia/Kaumātua, and peer support

Before you start

Use the Four Steps to Career Planning to help you identify the goals, activities, timelines and resources you need to achieve your career vision and work through the career planning process.

Please make an appointment for a career conversation with one of the following people:

• Helen.Costello@ccdhb.org.nz
• Anjana.Naidu@ccdhb.org.nz
• Sheryl.Hunt@ccdhb.org.nz
• For graduates: Phoenix.Ahomiro@ccdhb.org.nz

Career planning enables the following to be discussed:

• Whether your current role requires this level of preparation
• What your future career aspirations are
• Your level of role at present and PDRP level
• Alignment of your plan with the Nursing and Midwifery Priorities 2019-2023
• Likelihood of funding dependent on demand on this funding stream

The application form will take approximately 20 minutes to complete and you will not be able to save your progress if you cannot complete it in one sitting.

Prioritisation

As a general guide, postgraduate study will be supported as follows:

• Competent RNs may be funded to PG certificate level based on service specifications/role
• Proficient RNs may be funded to PG certificate or diploma level based on service specifications/role
• Expert RNs may be funded to PG diploma level based on service specifications/role
• Senior RNs may be funded to Masters level based on service specifications and role
• Charge Nurse Managers may be funded to Masters level
• Clinical Nurse Specialists may be funded to Clinical Masters level
• Nurse Educators may be funded to PG certificate level in education

What you will need

You will need to prepare a few things before you start. All applicants will need to know:

• previous papers you've completed and results. Please send your academic transcript to professional.development@ccdhb.org.nz
• a completed Professional Development & Career Plan, signed by you and your manager. Please send to professional.development@ccdhb.org.nz (hospital nurses only)
• the cost of your paper(s)
• the number of block course days required for your paper(s)
• the date you last had a Performance Review (CCDHB employees). Go to HR Kiosk -> My Info -> Performance Appraisals
• the date you last achieved a PDRP Portfolio progression or maintenance. For CCDHB employees Go to: HR Kiosk -> My Info -> Training -> then expand the 'Skills/Competencies/Qualifications' section.
• your FTE (e.g. 1.0 FTE = 40hrs per week)
• your estimated hourly rate (for non-CCDHB employees) Your hourly rate is required for us to estimate the total cost of your study.

Practicums and clinical mentoring

If you are intending to enrol in a practicum / placement / project paper or your paper requires clinical mentoring please refer to the relevant sections on this page before you apply.

Finally, please ensure you have discussed your post graduate study plans with your Line Manager before you apply.