Having the competence to record correctly is an important aspect to maintain high quality nursing documentation (Rivera and Parris, 2002).
HOW
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RECORD
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WHEN ⇔ WHAT
Improve your competence by the process – ASSESS – PLAN – DO – EVALUATE click here to find out more
Learning Activities that can be used to maintain and improve your record keeping competencies.
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Self-directed Learning
involves you taking charge of your own learning and making it happen. Your workplace provides a learning environment with many opportunities for development. Much of this learning will be self-directed and will happen as a result of your daily work experiences, when you see a need or want to learn more. This is an important part of your on-going professional development. By doing self-directed learning, you show a high level of responsibility and accountability. You may need some help from your manager, or another person, to enable you develop your skills in self-directed learning.
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Learning in and through the workplace
is achieved by working and learning from and with experts, colleagues and patients/clients and carers. Such learning is part of your everyday activity and will happen in your own workplace or from arranging visits to other workplaces. You should use every opportunity available to you to learn from the people around you. Sometimes you may not even recognise this as learning. On thinking about it later, you will see how your everyday experience has helped you develop.
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Formal Learning
is a long-standing form of learning that you will have already experienced through both pre- and post-registration education and training. This type of learning is usually planned and arranged by others. These learning activities enable you to develop specific aspects of knowledge and practice development to meet the needs of your employer or your own professional needs. The learning may be provided by direct face-to-face teaching. Flexible learning approaches could also be used through open and distance learning with little or no face-to-face contact with teachers or other students.
Information that you record about your learning and development can be used as evidence for:
Revalidation – The patients/ clients you come into contact with , as well as the other health care professionals you work with will benefit from the process of reflecting on your practice for the purpose of improving it.
Portfolio – You can keep a manual or electronic record.
Development Review/Appraisal – You can keep a record of how you improved your competence to keep records and use at your appraisal.