The Experiential Learning & Leadership Academy is open to all registered and non-registered nurses and midwives and offers experiential learning opportunities across four levels:
- Level 1 Discovering – shadowing opportunities for a few hours or 1 day
- Level 2 Deciding – shadowing and participating opportunities to help understand other roles and services for 1-2 weeks
- Level 3 Developing – leading on specific projects across NHS Lothian. This could be an extended period of learning for the lifetime of the project.
- Level 4 Directing – leading on a systems wide programme of work, sponsored by an NHS Lothian Executive. This will involve chairing meetings and reporting to the Board.
So far we have been working on the Discovering and Deciding levels and will come to the Developing and Directing levels in the future. ELLA is open to registered and non-registered nursing and midwifery staff and those that come under the ‘umbrella’ of nursing and midwifery, such as operating department assistants/practitioners.
Aims
The aims of the ELLA are to provide a structured opportunities away from an individual’s current role to:
- Improve understanding of other roles and services
- Provide opportunities to consider a career move
- Support succession and career planning
- Contribute to the retention of staff
- Create opportunities for networking, collaborative working and relationship building.
The experiential learning experiences may include the following:
- Clinical Shadowing: other clinical services or patient pathways
- Succession Planning: next steps in the career pathway
- Education/Research: understanding different career pathways
- Standards & Quality Improvement: QI methodology, assurance and using data
- Professional: professional advisory and governance structures and roles
Each level of award has criteria for application, application process and process for issue of an ELLA award certificate.
