Overview of Terminology

Support and Supervision

Overview of Terminology

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Advanced Practice overview of terminology

Overview of Terminology

A wide range of terminology is utilised to define supportive and supervisory roles for practitioners who are seeking to develop into advanced practice roles and for those who are seeking to maintain their capability. It is important to note that individual board areas may have specific policies relating to required support and profession regulatory requirements also exist in the form of professional standards.

Where specific regulation does not exist however, individual higher education institutes can identify supportive roles required for programmes of education. Often terminology varies, for example, mentor or supervisor might be used. In the absence of professional regulation for advanced practice, many of these roles are not mandatory. This has reinforced the confusing array of titles utilised across professional groups and UK countries.

For example, within nursing the terms supervisor or assessor is often used. The supervisor may have a role in assessing the student but a supervisor to a speech and language therapist colleague for example would not be involved with assessment. Advanced practice roles for pharmacists require a professional coach and an expert mentor.

The table below provides detail about these different roles.

Title	Definition – Role	Professional Group
Practice Supervisor or Supervisor Title Clinical Supervisor is sometimes used interchangeably	Support and supervision in the learning environment taking into account: Public protection Individual learning needs Equality and diversity needs	Nursing Pharmacy for workplace learning
Assessor	Assess and confirm level of practice Not necessarily based in the environment the student is in but must have sufficient opportunities to observe the student across environments in order to inform their decisions Assesses overall performance	Nursing
Practice Educator	person who is responsible for a learner’s education during their practice-based learning. Must have the necessary knowledge, skills and experience are to be able to support safe and effective practice-based learning in relation to the learning outcomes, normally from same professional group May have other practice educators from different professional backgrounds who has appropriate knowledge, skills and experience	Allied Health Professions
Educational Supervisor	Role Model Holistic and pastoral support taking into account equality and diversity needs Supporting personal and professional Managing progress Identify areas for further development and support them in organising education interventions or additional experience to address these Undertake formal review meetings and support with challenges	Pharmacy
Expert mentor	Role Model Unlikely to be one person Provide specific support in the workplace across the five curriculum domains taking into account equality and diversity needs Provide teaching, learning and development opportunities based on the needs of the individual Provide regular and effective feedback Undertake supervised learning events Support when any issues arise Not necessarily from pharmacy background Expert mentors provide clinical, leadership and management, education and research support	Pharmacy
Designated Prescribing Practitioner	To oversee, support and assess the competence of non-medical prescribing trainees, in collaboration with academic and workplace partners, during the period of learning in practice. Add requirements to take on this role are outlined in DPP Competency Framework. DPP competency framework \| RPS (rpharms.com)	All