University of the West of Scotland Tests of Change
Driving sustainable change for nurses and midwives across Scotland.
Explore University of the West of Scotland's Tests of Change - innovative projects designed to trial new approaches in nursing and midwifery education and workforce development.
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Dream. Believe. Achieve
2025 / 2026 Tests of Change
Supporting Articulation to Year 2 Nursing Education
Articulation in Scotland requires students to complete necessary Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) clinical hours prior to entering Year 2 (National Articulation Forum (NAF), 2020).
Bridging courses can be developed to effectively address any core knowledge and skills deficits between the two programmes. In addition, a bridging course increases students’ confidence in their transition to university and also improves student retention (McPherson, Allen and Johnston, 2022).
With the costs associated with undertaking clinical practice learning hours, (travel to the placement and the inability to work part-time hours due to the placement) HNC students predominately opt to enter Year 1 and not Year 2 of the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) nursing programme.
Photo Credit: Image source UWS website.
Students undertaking a 20 credit Extended PLE (Practice Learning Experience) were provided with financial support to complete this module as part of this Test of Change.
This enabled direct entry to second year upon successful completion of an appropriately mapped HNC. The aim was to increase the number of students articulating directly into second year of the UWS programme.
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