An Exploration of the Interpretation and Application of the use of Due Regard in Pre-registration Nursing Programmes

The Scottish National Implementation Group has provided peer review and support across Scotland’s Universities throughout the development and implementation of the new pre-registration graduate nursing programmes, following publication of Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards for pre-registration nursing education (SPNE) (NMC, 2010a). Central to this support has been a problem solving approach to addressing issues that emerge through the implementation process. With the majority of universities now delivering their ‘new’ programmes it has been identified that applying Due Regard during periods of practice learning presents a number of challenges. Perceived inconsistencies in the guidance received by universities from NMC and their agents are believed to contribute to these challenges.

In order to develop national consistency in the approach to interpretation and application of Due Regard, the Group agreed to work collaboratively to progress a small scale project to measure compliance with, and strategies which support, the principle of due regard. It is hoped that this project will provide an opportunity for Scotland to develop a position statement in relation to Due Regard which could be presented to NMC in due course.

As of January 2013, The Scottish National Implementation Group is now known as the Scottish Collaboration for the Enhancement of Pre-registration Nursing (SCEPRN).