NVQs and practice assessment in a pre-registration course.

In response to the government's strategic intentions for nursing outlined in Making a Difference (DoH 1999), the University of Brighton has used national vocational qualification (NVQ) standards to facilitate assessment of practice during the common foundation year of the pre-registration diploma in nursing. The aim of this initiative is to provide 'step on' and 'step off' points using a nationally recognised qualification to meet government requirements for a more flexible approach to nurse education.