Professional growth with RPS post-registration foundation credentialing

This was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Following completion of my hospital foundation training year in 2021, I started the RPS Post Registration Foundation Portfolio as part of the first cohort of this new programme. The programme is supported by NHS Education Scotland (NES) has become embedded within the team I work in and has been instrumental in shaping my professional growth.  Supervised Learning events (SLEs) in practice For this programme to succeed, it was essential to embed SLEs into my practice. While crucial for the programme, this also created a new way of working. Fortunately, NHS Lanarkshire has an excellent education and training team whose supportive culture extends across the service, ensuring that SLEs are now fully integrated into our practice. As a team, we have become more familiar with the different types of SLEs and recognise that everything counts towards the portfolio and that this extends beyond clinical interventions. This understanding has made it easier to see how the portfolio fits into practice. The use of SLEs has cultivated a robust feedback mechanism, offering comprehensive insights into individual practice. Using a variety of supervised learning events has supported my development by providing feedback on multiple areas of my practice from various members of the multidisciplinary team and from patients. MDT feedback As part of my credentialing journey, I completed my independent prescribing course, further integrating my role within the multidisciplinary team (MDT). The use of multisource feedback forms and SLEs enabled me to receive valuable feedback from colleagues outside the pharmacy team. This collaborative approach has not only enhanced my clinical competencies but also deepened my understanding of my role within ward teams, driving my professional development through learning from others. Working across the four pillars and professional development The portfolio's flexibility allowed me to explore opportunities in non-clinical areas such as leadership and research. Reflective practice has been crucial in this process, helping me identify areas for development and actively address them. This approach has supported me in taking on challenges, considering them from new perspectives, and implementing effective solutions. Future practice My practice has developed through my credentialing journey, better preparing me for advanced practice. I have progressed from working within each pillar to demonstrating them concurrently. This growth has allowed me to manage new challenges, consider them in new ways, and implement solutions in practice. As I advance within the RPS framework, I am excited to leverage the skills and insights gained, confident that my familiarity with the four-pillar approach will support my ongoing development. Reflecting on my credentialing journey, I realise how pivotal it has been in shaping my professional growth. The integration of SLEs, the support of the MDT, and the flexibility of the RPS portfolio have all contributed to my development as a reflective practitioner.  As I transition towards advanced practice, I am eager to continue this journey, confident that the experience gained during this credentialing process will support my ongoing development and success. For more information on Post-Registration Foundation Credentialing. Read more blogs.