AHP and Midwifery Student Placement Guide
Placement information
Working hours
Essential information about working hours
Before going on a clinical placement
Information about the requirements students must meet before going on placement
Absence
Guidance on reporting absence
Requesting a placement change
Information on requesting a change of allocated placement
Dress code
Advice about the dress code on placement and at the university
Reporting concerns
How to report issues whilst on placement
Practice assessment documents
Guidance on completing PAD
Supportive roles whilst on placement
Key people who support students whilst on placement
FAQs
Answering some questions you may have
Before going on a clinical placement
There are mandatory requirements which must be completed before a students can go into the clinical areas. This was the case before the pandemic, but Covid 19 has added complexities to preplacement processes.
When students are offered a place at the University they will be asked to complete a Declaration and Barring check, an occupational health questionnaire (including Covid 19 risk assessment) and complete the required vaccinations for attendance in the clinical areas. These checks and processes form part of a contract between University and the clinical learning environments to protect the students, and the public they care for. If these processes are not completed in a timely manner students will not be able to attend the clinical areas, and this may interfere with the completion of their programme.
Absence from placement due to illness
If at any point during the course students are unable to attend a scheduled shift on a placement, they should email hhs-placements@hud.ac.uk. Please state the student’s name, placement and length (number of hours) of the shift missed. Please inform the placement area of any absences as well as your visiting tutor/ academic assessor.
If a student is ill for more than 7 days (including Saturday and Sunday) the student must provide a medical certificate completed by their doctor, which should be sent to the course assistants within 7 days via email hhs-placements@hud.ac.uk.
Consistently poor attendance
Students must meet NMC or HCPC requirements re clinical hours on the programme; consistently poor attendance may mean they fail to do this. In addition, poor attendance may impact upon achievement of proficiencies and impact on assessment of the student in the area of professional values.
Students with poor attendance on placement can expect their practice supervisor or assessor to contact the placement learning facilitator and the academic assessor (visiting tutor)to report their concerns.
The academic assessor will contact the student’s personal academic tutor who will contact the student to offer advice and guidance and support to assist the student to attend placement as expected.
The aim of this process is to ensure that the student receives the support they require as well as to ensure that they understand the long-term implications of consistently poor attendance.
It is important to note that if attendance continues to be poor, the student may need to temporarily withdraw from the programme and join a later cohort.
The student can be referred to the Fitness to Practice process, possibly being asked to leave the course. https://www.hud.ac.uk/registry/current-students/taughtstudents/fitnesstopractise/ftp-procedure/.
Making up missed placement hours
The standard working week whilst on a clinical placement is 37.5 hours. If a student is in a situation where they need to ‘make up hours’, for example if they have been off sick for one week, they will need to make up 37.5 hours; they can make up this time in discussion with their clinical placement manager. The student can work up to a maximum of 48 hours per week HOWEVER this includes the 2.5 hours of reflective time so the student can physically work up to 45.5 hours per week. (Paramedic students will be expected to work significantly longer than this).
If a greater amount of time has been missed e.g. due to a prolonged period of absence during the pandemic, another placement may need to be arranged.
Requesting a change to allocated placements
Placements are allocated by the University to ensure that all students get the breadth of experiences necessary to meet the requirements of the course. Therefore, changes to placements are not permitted unless there are exceptional circumstances which may be as follows:
- Conflict of interest between the student and the placement (e.g., the presence of a family member in the placement area)
- Substantive post held in the placement area
- Physical or Mental Health reasons which must be supported with a doctor’s letter
Placements will not be changed for the following reasons:
- To accommodate childcare arrangements
- Travel distance/cost. You are expected to travel up to 1.5 hours from the base site (which is the University of Huddersfield main campus; for Blended learning students this is their home address) and may have up to 2 changes of transport.
- Mental or physical ill health without evidence
- Personal preference
- Paid employment arrangements
Students wishing to request a change to their allocated placement must complete the ‘Placements exceptional circumstances form’ and submit this within 2 weeks of being notified of their placement. This form should be returned to the HHS Placements Team at hhs-placements@hud.ac.uk.
Dress code on placement and in the clinical skill environments on university property
The public’s first impression of healthcare students is very important and helps to instill public confidence in healthcare students. A smart professional image is expected of all students when on clinical placement and in the clinical skills laboratories. Students must ensure that clothes and accessories worn on placement and in the skills labs are well maintained and adhere to infection control and health and safety policies.
Patients, visitors, members of the public, partner organizations and patient groups need to see healthcare student as competent, respectful, professional, trustworthy, safe, reliable, and caring. Wearing the correct uniform or plain clothes helps to promote this professional image.
The University recognises diversity of cultures, religions, and beliefs, and that in some instances students may need to request a change to their uniform or clothes worn in placement. This may include:
- Pregnancy
- Disability
- Gender
- Religious Observance
When considering the above it is still of primary importance for students to dress professionally, adhere to infection control policies and procedures and ensure the safety of themselves and their clients/patients while following the general principles below. The School of Nursing has a Professional Appearance Policy and Dress Code which student nurses are expected to adhere to.
Reporting concerns in the clinical learning environment
Students may have concerns with aspects of their clinical placement. If the concern relates to supervision and assessment in placement the student should discuss this with their practice supervisor/assessor in the first instance. If unresolved the student should contact the Practice educator and visiting tutor/ link tutor for the area. If the issue is still unresolved the visiting/ link tutor will contact the Head of Practise Education (HoPE) for their programme who liaises with the practice education team/placement.
If the concern relates to quality of patient care in placement the student should discuss this with their practice supervisor/assessor or placement manager in the first instance. If unresolved the student should contact the Link tutor. If the issue is still unresolved the link tutor will contact the Head of Practise Education (HoPE) for their programme. The University policy related to raising concerns in practice areas is here:
Download Student Raising Concerns in Practice flowchart.
The HCPC have guidance on raising concerns in practice: Concerns | (hcpc-uk.org)
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) have produced guidelines on raising concerns about care “Student nurses and midwives are now protected by legislation if they raise concerns about care”. https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/guidance/raising-concerns-guidance-for-nurses-and-midwives/
Practice assessment documents
Some University of Huddersfield healthcare students complete their practice assessment documents (PAD) via an online platform ‘PebblePad’™. The completion of this document in a timely and thorough manner is fundamental to completing the course. The PAD is the complete record of student achievement of the required HCPC/ NMC proficiencies. The PAD document requires significant input from practice supervisors and assessors and academic assessor, but it is very important that the student takes ownership of this document and proactively seeks learning opportunities and ensures that these are evidenced in the PAD. The student must establish dates with the practise assessor to complete the initial, intermediate, and final assessments of their clinical development and ensure this is fully recorded in the PAD.
There are many opportunities within the Practice modules and allocated Brightspace areas for students to learn how to complete the PAD. The practice learning facilitators can also support the students and their practice supervisors/assessors to complete the document if that is necessary.
Any time spent in clinical learning environments, real or virtual, are valuable learning experiences. Students can continue to enhance their PAD at any point in their placement and practice supervisors/ assessors will continue to monitor student progress. The student must always show the required professional values and continue to develop their nursing competencies and proficiencies. If a student has been assessed as achieving the professional values, or a particular proficiency, but then practices at an unacceptable standard the practice supervisor or assessor can adjust their comment and create an action plan to support the required student development.
Supportive roles related to the clinical learning environments
There are many people in the clinical environment, and the University, who will support students to achieve their proficiencies to become a competent and confident professional registered nurse, many mentioned above. Key personnel include:
Practice Supervisor
The Practice Supervisor is a registered nurse or midwife or registered health or social care professional who has current knowledge and experience and appropriately prepared for the role. They are responsible for ensuring that student learning opportunities are facilitated and they contribute to student assessment, providing regular feedback to the student.
Practice Assessor (Not all courses)
The Practice Assessor is a registered nurse or midwife or registered health or social care professional with current knowledge and expertise appropriately prepared for the role. The practice assessor conducts assessments, informed by feedback from practice supervisors and others; makes and records objective decisions, drawing on records, observations, student reflection and other resources. They will periodically observe the student and schedule communication with academic assessors at relevant points.
Academic Assessor (Not all courses)
The Academic Assessor is a registered nurse or midwife nominated for each part of the programme and appropriately prepared for the role. The academic assessor will work in partnership with the practice assessor to evaluate and recommend the student for progression for each part of the programme. They will understand the student’s learning and achievement in practice and schedule communication and collaboration between academic and practise assessors.
Practice Learning Facilitator
The Practice Learning Facilitator (PLF) supports students when they are in their placement setting. They also support practice assessors and practice supervisors as needed. The PLF is based in the placement setting in the clinical education team and works in partnership with the University and the practice placements to ensure that students receive excellent quality-assured clinical placements.
Practice Education Facilitators
Practice Education Facilitators (in Operating Department Practice) support students and mentors in practice as well as having sign off duties on completion of the placement assessment document.
Link tutors (Visiting Tutors)
Each of the placement areas is assigned a link tutor who is also there to provide support. The link tutor role focuses on establishing and maintaining positive and productive relationships with practice areas. The link tutors liaise with the Head of Practice Education and PLFs and contribute to the training and development of practise supervisors and assessors. They also are responsible for raising concerns with the relevant Practice Partnership Lead and directing concerns raised by practice colleagues about individual students to the appropriate Personal Academic Tutor.
Personal Academic Tutors (PATS)
PATs facilitate the student to optimise time on the course and to discuss academic progress. PATs are also there to direct students towards appropriate support services e.g. wellbeing and finance, should personal problems arise. Students should be offered a minimum of five meetings a year with their PAT, 3 of which must be online face-to-face.
FAQs
What happens if I am ill or need to be absent from my placement?
If at any point during the course you are unable to attend a scheduled shift on a placement, you should first contact your placement supervisor and inform them you are not able to attend. You then need to email hhs-placements@hud.ac.uk. Please state your name, placement and the length (number of hours) of the shift missed.
If you are ill for more than 7 days (including Saturday and Sunday) you must provide a medical certificate completed by your doctor, which should be sent to the course assistants within 7 days via this email hhs-placements@hud.ac.uk.
What happens if I don't complete my online placement time sheet (InPlace)?
Hours cannot be credited without this information. Therefore, the online form must be completed and checked by your practise supervisor throughout the placement block.
When filling in the attendance record and electronic time sheet for when I am on placement, should I include breaks on shift?
Only include the breaks you are entitled to, not the discretionary breaks. See the information on page 4.
Am I entitled to bank holidays while on placement?
You will need to work bank holidays if the service you are working for requires you to cover bank holiday shifts.
Why do I need to make up hours that I have missed?
As part of the criteria for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), students must work a specified number of hours to be eligible for registration as qualified practitioners.
Does making up practice hours 'wipe out' the sickness, special/compassionate leave and absence?
No. This will always be maintained in the student’s personal record. However, there will be on the record a note of any practice/placement make up time which has been completed.
Can I schedule personal holidays whilst on placement?
No. If you do take any additional holidays, then you will have to make up the missed placement hours at some point in the programme. Your practice assessor and supervisor will also consider this absence when assessing you against the professional values in your practice portfolio.
Can I negotiate to change holidays with practice staff?
No. Any breaks in learning must be discussed with the University. Please be aware that holidays are not normally permitted during term time as you have allotted holiday times in your programme plan.
Can I arrange extensions or changes of my placement block directly with my practice supervisor/assessor?
No as this may impact on allocations for other students.
Do I have to work early shifts, long shifts, weekends, nights on placement?
Yes. Early shifts, late shifts, long shifts, weekends and night duty are all a part of the normal nursing and midwifery experience and your requirement to attend these shifts will depend on the rota your practice supervisor/assessor has put together for you. Please discuss any issues you have relating to shifts with your practice supervisor/assessor but be aware that they do not have an obligation to accommodate your needs. It is expected that a student should work a range of shift patterns to access maximum experience.
Can I make up time I have missed during my placement?
Yes, but only with the agreement of your practice supervisor/assessor and placement manager. If you have missed placement time due to illness, it may not be in your best interests, or safe for patient care, for you to then work additional hours.
How much time can I make up during my placement?
This will depend on the type of area you are working in. It is not always possible for students to work extra hours in some placement areas. We recommend you do not work more than 48 hours per week while in placement.
Can I arrange to return to my placement area to make up clinical hours missed?
No. If you are not able to make up hours missed during the placement, then make up time MUST be arranged by the placement unit team at the University.
Can I make up clinical hours missed during campus learning weeks?
It is not recommended to make up additional hours during theory weeks, theory weeks have 37.5 hours allocated on the programme plan.