Ensuring a Quality Placement 

Clinical placements are an integral part of a student's learning and development to become a professional practitioner. Practicum experiences address the curriculum expectations of the educational institution, the requirements of professional registration bodies and provide the relevant clinical experience to prepare students for their transition to becoming a graduate working in their chosen health field.  

Quality placements depend on the action and effort of key stakeholders. Each are required to take certain steps to ensure successful placements and have different responsibilities.

Community Health Services (CHS) 

Educational Institutions

Students

Community Health Services (CHS)

When organising a placement consider the following:

A designated staff member to coordinate and organise placements

Establish and maintain effective networks and partnerships with educational institutions

Develop and periodically review student placement policy guidelines

Forward plan for placements, including variations between discipline areas, availability of staff for supervision, and timing of placements

Provide prompt response to requests from training institutions for placements to assist training providers to plan placements

Remain committed if placement has been agreed to

Have in place a formal agreement with training institution in place to ensure that legal and insurance requirements are covered

Adequate orientation material and relevant information to students as an introduction to the agency, discipline area and team

Ensure roles and responsibilities, and expectations of the CHS, the educational organisation, and the student are set out clearly

Develop a formal Agreed Learning Contract

Organise opportunities for student to experience multidisciplinary health care in community setting

Allocate a primary clinical supervisor and set supervision meeting times for the duration of placement

Ensure:  

• Supervisor has appropriate skills and experience  to supervise students
• Student has opportunities to practice and develop relevant professional skills & competencies required by teaching institutions
• Student experiences a variety of tasks and access to a range of clients

That the workload of practitioners providing student supervision is reviewed to reflect the demands of student supervision, wherever possible

Ensure lines of communication between health service, educational organisation and student are clear and understood

Arrange for a suitable space for supervision meetings and de briefing

Educational Institutions

When organising a placement consider the following:

Designate placement/ Field Coordinator to arrange placements

Establish and maintain effective networks and partnerships with the community health sector

Develop and review policy guidelines and procedures for student placements

Be sensitive to the CHS policy & procedures

Forward plan placements, including the ongoing review of requirements and available opportunities

Ensure placement requests are made within an appropriate time frame

Agreement between Educational Institution and CHS to ensure the legal and insurance requirements are covered

Ensure that the roles and responsibilities, and expectations of the CHS, the training organisation, and the student are set out clearly

Educational institution should seek to provide adequate compensation &/or funding where resources are insufficient.

Students

When preparing for a placement consider the following:

Identifying personal practice areas of interest

Respect the student placement process of the institution and health service and if applicable not approach a health service directly

Promptly make contact with agency once a placement has been offered and/or confirmed

Clarify the expectations of both the institution/CHS

Complete the required administration in a timely manner

Request information regarding relevant insurance and legal issues and any forms you are required to complete

Be aware of specific discipline competencies, personal and professional skills to be developed

Initiate communication with CHS where orientation is insufficient and provide feedback where necessary

Remain adaptable to different methods of supervision

A Summary Table