Placement Charter

picture of leaflet
A Guide For Students, Clinical And Teaching Staff

Clinical education of student nurses and midwives is a partnership arrangement between the student, clinical staff and the two Universities in Sheffield. This Charter clarifies the expectations and responsibilities of all those involved to ensure that the clinical experience is as valuable as possible for all. The aim therefore is to ensure that students are prepared to be fit for purpose as registered nurses and midwives in order to give effective care to patients/clients and their carers.

Students have the right to expect:

  1. Courtesy and respect, and to be treated as a valued member of the multi-disciplinary team.
  2. Five weeks notice of a continuous placement allocation (This standard will commence in April 2002, subject to review).
  3. A clinical placement that, where possible, will have no more than the optimum number of students.
  4. Mentors* and Learning Environment Managers* who offer them regular contact time to reflect together on practice, progress; to identify areas for development, and complete the assessment documentation.
  5. Access to a Placement Profile* for each placement area, and a named contact person.
  6. An environment that is conducive to meeting identified individual student learning needs commensurate with their competency level and clinical practice needs.
  7. A flexible collaborative approach that acknowledges and responds to the individual learning needs of the student, wherever possible.
  8. Appropriately prepared and experienced Mentors to work with students on an average of two shifts per week throughout the placement allocation.
  9. Flexibility regarding off duty and shift patterns, which will be negotiated and agreed by Student, Mentor and Learning Environment Manager in relation to individual student needs.
  10. Learning resources to be available in the practice environment, to include a student notice-board located either centrally or in the clinical placement area.
  11. The Trust/Organisation to provide an induction event and a welcome pack, which includes orientation to the Trust/Organisation.
  12. Placement ward/areas to provide access to relevant policies and procedures.
  13. Identified and accessible designated support staff * who will act as a link across/between the University and clinical areas .
  14. Opportunities to access University and Library facilities on placement sites as specified within Service Agreements between universities and placement organisations, and used by students in their allocated study time.
  15. The opportunity to evaluate their placement with appropriate and transparent action being taken in response to their feedback.
  16. Opportunities to take appropriate shared responsibility for their own practice.
  17. Opportunities to seek clarification in order to understand the rationale for practice.
  18. Equity of opportunity for all students.
  19. Fully informed and agreed caring partnerships with patients/clients and their carers.
  20. A safe and healthy working environment.

Clinical Staff have the right to expect:

  1. Courtesy and respect from students towards patients/clients/carers and the multi-disciplinary team.
  2. Students to make an appropriate contribution to patient/client care while flexibility is ensured to meet negotiated individual learning needs.
  3. Students to conduct themselves in a professional manner as defined by the UKCC/NMC, and in keeping with clinical placement policies.
  4. Students to undertake their role as a learner in accordance with their competency level and in adherence to the relevant university and clinical placement policies and procedures.
  5. The Placement Department to ensure that clinical areas have six weeks advance notification of student placements. (This standard will commence in April 2002, subject to review).
  6. Students to report sickness and absence immediately to the clinical placement and the university.
  7. Students to contact the clinical placement to which they have been allocated at least two weeks prior to the start of the placement.
  8. Students to provide the appropriate assessment of practice documentation relating to the clinical placement throughout their allocation.
  9. Students to be flexible in using available learning opportunities to experience twenty four hour care and care pathways. A Clinical Link Lecturer* to actively support the learning environments in accordance with local and national standards.
  10. Regular communication with the Universities to discuss course structures, assessment procedures and evaluation of clinical placements.
  11. Dedicated time within the working environment to facilitate their role as a Mentor/Learning Environment Manager and to have access to appropriate training, annual updating and on-going support for staff.
  12. Students to complete a placement evaluation with feedback as part of the educational audit.
  13. An annual educational audit that will enable a joint action plan to be devised if required.
  14. Personal Tutors to contact them regarding any particular concerns relating to a student's needs.

The University and Lecturers have the right to expect:

  1. Courtesy and respect from clinical staff and students on clinical placement areas.
  2. A quality practice experience that meets the students' learning outcomes.
  3. Clinical staff to recognise and welcome the contribution of the Clinical Link Lecturers and acknowledge them as part of the clinical team.
  4. Clinical staff to liaise with University staff regarding the progress of students on placement.
  5. Clinical staff to notify Personal Tutors as soon as there is concern about a student's progress
  6. The Placement Department to inform Clinical Link Lecturers/Personal Tutors of student placements six weeks prior to start of placement, wherever possible (This standard will commence in April 2002, subject to review).
  7. Students to abide by the rules and regulations of the clinical placement areas.
  8. Students to notify their Personal Tutor/ Clinical Link Lecturer if experiencing problems whilst on placement.
  9. Mentors who have been appropriately prepared for their role.
  10. Sickness/absence to be reported to the University and the clinical placement by the student immediately.
  11. Mentors to be jointly involved in the selection of new clinical placements.
  12. Dedicated time for Clinical Link Lecturers to link with/work in clinical practice.
  13. Opportunities to liaise with clinical staff to discuss educational issues.

The ultimate aim of the Charter is to ensure that patients/clients and carers receive the best possible care by registered nurses and midwives of the future who are fit for purpose.

* glossary of terms