2021 Bachelor of Nursing - Clinical Policy
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Bachelor
1st in Australia : 2nd Globally in 2020
of Nursing
Clinical Policy
& Contract
2021
Acknowledgments:
This document incorporates information from previous Bachelor of Nursing Clinical Policy &
Contract documents. Special thanks to the Clinical Placements Office (Nursing); SONM BN Course
Convenors; SONM Deputy Program Directors; the Director of Undergraduate Nursing Programs;
and the Deputy Head of School (Learning & Teaching) for their contribution to this document.
Recency of information:
This document is updated annually. In the unlikely event that the information in this document
conflicts with University policy, University policy will be upheld.
2 | Page
INTRODUCTION TO THIS POLICY DOCUMENT & CONTRACT
Clinical placement is essential and fundamental within the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) program. This policy
document and contract contains information that will assist the student to prepare for successful clinical
placements throughout the program.
1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
2. PREPARATION FOR CLINICAL PLACEMENT
3. GETTING READY FOR YOUR CLINICAL PLACEMENT
4. CLINICAL PLACEMENT CONSIDERATIONS: BEFORE & DURING PLACEMENT
5. ON PLACEMENT
6. ABSENCE AND CLINICAL COMPLETION
7. COMMUNICATION
8. HEALTH & SAFETY
9. PERFORMANCE & ASSESSMENT
10. APPENDIX
It is essential that all students within the BN program read this document carefully and refer to it before
and during each clinical placement.
While it is the School’s responsibility to direct the student to the relevant information for clinical placement
during their studies, it is the student’s responsibility to adhere to policy, notify, and seek clarification from,
School staff about any issues that arise.
We wish you the very best for your clinical placements during your studies.
Dr Victoria Kain, Director of Undergraduate Nursing Programs School of Nursing and Midwifery
Dr Judith Needham, Director of Undergraduate Nursing clinical placements
3 | Page
CONTENTS
1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION 9
1.1 Clinical placement within the BN program 9
1.2 Clinical courses 9
1.3 On-campus clinical placement learning activities 10
1.4 Professional accreditation 10
1.5 Professional recognition 10
1.6 Student registration with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) 10
1.7 English Language Requirements 10
1.8 Organisation of professional practice 12
1.9 Clinical Placement Office staff 12
1.10 Clinical Placement Office contact details 12
1.11 Fit for Professional Practice office 13
2. PREPARATION FOR CLINICAL PLACEMENT 14
2.1 Calendars 14
2.2 Clinical placement dates 14
2.3 SONIA Online & App 14
2.4 Pre-existing conditions 15
2.5 Students on WorkCover from paid employment 15
2.6 Students with a disability 16
2.7 Mandatory notification about registered health practitioners 16
2.8 Students who have had recent health issues 17
2.9 Pregnancy 17
2.10 Notification of return to studies after a break / leave of absence 18
2.11 Fit for Professional Practice requirements 18
2.12 Completion of online learning prior to clinical placement 19
2.13 Early notification of employment/volunteer work in the health sector 19
2.14 Early notification of ongoing admission or treatment in a health facility 19
2.15 Notification of placement allocation with employment of friends & family 20
2.16 Name or Gender information change 20
3. GETTING READY FOR YOUR CLINICAL PLACEMENT 21
3.1 Clinical placement locations 21
3.2 Clinical placement map 22
3.3 Clinical placement allocation 23
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3.4 Preferencing of placement blocks and sites 23
3.5 Student sourcing their own clinical placement 24
3.6 Allocation of specialist placement in the final year 24
3.7 Cancellation or variations to clinical placements by the University 25
3.8 Student requests to defer a placement 25
3.9 Overseas placements 26
4. CLINICAL PLACEMENT CONSIDERATIONS: BEFORE & DURING PLACEMENT 27
4.1 Professional behaviour 27
4.2 Fitness for clinical placement 27
4.3 Griffith University Name Badges 28
5. ON PLACEMENT 29
5.1 Scope of Practice 29
5.2 Supervision and working with enrolled nurses 29
5.3 Preceptored Placement 29
5.4 Attendance at rostered clinical placement and Public Holidays 30
5.5 Inability to attend the first day of clinical placement 30
5.6 Personal safety on clinical placement 31
5.7 Placement Personal Safety Tips 31
5.8 Additional Hours 32
5.9 Exams scheduled during clinical placement 32
5.10 Absence from clinical placement 32
5.11 Academic course failure and clinical completion 33
5.12 Clinical failure and clinical hours 33
5.13 Financial support when on clinical placement 33
6. ABSENCE AND CLINICAL COMPLETION 35
6.1 Incomplete course clinical placement 35
6.2 Course and NMBA (AHPRA) clinical completion 35
6.3 Absence within clinical placement 35
6.4 Documentation for clinical absence 35
6.5 Clinical completion for a course and/or NMBA (AHPRA) 36
6.6 Clinical Re-attempt 37
6.7 Cumulative hours for clinical courses and Registration 37
7. COMMUNICATION 38
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7.1 Email 38
7.2 Learning@Griffith 38
7.3 Nurses Connect 38
7.4 Social media 38
8. HEALTH & SAFETY 39
8.1 Accidents and injuries – Incident reporting 39
8.2 POCKET SAFETY 40
9. PERFORMANCE & ASSESSMENT 41
9.1 Clinical placement goal setting 41
9.2 The Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool (ANSAT) 43
9.3 Placement and ANSAT Completion 44
9.4 Paper based ANSAT 44
9.5 Standards for Practice 44
9.6 Scope of practice 45
9.7 Creating a beneficial learning opportunity 45
9.8 Clinical Learning Plan 46
9.9 Unsatisfactory performance 46
9.10 Student concerns whilst on clinical placement 47
10. APPENDIX 48
Appendix A: Clinical Placement Office (CPO) Structure 48
48
48
Appendix B: Clinical placement supervision models 49
Appendix C: BN Uniform Requirements 50
52
Appendix D: Notification procedures for absence from clinical placement 53
Appendix E: Administration of medications by students on clinical placement 54
Appendix F: Concerns whilst on clinical placement 55
Appendix G: Undergraduate Scope of Practice 56
57
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Glossary
ANSAT The Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool. Used in
the assessment of clinical performance.
www.ansat.com.au
BN Bachelor of Nursing.
BN Deputy Advisor (Deputy The Griffith academic staff member responsible for providing
Program Director) program advice during the Bachelor of Nursing Program.
BN Program Director The Program Director, also known as the Director of
(Director of Undergraduate Undergraduate Nursing Programs, is the Griffith academic
Nursing Programs) staff member who has overall responsible for the
implementation, governance and quality of the Bachelor of
Nursing Program.
Buddy/Practice Registered or enrolled nurse/s that you may be assigned to
Partner/Registered Nurse work alongside during clinical placement
Course Convenor (CC) The academic on your campus who has responsibility for all
theoretical assessment within your clinical course
Clinical Facilitator (CF) A Registered Nurse responsible for coordinating student
learning and assessment within the facility. The clinical
facilitator liaises closely with buddies, ward staff, the student
and the clinical placement coordinator.
The health agency or organisation that hosts the clinical
placement,
Clinical Learning Plan If there is an occasion on clinical placement when a student’s
performance is not reaching the expected standard, then a
Clinical Learning Plan will be negotiated.
The Clinical Learning Plan is a tool that the Clinical
Facilitator/Preceptor, in collaboration with the student and
clinical placement coordinator use to guide and support the
student to achieve the appropriate outcomes in clinical
placement.
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Preceptor A preceptor is a Registered Nurse that a student is assigned to
for the whole (or part of) a clinical placement as part of
‘Preceptor Model’. During a preceptored placement you may
be assigned to a small group of preceptors who will be
responsible for assessment in this model and liaise closely
with other ward staff, the student and the clinical placement
coordinator.
Clinical Placement An academic staff member who is responsible for all aspects
Coordinator (CPC) related to clinical placement (allocation, facility liaison, ANSAT
and Clinical Learning Plans).
Clinical Placement Director The Senior academic within the clinical placement office who
has overall responsibility for all activities within the clinical
placement office.
Facility e.g. Gold Coast University Hospital
Placement Officer – Team The administrative member of the Placements Office who
Leader oversees the operational management of the Placement
Office.
Placement Officer - Nursing The administrative member of the Griffith University Clinical
(PO) Placement office, responsible for the allocation of student
placement under the supervision of the Clinical Placement
Director and Placement Officer team leader.
Scope of Practice document A document outlining the procedures, actions, and processes
that the student is permitted to undertake while on clinical
placement. (Appendix G).
SONIA SONIA is a student placement management system. Students
can find all information related to their placements such as
time and date, placement facility, and pre-briefs via this
system. Students will also review and complete their ANSAT
on SONIA, as well as keep track of and upload all relevant
mandatory requirements as directed by the Fit for Placement
office. Any medical certificates and statutory declarations
required by the University in regard to clinical placements will
also be uploaded to the SONIA database.
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1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The School of Nursing and Midwifery is committed to developing person-centred, clinically competent,
research informed graduates who critical thinking to provide safe, quality, compassionate care in an ever-
changing healthcare environment. For details on the vision and values of the School, see the School
website: https://www.griffith.edu.au/griffith-health/school-nursing-midwifery
1.1 Clinical placement within the BN program
Clinical placement learning activities are components of clinical courses within the BN. Throughout the BN
the student will develop professional nursing skills through on-campus and off-campus activities. The
student will undertake experiential skill learning in clinical simulation on campus and will have
opportunities to undertake clinical placements off campus across the health sector, including opportunities
for rural, remote and international placements.
880 hours off campus clinical placement is offered and a mandatory component of the BN program as per
the accrediting body.
1.2 Clinical courses
‘Clinical courses’ are those courses which include clinical placements as an assessment item.
The clinical placement takes place in a health care facility or healthcare agency and the student’s practice is
supervised using one of several clinical facilitation models (Appendix B). The course profile specifies the
length of the clinical placement for that course. A clinical course may offer several clinical placement
blocks and students will be allocated to one or more blocks for a course in order to fulfil the course clinical
placement requirements.
All clinical courses in the BN program have pre-requisites and some may have co-requisites. Progression
pathways for the BN are available from the course list and requirements section of the BN program (BN
programs: https://www.griffith.edu.au/study/health/nursing?location=dom. If advice is required about
your program of study please contact the relevant Deputy Program Director. Their details are listed under
“Helpful staff” on the Learning@Griffith organisation site: Nurses Connect.
In accordance with the Student Administration Policy, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure pre-
requisite and co-requisites conditions are met. If these are not met, enrolment in the course may be
cancelled and/or failure of the course may result.
Please note that all BN clinical courses are designated courses for the purpose of exclusion; meaning that
in accordance with the Academic Standing, Exclusion and Progression Policy, a student who fails a
designated course will be subject to review by the Health Group Assessment Board and may be excluded
from the BN program.
If a student withdraws from a clinical course during trimester, it is a professional courtesy to notify the
Clinical Placement Office of the withdrawal in a timely manner. This allows the University to notify clinical
agencies of changes to placements.
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1.3 On-campus clinical placement learning activities
Each campus has nursing laboratories known as ‘SimLabs’. Course convenors design learning activities to
develop your professional nursing skills, with the SimLab sessions preparing you for your clinical placement
and compliment your theoretical learning. Technical staff manage the SimLabs.
1.4 Professional accreditation
The Bachelor of Nursing is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council
(ANMAC). The role of ANMAC is to “protect the health and safety of the community by promoting high
quality standards for nursing and midwifery education” (ANMAC, 2017). Professional practice and clinical
placements are key components of the BN curriculum.
ANMAC website: http://www.anmac.org.au
1.5 Professional recognition
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) registers nurses and student nurses. It is one of
several health professional boards of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). The
NMBA set the standard of practice and code of conduct for Registered Nurses in Australia. Graduates of the
BN will be eligible to apply for registration with the NMBA subject to meeting any additional requirements
that may be stipulated by the NMBA at the time of program completion.
NMBA website: http://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au
AHPRA website: https://www.ahpra.gov.au
1.6 Student registration with Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)
AHPRA will contact the University via the Enterprise Information Systems (EIS) team around census date
each year in March and August to obtain the details they require to register Nursing students with the
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). Students do not need to do anything for this to occur
and information provided does not become publicly available. No one can search a student's details on the
AHPRA site.
Non-professional behaviour may be reported to NMBA for a breach of professional standards.
Further information is available from the NMBA website: Student registration
1.7 English Language Requirements
New ANMAC accreditation standards require all applicants to nursing degrees to demonstrate that they
meet AHPRA’s English language skills registration requirements at the point of application. This is to ensure
that all nursing students have sufficient English language skills prior to taking part in clinical placements.
The English language requirement for GU nursing degrees is an IELTS of 7.0 with sub-scores of 6.5. It is
proposed to raise the sub-score requirements to 7.0 to meet the new standards. The PTE (Academic) sub-
score will also be adjusted. This will apply to all applicants from Trimester 2, 2020 unless they had an offer
that was prior to November 29, 2019. Further information is available from the NBMA website: English
Language Skills
10 | PageApplicants who hold registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) as an
Enrolled Nurse and who have completed a Diploma in Nursing from an accredited Australian Education
Provider meet the English language requirements.
English language requirements apply to applicants whose previous studies were completed in a country
other than Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom or the United
States of America or undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language
requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:
• Successful completion of at least six years of primary and secondary education taught and assessed
solely in English. At least two years of this education must have been between Grades 7 and 12.
This education must have been taught and assessed in English and completed in one of the
following countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic Ireland, South Africa, United
Kingdom, United States of America.
• OR a minimum overall band score of 7.0 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 7.0
• OR the Occupational English Test (OET) with a minimum score of B in each of the four components
(listening, reading, writing and speaking)
• OR an overall score of 65 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 65
• OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL minimum total score of 94 and the following minimum scores in
each section of the test:
o 24 for listening | 24 for reading | 27 for writing | 23 for speaking.
We will only accept TOEFL results from one test sitting OR a maximum of two test sittings in a six month
period only if the following criteria are met:
• A minimum total score of 94 is achieved in each sitting and the applicant achieves a minimum score
of 24 for listening, 24 for reading, 27 for writing and 23 for speaking across the two sittings and no
score in any of the sections is below:
o 20 for listening | 19 for reading | 24 for writing | 20 for speaking.
English test results must be no more than two years old.
The Direct Entry Program (DEP) pathway is not accepted for this program.
The above requirements are HIGHER than those stipulated in University policy and applicants should refer
to the following policy for further information:
• Undergraduate Programs Admission Policy
This program is accredited and language requirements have been set to ensure applicants meet both
Griffith University language requirements and the registration standards specified by the Australian Nursing
and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC). These standards are subject to change by the accrediting
body.
11 | Page1.8 Organisation of professional practice
The BN program is offered at Gold Coast, Logan and Nathan campuses. BN clinical placements for all
campuses will be organised by the Nursing CPO. Each undergraduate year level has a designated clinical
placement officer to discuss clinical placement. All contact is to be made through nursingcpo email address
(as per section 1.10). A staff member will then contact you to follow up with your concerns.
Each campus has a Clinical Placement Coordinator (CPC) who manages the allocated clinical placements
and provides support to students and staff during this. This includes all assessments and any learning
needs. You may also need to be referred to the CPC as required and depending on your individual situation.
1.9 Clinical Placement Office staff
The Clinical Placement Office (CPO) is staffed by:
● Placement Officer - Nursing (PO) - a general administrative staff member
● Placement Officer Team Leader – team leader of the placement officer team
● Clinical Placement Coordinators (CPC) - academic staff members with expertise in clinical
placement
● Clinical Placement Director (CPD) – a senior academic staff member with expertise in clinical
placement
The details of CPO staff are available on Learning@Griffith sites, including clinical course sites and the
Nurses Connect site. This ensures students can access the most recent information should staff change
during the academic year (Appendix A for CPO structure).
In the first instance students should contact the CPO via the contact details below.
1.10 Clinical Placement Office contact details
Clinical Placement related queries please contact us:
!Phone: (07)33821200
"Email: nursingcpo@griffith.edu.au
Office Hours: 7.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday (excl Public Holidays)
When emailing the CPO, please ensure professionalism in your email correspondence.
Please also identify yourself and Student (S) number in the subject line of the email (or when leaving a
message on the phone):
Course Code_Student Name_Student Number_Campus
For example: 1809NRS, Harry Potter, s1234567, Gold Coast
12 | Page1.11 Fit for Professional Practice office
The Fit for Professional Practice Office (FFPP) is responsible for processing clinical mandatory requirements
(CMRs) for all students in the Health Group.
It is the student’s responsibility to obtain and submit the required documentation to the FFPP. Any queries
regarding Fit for Professional Practice requirements must be directed to the FFPP Office.
● fitforprofessionalpractice@griffith.edu.au
● FFPP Website
13 | Page2. PREPARATION FOR CLINICAL PLACEMENT
2.1 Calendars
The University produces a calendar for each academic year. Key dates are outlined.
The SONM produces an annual BN Academic Calendar that includes clinical placement dates.
Students should use the SONM BN Academic calendar (see link below) when planning and organising
their academic year, paid work, and holiday. This is due to the fact that the placements for courses
extend beyond the ‘regular’ University trimester dates.
Griffith Calendar’s
2.2 Clinical placement dates
Each clinical course has placements allocated and displayed as ‘blocks’ on the BN academic calendar.
Placements may occur any time throughout the calendar. Each clinical course has specific times and dates
which are not interchangeable.
Clinical completion allocations (see section 6) for students who require additional clinical hours, may occur
within the trimester and/or during University vacation weeks. Although the CPO will attempt to
accommodate family/work life balance, once allocated you must endeavour to attend the allocated block
unless exceptional circumstances apply.
2.3 SONIA Online & App
SONIA is an online student placement management system used with the school for managing all aspects of
clinical student placements. Students, CPO, CF’s, and FFPP can log in directly to SONIA Online and complete
many tasks and assessments. SONIA Online enables us to streamline your clinical placement, taking the
guess work out of placing, tracking and monitoring your clinical experience.
Students can access information, submit time sheets, assessment items and track there progress at any
time on a mobile device either in the traditional Griffith Student Portal
https://www111.secure.griffith.edu.au/SoniaOnline/ or by downloading the Sonia mobile app (From
Google Play or the App Store).
14 | PageBy using the online App you can update CMRs straight into the app (no more taking screen shots and
emailing / remembering where you saved it. Saving in the wrong format etc) To download follow the
prompts on the traditional Griffith University SONIA portal in the Account Settings screen:
2.4 Pre-existing conditions
Students are advised to maintain their health. If a student has a physical or psychological health problem
and/or disability that may pose a risk to themselves or others, they are advised to discuss this with the
Office of Disability Services and/or their BN Deputy Program Director, so that their needs can be met.
Students who have a pre-existing health condition, disability or allergy that may impact upon clinical
placement are required to provide a medical certificate stating they are ‘fit for clinical placement’ prior to
the commencement of each placement, or as agreed by the BN Deputy Program Director and CPC.
The certificate is presented to the CPC and uploaded to the SONIA database.
Students with allergies are to inform the School of Nursing and Midwifery of their individual requirements
for specific activities (such as SimLabs). In addition, they are required to notify the CPC before each clinical
placement if they have individual requirements that may need to be considered by healthcare facilities.
If a Clinical Facilitator/Preceptor is concerned about a student’s well-being while on placement, they will
contact the university. In some circumstances, the student may be removed from placement and
appropriate procedures followed.
2.5 Students on WorkCover from paid employment
Although it is the responsibility of the individual not to put themselves at additional risk by participating in
tasks that they are unfit to do or that may exacerbate a pre-existing injury, the School needs to apply due
diligence and has a duty of care to students. We request that any student on WorkCover from their paid
employment advise the CPO and provide appropriate documentation.
Notification should preferably be supported by the Workers Compensation Certificate and be made as soon
as possible so that appropriate steps may be followed.
• Should the certificate advise that minimal restrictions are in place or WorkCover is for treatment
only, it is likely the student can attend placement as normal. If restrictions are in place, students
will be unable to attend their clinical placement until WorkCover ceases and full clearance is given,
or their treating doctor provides clearance for placement and all duties included.
15 | PagePLEASE NOTE: Students on WorkCover will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and as such should not be
compared to others. If it is discovered that a student is on WorkCover and the above steps have not been
taken by the student, it will be assumed that full restrictions are in place and the student will be removed
from placement.
2.6 Students with a disability
Students with disabilities are encouraged to disclose the nature of their disability to appropriate Griffith
staff.
See Student Disability and Accessibility Website
Types of Disability may include but are not limited to:
● Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
● Learning disabilities e.g. auditory processing disorders, dyslexia
● Mobility impairments e.g. paraplegia, quadriplegia, cerebral palsy
● Chronic medical conditions e.g. arthritis, diabetes
● Mental Health Conditions
● Acquired Brain Injury
● Vision-impairment
● Hearing Impairment
Students with disabilities should refer to the ‘Students with Disabilities Policy’ and seek assistance from the
Disabilities Service staff or the CC, Deputy Program Director and/or CPC. Disclosure of disabilities assists
the University to make reasonable adjustments as appropriate. This is treated confidentially.
See Policy: Students with a disability Policy
Griffith counselling website: https://www.griffith.edu.au/counselling
2.7 Mandatory notification about registered health practitioners
Under the National Law, certain groups must make mandatory notifications about students under some
limited circumstances. The below guidelines state:
• Who must make a mandatory notification.
• How to do it,
• How notifiers are legally protected when doing so.
If AHPRA receive a mandatory notification, the Board will consider all relevant information before deciding
if action is needed to protect the public. It will not automatically take regulatory action (such as, for
example, a caution).
There are a number of possible stages in the notifications process and not every notification goes through
all the possible stages. For more information about the notification process please see the AHPRA website.
16 | PageUnder section 130 of the National Law, registered health practitioners and students must notify AHPRA of
certain relevant events within seven days of those events occurring. Information on giving notice of certain
relevant events is available on the AHPRA website.
Under the National Law, a student is someone enrolled in an approved program of study and is registered
as a student with their respective National Board.
Notifications about students
There is only one ground for a mandatory notification about students.
Practitioners and education providers only need to notify us when they have a ‘reasonable belief’ that a
student has an impairment that, when undertaking clinical training, may place the public at substantial risk
of harm. The requirement to report is also based on the level of risk.
The below document explains what reasonable belief is and what impairment means in this context.
Guidelines: Mandatory notifications about registered students
2.8 Students who have had recent health issues
Students who have had a recent illness (within the last 2 months) that has required hospitalisation, ongoing
medical treatment (including mental health conditions e.g. anxiety), or a medical/surgical procedure are
required to provide a medical certificate stating they are ‘fit for clinical placement’ prior to the
commencement of placement. The certificate must be uploaded to the SONIA database within the
documents tab at least 2 weeks prior to the commencement of placement, and the CPO should be advised
by email.
If a student returns to their clinical placement without a ‘fit for clinical placement’ medical certificate, the
University reserves the right to cease the student’s placement. Should this occur the students will not be
complying with the standards of practice and thus will be remediated appropriately.
2.9 Pregnancy
Students who are pregnant at ANY stage in a clinical course are required to notify the CPO of their
pregnancy and expected date of arrival so that the clinical placement can be timed appropriately.
Students who are pregnant or within six weeks postpartum (post-delivery), are also required to provide a
medical certificate to their CPC stating they are ‘fit for clinical placement’.
The certificate must be uploaded to the SONIA database within the documents tab at least 2 weeks prior to
the commencement of placement.
If a student attends their clinical placement without this ‘fit for clinical placement’ certificate, the University
reserves the right to cease the student’s placement.
See the Fit for Professional Practice website: Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Infection and Risk Management
17 | Page2.10 Notification of return to studies after a break / leave of absence
Students sometimes defer or take a leave of absence (LOA) in their studies. If a student has not been
enrolled in a clinical course in the last 12 months, the CPC and Deputy Program Directors need to be
notified as soon as possible to discuss readiness to return to clinical placement.
Notification will allow the CPC to appropriately direct students to supportive activities that can assist with
transitioning back into the clinical area.
2.11 Fit for Professional Practice requirements
All BN students must meet clinical mandatory requirements. For details see the Nursing and Midwifery Fit
for Professional Practice website.
Students are advised to keep all original documentation together (e.g. in a display folder marked “Health
Records”). It is often a requirement to bring original documents to the start of a clinical placement for
sighting by staff from the clinical agency.
All requirements must be met before course census date or 4 weeks before the start of the allocated
clinical placement block (whichever occurs first). The student will be unable to attend placements if
documentation is not submitted on time and this will result in a failure for this assessment item.
IMPORTANT: The University reserves the right to remove students from their allocated placement if they
do not meet mandatory requirements at least 3 weeks prior to their commencement date. If students are
removed from their placement, they will be provided with a fail grade for the assessment item.
In addition: Students must be compliant for the duration of their placement prior to the first day of
placement. Therefore, if a mandatory requirement is due to expire during a placement, the student is
considered non-compliant and is unable to attend. It is not possible for the purposes of placement
compliance, that students with expiring checks renew these whilst on placement.
Should a student commence their placement, but their mandatory requirements expire during their
placement, the student will be removed from placement and awarded a fail for the placement.
HEPATITIS B VACCINATION
Students who have the third dose of Hepatitis B to complete may be allowed to attend clinical placement.
However, evidence of the completed third dose must be submitted to the Fit for Placement within 6
months after the first dose. Failure to do so will prevent students from attending any future placements
and will result in a fail for the clinical component of the course.
18 | Page2.12 Completion of online learning prior to clinical placement
Many healthcare facilities require the completion of online learning prior to placement. For every clinical
placement any such requirements will be included in the clinical placement pre-brief.
Online orientation and learning activities (where applicable) must be completed 2 weeks prior to the
start of placement.
Failure to complete the facility’s online learning within this time frame will result in the student
undertaking a Clinical Learning Plan (see 9.10 Clinical Learning Plan) as directed by the CPC as this lack of
preparation for placement has not met the requirements of the individual facility. If a student subsequently
attends their clinical placement without having completed the online learning, they would have also failed
their clinical learning plan and may be removed from the entire clinical placement block, which may result
in a fail for the assessment item.
Additionally, the healthcare facility has the right to refuse to accommodate students who are unprepared
for placement, meaning that lack of facility online learning could result in the hospital cancelling the
placement; thus, resulting in a fail for the assessment item. The facility may however decide not to cancel
the student’s placement, but ask they be sent home from clinical placement until their online learning is
complete. This is however at the facilities discretion and is based on facility policy, staffing requirements,
orientation need etc. If the facility does cancel the placement for this reason, the decision is considered
final and cannot be overruled by the university
2.13 Early notification of employment/volunteer work in the health sector
Students may not attend clinical placement in a ward, unit, or department in a healthcare facility where
they work as a permanent employee or volunteer. In the case of students working across several wards,
units, and/or departments in a facility (such as on a casual pool), discussion will need to be had with the
CPC on your campus to identify the suitability of placement within the facility. This is to avoid a potential
role conflict for both staff and patients at the facility and role confusion for the student.
The student must notify the CPO by email of a possible conflict prior to clinical placement allocations. If a
student is placed in a facility where they are currently employed and has not alerted the relevant staff to
this situation, the student may be removed from the placement and this will result in a fail grade for the
assessment item.
2.14 Early notification of ongoing admission or treatment in a health facility
Students may not attend clinical placement in a healthcare facility (if the facility is small), or ward/unit in
the case of a large hospital, where they have been previously admitted or treated for an extended period.
This is to avoid a possible conflict of interest for staff, students, and patients at the facility.
Examples of placements include (but are not limited to):
• GP practice in which a student has been treated previously.
• Mental Health facility or ward in which a student has been admitted.
• Hospital ward which the student attends regularly or is a patient for ongoing treatment.
19 | PageThe student must notify the CPO by email of a possible conflict at least 4 weeks prior to the start of
placement. If the student does not inform the CPO and a facility advises the University that the student has
been an ongoing patient or has previously been admitted to the ward for an extended time, the University
may remove the student from placement and award a fail grade for the assessment. If a student advises the
University in less than 3-weeks, they will be awarded a fail grade for the placement.
PLEASE NOTE: The above rule is not applied for sporadic or infrequent admission and/or treatment. Thus, if
a student has been seen once in a GP surgery that is not their allocated surgery they may still be placed and
undertake the placement as allocated on SONIA.
2.15 Notification of placement allocation with employment of friends & family
Students may not attend clinical placement in a ward, unit, or department in a healthcare facility where
they have friends and/or family that work there as a permanent employees or volunteer. This is to ensure
equity among the student cohort and remove any risk of potential bias with assessment. Clinical facilitators
seek feedback from ward staff as part of the ANSAT assessment, and it is a conflict of interest if feedback is
provided by a friend, or family member.
The above is additional applied if the friend/family member is on leave during your allocated placement.
This caveat is supported by health care organisations, who have advised they will move students (where
possible) to alternative placements if such information is discovered after the placement has commenced.
2.16 Name or Gender information change
If a student changes either their name or gender information during the degree, the relevant CC and CPC
need to be advised.
Informal name and/or gender changes can be undertaken ‘over the counter’ at student services; however,
please note that the name and/or gender will not change within the SONIA database, or within the ANSAT
(Australian Nursing Standards Assessment Tool), until a formal name change has occurred. A formal name
change can be started by completing the ‘Change to Personal Details’ and taking this to a student centre
with appropriate supporting documentation.
20 | Page3. GETTING READY FOR YOUR CLINICAL PLACEMENT
3.1 Clinical placement locations
Clinical placements are allocated within a wide geographical area. Griffith University benefits from the
support of healthcare facilities spanning areas from the Sunshine Coast in the north, Darling Downs in the
west and Murwillumbah in New South Wales. Opportunities for placement may be sourced in other regions
of Queensland and Australia as negotiated from time to time with other health services.
Students may also be asked to express an interest in rural placements in Queensland, International
placements, Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), and prison health services. An expression of interest for
these placements does not guarantee acceptance to attend the placement.
As can be seen on the following map, Griffith’s catchment area is large and includes many hospitals and
facilities. Students therefore need to be aware of and prepared for travel to any facilities within this
catchment area.
Every effort is made to place students in proximity to their place of
residence, but this is not always possible
21 | Page3.2 Clinical placement map
Prince Charles Hospital
Royal Brisbane & Woman’s
QLD Children’s Hospital
Princess Alexandra Hospital
Griffith Nathan
QEII Hospital
Redland Hospital
Ipswich Hospital
Griffith Logan
Logan Hospital
Beaudesert Hospital
Gold Coast University
Hospital
Griffith Gold Coast
Robina Hospital
John Flynn Hospital
Tweed Hospital
22 | Page3.3 Clinical placement allocation
The CPO will email students regarding clinical placement allocations. They may contact students for
expressions of interest for placement blocks or agencies, with opportunities to swap placements before
placements are finalised, or to notify when placement allocations are finalised and available for viewing.
Once placement allocations have been published and finalised, an email will be generated from SONIA.
If the student requires a placement swap, it is the student’s responsibility to organise the swap via their
course site discussion board. The POs are not able to organise this swap nor are they able to share student
details with other students.
Any requests to swap placements must be made 3 weeks prior to the commencement of the clinical
placement blocks involved. A swap request form must be completed and emailed to the CPO before the
swap will be actioned. The swap form may be found on the SONIA database. The proposed swap needs to
be clinically appropriate for both participants in the swap as determined by the CPC and/or clinical director.
Please note that if the swap request involves returning to a placement where the student has previously
been placed, this is likely to be denied. If the request includes a swap to involve the same specialty more
than once, this is also likely to be denied.
It is the student’s responsibility to arrange transport and any other commitments such as childcare and paid
employment so they can attend their allocated clinical placements.
IMPORTANT: Be prepared for the possibility of having to attend clinical placement at any facility within the
shaded areas of the above map (section 3.2). Whilst this is not the preferred method of allocation, it is
sometimes necessary to ensure all students are provided a clinical placement to pass the assessment
requirements of their clinical course. Inability to drive or lack of transport is not an appropriate reason to
miss placement.
3.4 Preferencing of placement blocks and sites
Placement Block Preferencing
Students will be provided the opportunity to preference their preferred clinical placement block (IE: date of
clinical placement) in SONIA at certain times in each trimester. If you do not preference during this time,
then you will be placed into a remaining placement block (in a geographical area as stated in section 3.2 of
this document) once other students have been allocated. At all times refer to the instructions within emails
sent from the CPO regarding time frames.
Site Preferencing
Students will be provided the opportunity to respond to expression of interests throughout the BN degree
on certain placements opportunities available, such as:
Brisbane Corrections/Security Units/Royal Flying Doctor Service/Newborn Care Unit/John Flynn
Cohort/Sunshine Coast HHS/International Placements (Laos, Thailand, Vietnam) and others that may
become available.
23 | PageNo other 'site preferencing’ is offered to students until Year 3 (3807NRS ONLY) where you will be provided
the opportunity to preference a site/facility and ward. Students are provided the opportunity to preference
a speciality placement in 1 (one) placement group only in 3807NRS.
PLEASE NOTE: a preference is simply a request and is in no way a guarantee of allocation.
The CPO attempts to provide students with their preferences however this is not a guarantee.
If for example 100 students indicate a preference to be placed within BLOCK 1 that only has 50 available
placements, 50 students will not be able to be placed at this time.
3.5 Student sourcing their own clinical placement
Whilst we appreciate that many students have specific interests in clinical areas and may have contacts in a
range of clinical environments, students CANNOT source their own placements. This stipulation is in place
because:
• The University requires a formal legal agreement with the facility or overarching organisation.
• The University requires a nursing specific agreement with the facility or overarching agreement.
• The clinical environment needs to be assessed for risk.
• The University needs to ensure appropriate clinical facilitation/support.
• Many facilities will only deal with universities to organise placements, and as such individual
student contact may jeopardise any opportunity for future placements.
If you do have a contact within a certain facility that you are interested in, or who have advised that a
placement may be possible, please advise your home campus CPC so that they can investigate the
possibility of this placement. We are unable to guarantee such placements.
3.6 Allocation of specialist placement in the final year
It should be noted that the Griffith undergraduate nursing degree is not a specialist degree, and as such a
specialist placement is not a requirement within clinical placement allocations. We fully understand
however that many students wish to experience a specialised clinical area; as such the CPO will attempt to
allocate all students to one (1) specialist placement in one (1) of the 3807NRS placement groups their last
year; however, this is not always possible.
Specialist placements include (but are not limited to) an international placement (Laos, Vietnam, Thailand),
rural & remote, royal flying doctor service (RFDS), prisons, ED, ICU, paediatrics, and operating theatre.
Due to the limited number of specialist placements within 3807NRS compared to the number of students
enrolled, allocation of these placements is limited to one (1) per student.
Important points to note:
● The CPO reserves the right to provide students with more than one (1) speciality placement during
their degree should it be required due to a logistical placement need. As such the CPO will not
engage in correspondence regarding this.
24 | Page● All specialist placements are considered equal regardless of the course they are attached to, the
facility, the clinical focus, or placement duration. The CPO will not engage in further
correspondence regarding this matter.
● Students may still engage in placement swaps as identified in section 3.3 & 3.8, and as such may
apply to swap placements into a speciality area regardless if they have already completed a
speciality placement (NOTE: all swap requests are at the discretion of the PO in consultation with
the CPC at your campus, and an application does not guarantee a placement change).
● Due to speciality needs of students completing the BN/Graduate Certificate of Paediatric Nursing
degree (3347), such placements are exempt from a one (1) speciality placement rule.
3.7 Cancellation or variations to clinical placements by the University
It is possible that as a result of unforeseen events impacting upon a health care facility, a clinical placement
that has been pre-arranged may need to be cancelled or rescheduled, sometimes at late notice. The
University reserves the right to cancel or reschedule clinical placements in such circumstances and will
notify students of alternative placement arrangements as soon as possible.
Notification of placement changes by the School will be sent by email. It is for situations such as these
that students are advised to check Griffith email regularly prior to and whilst attending placement.
In some instances, and where available, a SMS may also be sent to students, so contact details should be
regularly checked and updated.
See the Fit for Professional Practice website: Placement Cancellation Attendance
3.8 Student requests to defer a placement
A student cannot request to defer a placement unless the reason fits within the ‘deferred
assessment’ criteria. This includes:
● On the grounds of illness
● Accidents
● Temporary disability
● Bereavement
● Sporting or cultural commitment at state, national or international representative level
● Or other compassionate circumstances
IMPORTANT: Consideration for a change of placement does not include holiday arrangements.
If a student requires a change to a scheduled clinical placement time, they will need to submit an
online deferred assessment application along with the relevant documentation supporting their
request. The Course Convenor will assess this application.
If the deferred assessment is approved, the CC will contact the CPO to determine if there is a
viable alternative clinical placement for the student. Due to the limited availability of clinical
placements, it may not be possible to schedule another placement within the trimester period,
which may impact on the student’s ability to complete the course in time to enrol in the following
clinical course or graduate. It is important to note that a deferred placement is unable to be
25 | Pagedeferred for a second time, meaning that the allocated deferred placement must be undertaken
as planned.
3.9 Overseas placements
Some students may have the opportunity to attend an overseas placement. These may have specific
preparation requirements, such as visas, additional immunisations and so forth. If students undertake a
3804NRS Community Nursing Practice clinical placement in an international destination, there will be
notification of additional requirements for this placement, including pre-placement training and additional
workshops.
As stated in section 3.6, international placements are considered a speciality placement and may reduce
the opportunity for an additional specialist placement in the final year of study.
See the Fit for Professional Practice website: Overseas Placement
26 | Page4. CLINICAL PLACEMENT CONSIDERATIONS: BEFORE & DURING
PLACEMENT
4.1 Professional behaviour
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing program are expected to maintain a high standard of
professional behaviour. It is an expectation that students will know where to locate relevant policies,
professional codes and guidelines, understand these documents and conduct themselves accordingly.
See the Fit for Placement website: Your Performance & Professional Behaviour
Any behaviour deemed to be in breach of expected professional conduct may be cause for disciplinary
action such as:
Student Misconduct
Griffith Health Local Protocol - Fit for Professional Practice
Tier 1 and 2 Process
IMPORTANT: Students must NOT contact the individual facility prior to placement (unless specifically
stated within the pre-brief), which includes any informal discussions with staff.
4.2 Fitness for clinical placement
Students are required to identify their fitness to practice in readiness for clinical placement. In relation to a
person, this means a person who has a physical or mental impairment, disability, condition or disorder
(including substance abuse or dependence) that detrimentally affects or is likely to detrimentally affect a
student’s capacity to undertake professional practice on clinical placement (Modified from the Health
Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009 [Qld]).
Students may become unwell before or during clinical placements. If a student is not fit for practice it is
their duty to follow due process for notifications of absence from clinical placement (discussed later and in
Appendix D).
As stated by QLD health:
• People with ‘symptoms of infectious gastroenteritis should remain at home until they have been
asymptomatic for more than forty-eight (48) hours.
• People ‘who develop symptoms of infectious gastroenteritis while working with patients who have
the same symptoms should report their illness to their Supervisor and/or the Infection Control
Department.’
Students therefore need remain at home until they have shown no further symptoms of gastroenteritis
for 48 hours, which includes vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
27 | PageStudents who use prescribed medication or other substances must ensure this does not impact on their
ability to interact with and/or provide safe care for others. This may mean that a discussion with your
regular registered medical practitioner is required.
It is a requirement that students have a zero-blood alcohol level while on clinical placement and are not
under the effects of illicit drugs.
A CPC who consider that students are not sufficiently prepared to provide safe care for themselves and
others prior to clinical placements have the right and responsibility to prohibit students from attending
clinical placement. Further information may be obtained from the following document: Inability to
complete required components of professional qualification policy
Similarly, hospital facilities and other health care agencies may also request that students do not attend
placement if they are considered unfit or not appropriate for practice. An example of this was students with
respiratory symptoms during COVID-19 being advised to stay at home until a negative swab result was
obtained.
4.3 Griffith University Name Badges
It is strongly advised that students purchase a Griffith University name badge from the University book
shops and place their first name and year within the name space (see below).
Many facilities including Logan hospital, Gold Coast University Hospital, Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital,
and Princess Alexandra Hospital have requested that students wear name badges so students can be easily
identified by staff and patients.
Name badges may be purchased for approximately $6, with the name insert being created at:
Namebadge Creator
Name Badge Example
28 | Page5. ON PLACEMENT
5.1 Scope of Practice
Students must be aware of their personal scope of practice, as defined by their experience and level of
education/training.
It is also important that students make themselves familiar with the scope of practice document developed
for the Bachelor of Nursing degree (Appendix G), as well as the NMBA standards of practice (section 9.6).
5.2 Supervision and working with enrolled nurses
As clinical placement is designed to help students to become RNs, we prefer that all student supervision is
undertaken by an RN. However, at times and in various facilities (such as aged care), this supervision may
fall to an enrolled nurse (EN).
Despite the EN providing immediate student supervision it is expected that an RN is available within the
health care facility, and thus responsible in an overarching capacity for the student on placement. An
example of this may be seen in team nursing, where students and ENs work together, but under the
indirect supervision and guidance of the RN within the team. Direct supervision and input from an RN is
required for:
• All medication administration.
• All complex procedures and the management of a deteriorating patient.
• Completion of ANSAT/student assessments.
5.3 Preceptored Placement
As per Appendix B of this document, students can be placed into a preceptored clinical placement as part of
their clinical experience. Within this preceptored model students may be assigned to one specific
Registered Nurse, who is known as a preceptor, and is employed by the health care facility. The RN mentors
the student and assesses their performance for the entire clinical placement. The student works the same
shifts as the Preceptor. In some situations, more than one preceptor is assigned due to the staffing in
various organisations being predominately part-time staff.
As the student is expected to work the same shifts as the preceptor, this may result in shift times outside of
the CPO’s hours (see section 1.10). As such students may not be able to access direct ‘in-time’ support from
the University/CPO.
If a ‘preceptored’ student requires support and/or advice from the CPO, it is encouraged that they leave
email communication so that the CPO can reply to the students at the earliest possibility.
29 | Page5.4 Attendance at rostered clinical placement and Public Holidays
Students must attend clinical placement as rostered for their clinical placement block and they must be
punctual for all rostered shifts. Public holidays (PH) for the majority of facilities are not considered a
clinical placement day.
PLEASE NOTE: Some public holidays are not national holidays and relate to specific regions (Gold Coast
show day, Ipswich show day etc.). If you are allocated to placement during a regional public holiday then
you are not expected to attend placement.
HOWEVER: If you are on a preceptored or rostered placement, please check with the facility/clinical
facilitator/buddy nurses whether working on a public holiday is expected. If you are still unsure, please
contact the CPO to seek clarification before not attending a clinical shift.
The Student is not considered 'absent from placement' (see section 5.10) on a Public Holiday, however the
overall hours of the placement is reduced by the number of public holidays in that placement group, i.e. if
only 1 public holiday occurs during your placement your overall hours will reduce by 8 (if working 8-hour
shifts). If 3 days are public holidays your overall hours will reduce by 24 hours (not including absences due
to illness or personal leave as per section 5.10). In these circumstances, the day is marked ‘PH’ on the
ANSAT and is not marked as missing 8 hours. Please be aware however that several public holidays on your
allotted clinical placements may impact on your APHRA total clinical hours and may require clinical
completion hours at another time.
PLEASE NOTE: some facilities are expanding their shift span for students to include 10 & 12-hour rotations
and weekend work. Please therefore take this into consideration for your time on placement, and when
understanding PH and total clinical time.
See the Fit for Professional Practice website: Attendance
5.5 Inability to attend the first day of clinical placement
Any student who cannot attend the first day of orientation for a clinical placement block will miss the
orientation activities conducted by the facility. The student must notify the relevant parties that they will
be absent (as instructed in this policy and contract) and seek advice on the implications of their absence on
day one of the clinical placement.
If there is no opportunity for a later orientation, in some facilities the student will be removed from the
entire clinical placement block. In such circumstances, the student is advised to apply for a deferred
assessment with supporting documentation for clinical placement.
PLEASE NOTE: The above deferred assessment link highlights that: ‘Applications for deferred assessment
must be submitted through the online application form no later than three working days after the
assessment was scheduled to take place’, with the day the assessment is scheduled to take place being
considered the first day of placement.
30 | PageYou can also read
