E
Table of Contents
Contents
Introduction / 3Example Letter of Application / 4
Negotiated Placement Experience / 5-6
Personal Learning Outcomes / 7
Learning Contract / 8
Negotiated Placement information / 9
RCN Overseas Placements for Nursing Students / 10-16
2
NEGOTIATED PLACEMENT
During Year 2 you will spend a four-week period on a negotiated placement of your choice either in the UK or in another country. This placement should provide you with the opportunity to observe and participate in practice related to your programme. This negotiated time should be planned and you will be required to submit the attendance sheets found in your Portfolio of Practice to demonstrate that you have undertaken this learning experience. You may wish to include in your Portfolio any learning contract/agreement you have with the professionals supporting you and complete one of your activities from the Portfolio if this is appropriate.
Should you wish to undertake your negotiated placement locally you will need to approach the individual organisation directly or negotiate a Trust placement through the local Practice Education Facilitator/Manager.
You need to pay attention to some guidelines and agreements in seeking/carrying out your negotiated placement.
If you intend to travel abroad for your placement you are strongly advised to find out about the visa requirements for the intended country of destination before making affirmative plans. This is the student’s responsibility, although personal tutors and module leaders are willing to help where possible.
Confirmation of indemnity insurance provided by your professional body or union (e.g. RCN and Unison) may be requested. If travelling abroad it may also be necessary to take out malpractice cover as the RCN and Unison indemnity does not cover some countries. This is particularly pertinent when undertaking placements in America and more details can be obtained regarding malpractice insurance from the American Nurses Association: http://www.nursingworld.org/.
Attached to this handbook are the following:
· Letter of Application (to be given/sent to the receiving organisation)
· Negotiated Placement Experience Agreement (to be given/sent to the receiving organisation)
· Honorary Contract (to be completed if required by the receiving organisation)
· Personal Learning Outcomes (to be filled by the student in negotiation with the personal tutor and be sent/given to the supervisor/mentor on placement)
· Placement Specific Information Sheet (for you to fill in)
· RCN Information Pack for Overseas Placement Including the UKCC Standards
If you require a letter confirming that you are a student at City University (School of Community & Health Sciences) this can be obtained from the student helpdesk at West Smithfield. Please allow two working days for the letter to be produced.
Letter of Application
City University London
School of Community & Health Sciences
20 Bartholomew Close, London EC1A 7QN
Tel: 020 7040 5780 Fax: 020 7040 5717
Address of Placement Name and Address of Applicant
Date
Dear
Re: Negotiated Placement
I am a student on a Diploma/Degree Nursing Course leading to a qualification as a Registered Nurse. As part of my programme, I have a four-week period for which I can negotiate a placement outside my usual placement areas. This is to provide me with an opportunity to observe and participate in practice in an area related to my nursing experience.
I am writing to you to enquire whether it is possible for you to provide me with a placement for observation purposes.
The dates for the placement are from …………………………… to …………………………….
I acknowledge that all costs incurred with regard to the placement are my responsibility.
I enclose the protocol for negotiated placements, negotiated placements experience agreement and my personal outcomes.
Yours sincerely,
(Signature)
(Name in Capital Letters)
NEGOTIATED PLACEMENT EXPERIENCE AGREEMENT
This agreement provides the students and their receiving organisations with an outline of the central policies that usually relate to Trusts and organisations. You must present this signed copy to the receiving organisation. You may, however, be required to sign an agreement / honorary contract relevant to the organisation that provides you with your placement.
Name of student
…………………………………………………………………………………………
The agreement is effective for the period of the placement dates:
commencing on ……………………………….
completion date .………………………………
Address of placement:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
The agreement is for the period of the negotiated placement, and the student requiring the experience must comply with the following conditions:
1. During the placement the student will be allocated to named employees who will be responsible for implementing the Trust’s/organisation’s requirements in respect of the placement.
2. During the placement the student will be expected to undertake observation and participation in practice.
3. Whilst on placement confidentiality as to the diagnosis and treatment of patients, individual patient/staff records and details, prices and terms must be maintained and no information must be divulged or passed on to any unauthorised person(s). Breach of confidentiality may result in the termination of the placement.
4. Misconduct or poor performance will result in the termination of the placement, or in the event of any gross misconduct, a requirement to leave the premises.
5. The supervisor/mentor or the senior member of the relevant department/organisation must be notified of any absence, which prevents attendance for the purpose of the placement.
6. During the placement students are required to comply with the policies and procedures and any other rules for contact and administration of work as are prescribed by the trust/organisation. This mainly includes:
(a) an obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to provide safe and healthy working conditions and methods. Such responsibilities should be set out in the relevant policy whether in this or another country though the details vary. It is the student’s responsibility to acquaint themselves with the contents of the policy.
(b) It is the student’s legal obligation to take reasonable care of their health and safety and of those who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work, and to co-operate by complying with the safe working practices within the workplace. It is also the student’s responsibility not to intentionally or recklessly interfere with, or misuse, anything provided by the trust/organisation in the interest of the health, safety and welfare of the employees and other persons on their premises.
(c) The student must notify the named Trust/organisation employee of any untoward incident or accident, which occurs whilst on the trust premises. An accident/incident form must be completed in accordance with the Trust/organisation/s policy.
(d) The student must read and adhere to the fire regulations and precautions of the relevant Trust/organisation in order to practice and promote fire prevention and know the right action to take in case a fire breaks out.
7. The Trust/organisations do not normally accept liability for loss or damage to personal property. The student is expected to provide their own insurance cover against such risks. The Trust/organisations usually provide cover for public, employer and product liability claims for their own buildings and equipment.
8. Students will not accept gifts or hospitality from individuals or organisations with whom they come into contact during a placement, which might be interpreted as seeking to exert undue influence to obtain preferential consideration.
9. Students must comply with the Trust’s/organisation’s policy as regards smoking on the premises.
10. All students are expected to observe the Equal Opportunities Policies or similar policies, which concern discriminatory practice or action or harassment. Students also have a duty in this country to report any accident to managers.
11. Failure to comply with the requirements of this agreement may lead to termination of the placement.
Signature and designation (on behalf of the Trust/organisation)
………………………………………………………………… Date ………………………………..
I have read and understood the conditions of my Negotiated Placement Experience Agreement and confirm my acceptance of them.
Signature (Student) ……………………………………… Date …………………………………
Personal Learning Outcomes
In preparation for the negotiated placement you will agree personal learning outcomes with your personal tutor. These learning outcomes are specific to your placement taking into account the area of speciality and must reflect the reasons for seeking the placement.
You may use the space below to record your learning outcomes.
CITY UNIVERSITY LONDON
School of Community & Health Sciences
Negotiated Learning Contract
Negotiated Placement: ……………………………………………………………………………
Dates of negotiated placement: …………………………………………………………………
Breakdown of hours during negotiated placement :
Reason for choosing negotiated placement?
What previous experiences are you bringing to your negotiated placement?
How will you achieve your learning outcomes? (list what you would like to do / see during the placement)
Signature (Student) ……………………………………………….…Date ……………..………
Confirmation that student achieved learning outcomes & hours agreed in learning contract :
Signature (on behalf of Trust/organisation)……………………..………………………………
Designation…………………………………………………………… Date ……………..………
Negotiated Placement Information
Name of Student ……………………………………………………………………………………….
Email address ………………………………………………………………………………………….
Name of Hospital/Health Centre/Project …………………………………………………………….
Address: ………………………………………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Contact Person: ……………………………………………………………………………………….
Telephone No. ………………………………………… Email ……………………………………….
Placement Provider’s Link to University/School of Community & Health Sciences (if applicable):
Name of Contact Person at City (e.g. Practice Facilitator): ……………………………………...
Telephone No. ………………………………………Email …………………………………………
Special Requirements of Placement area: (e.g. dress code at work; in general) ……………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Precautions: (e.g. immunisations; notes on safety) ………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Student’s Next of Kin
Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Address: …………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Tel No: ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
PLEASE RETURN TO THE STUDENT SERVICES TEAM AT WEST SMITHFIELD PRIOR TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF YOUR NEGOTIATED PLACEMENT
ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING
OVERSEAS PLACEMENTS FOR NURSING STUDENTS
This information pack has been put together by the RCN International Office, which acknowledges the kind assistance of the International department of the British Medical Association (BMA).
If you have any further information or helpful advice for nursing students, which you think, should be included, the International Office would like to hear from you.
Introduction
This information is intended to help you plan a successful placement by pointing out the major factors you need to consider and giving some sources of further information and assistance.
The chance to undertake an placement outside the United Kingdom (UK) as part of a pre- or post-registration nursing course is one that has become available fairly recently to nursing students in the UK. The United Kingdom Central council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (UKCC) has now issued standards on overseas placements for the guidance of institutions and students (Appendix 1).
The majority of nursing students now are aware at the beginning of their course whether they will have the chance to undertake an overseas placement during the second half of the course; this leaves plenty of time for the all-important planning to be done.
The ultimate responsibility for the success of an placement is yours. Allow yourself plenty of time to decide where you want to go, what the expected learning outcomes are and above all to make the necessary preparations
Planning where to go
A good many factors will influence your choice of destination, including finances, language ability and the area of health care and nursing that you want to look at.
In theory you could go anywhere in the world, provided you could afford the fare, had a good command of the language of the country and knew that you could get the experience you wanted in the destination country of your choice.
As you start to develop ideas about what you want from an placement, try to gather information about the way in which this particular subject is dealt with in other countries, which you might want to visit to find out more. For example, there are a much higher proportion of home births in the Netherlands than the UK, and visiting the country to find out why this may be so could be a very interesting exercise for a UK student.
A literature search is a logical starting point. The RCN library at RCN headquarters is the largest in Europe and stocks English-language books and journals from all over the world. A special trip to the library could be very helpful to our research. Call the library on 020 7872 0840 to check opening times.
Some institutions have been offering nursing students the chance to do overseas placements for several years and can offer advice, contacts and information gained from students who have already done overseas placements. Take every possible chance to discuss your plans with teachers and with students who have already done their placements and to read their reports. Medical students also do overseas placements and may have useful advice to pass on.
Many education institutions and NHS Trusts have international links for various reasons, and you may be able to use a local link to organise a placement. Your town or region may be ‘twinned’ with a counterpart in another country and you could also use this kind of link. The local town hall can give you information about local town twinning arrangements.
The International Office has details of national (and specialist) nurses associations in other countries, which may be able to identify potential hosts for RCN student members to approach direct to negotiate a placement. The national nurses associations belong like the RCN to the International Council of Nurses (ICN). Some countries have no national nurses association.
The RCN International Office also has details of RCN members living and working in other countries who are prepared to act as contacts for other members going to that country. This network has been used successfully to arrange professional visits before.
You may decide to go to a particular country because you have family or friends there who can provide accommodation and help with arrangements for the placement.
Some students wonder whether to go to another developed country or a developing country. Valuable experience can be gained in either setting, but communication and setting up the placement may be easier to arrange with a potential host in another developed country.
Students also need to consider the impact of their presence in a poor community; local hosts are often overwhelmingly hospitable and generous yet the expense of providing food and lodging for a visitor may be significant for them. It may also be difficult for a visitor from a developed country to accept some practices; for example, shortage of funds and equipment may mean that disposable items are reused. You must be aware of and respect cultural differences.