The following provides important information on placements, as well as useful documentation and frequently asked questions, to ensure you have the answers you'll need before embarking on your practice experience.
We are here to help you on your placement, so if you need to contact us please email a member of the Placements Support Team.
Useful information and forms
- Change of practice placement and locality requests (PDF 105kb)
- Dealing with sickness and absence flowchart (PDF 243kb)
- Report absence from placement (online form)
- Change method of transportation (online form)
- Expenses and funding - NHS learning support fund
- Expenses and funding - financial support
- Additional learning support
Frequently asked questions
When do I find out where I'm going on placement?
Your placement allocation will appear on POW (Placements on the Web) six weeks before your start date. POW will give you the contact details for your placement, details of what type of placement it is, shift times and lots more useful information. You will then need to contact the placement area to arrange your off-duty.
Do I have to work bank holidays and weekends?
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) stipulate that students need to work the full 24-hour pattern of care. This will mean working evenings and weekends. If you are allocated a placement which works on a bank holiday then you are expected to work that day.
Can I do paid work outside of university?
The European Working Time Directive states that you can only work a maximum of 48 hours per week. All weeks timetabled as theory, self-managed study and placement are expected to require 37.5 hours of work. Therefore, you can only work an extra 10.5 hours per week in paid employment.
Who supports me on placement?
On every placement you will be allocated a named mentor with whom you will spend 40% of your working time. This person will be responsible for grading your practice while you are on that placement. Some placements may also allocate you an associate mentor to work with. If you experience any issues whilst on placement, please contact either your Personal Tutor or your Placement Support Officer.
There are also a team of University Practice Learning Advisors (UPLAs) who link between the university and placement areas to help mentors and students deal with any issues in placement. The UPLAs can be contacted by email.
All the acute Trusts have a co-ordinator who deals with any issues in these settings. If needed, their contact details can be obtained from your Placement Support Officer.
What happens if I fail an outcome in placement?
All your work (academic and placement) is taken to a Board of Examiners in the summer of each academic year. Depending on your profile and whether you've failed any other units, a decision will be made regarding either resubmitting or repeating practice. This may sometimes result in you having to repeat your failed units rather than progressing to the next academic year.
Can I request my placements?
Adult Nursing – The NMC has set guidelines for the types of placements students need to experience by the end of their training. You are therefore not able to request your placements. However, if you have an interest in any particular area, please let your Placement Support Officer know and we'll accommodate you if we can. You may have the chance to request the location of your final consolidation placement, which you will receive details regarding within a few months of starting your final year.
Mental health, Children's and Young Peoples Nursing – Similarly, student pathways are carefully planned in order to meet the NMC standards, and students finish their training having been exposed to different learning environments. Requests for particular areas are normally considered for consolidation.
I have been off sick, how do I make up my shift?
You are required to make up all hours missed in practice. It is advisable that you complete your outstanding hours in the same academic year by negotiating extra time with your allocated placement. Providing you have less than two weeks (75 hours) to make up, it is your responsibility to arrange another time if your allocated placement cannot accommodate you. If you are looking to make up more than two weeks your circumstances need to be discussed with your Academic Advisor, as you might require a solid block of placement to be organised, which your Placement Support Officer will investigate for you.
Please remember all your hours made up will need to be recorded on an appropriate form, signed by practice and submitted to the Placements Team for processing.
What other funding is available?
If you are a student on an NHS course which started in September 2017 or after, you may be eligible for additional support from the NHS Learning Support Fund. Information regarding Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses, including how to apply, is also available via the NHS Learning Support Fund.