by Student Communications
If you’re studying on one of our many healthcare courses, placements are likely to be a huge part of your uni experience. Working on the wards and in the community will be hugely rewarding (after all, it’s why you’ve chosen this path) but undoubtedly challenging, so we want to make sure you’re as prepared as you possibly can be in the weeks before you start.
Location, location, location
Our practice partners are all over the South West, so find out where your placement is and plan your journey accordingly – do a trial run if possible! Even better if you’re able to have a look around and introduce yourself to some of the staff before you start (we recommend you do this by email as soon as you are allocated your placement). Make sure you factor in time for possible traffic or delays, especially on your first day – no one wants to be that person who turns up late to the ward.
Dress to impress
We’re looking forward to seeing your first day selfies! Make sure you’ve got enough uniform to keep you looking (and feeling) fresh all week. You’ll get your first set free of charge, and can order extras directly from Alexandra Workwear (please email Infopoint who can send you the details) – or, stock up on second hand from the SU’s uniform swap shop, open every Wednesday. Depending what your placement is, you might be on your feet a lot, so wear comfy shoes!
Please remember: when you wear the uniform, you’re representing UWE Bristol to the world. Always keep things professional – that means never taking photos with patients, and be careful with who or what is in the background of anything you share.
Do your homework
As the saying goes! The Professional Practice Office (PPO) will share general information in lectures, and your programme teams will provide more specific guidance related to your field of practice. There’ll be a lot to take in and no one expects you to memorise things on first glance, but do read as much as you can and keep all useful materials organised so you can easily refer back to them. Research the area you are going into, for example the type of ward you’ll be on, so you know what kind of equipment and situations you might be working with.
You might be using PebblePad to keep record of competencies you’ve had signed off (your programme team will confirm) – if so, read up on our support guides here – and bookmark the page to refer back to in future!
Weekly PAL sessions are a great opportunity to speak to students who have been through what you’re about to. They’ll be able to share their own personal experiences, words of wisdom and reassurance that you really have got this. Glenside’s Student Experience Coach is on hand for this too – you can make an appointment to have a chat with Emma via this email address.
Take it all in / be proactive
Your placement is your opportunity to get real hands-on experience and learn as much as possible in the time available. Introduce yourself to all staff you meet; everyone’s role is important to the smooth running of the practice, and you can learn something from them all. Ask questions, observe and keep good notes – though it might not feel like it, time will fly and the more detail you can remember from each day the better.
Be clear on boundaries
Say yes to new learning opportunities, but remember your supernumerary status (meaning: you cannot be counted as part of the workforce when you’re learning on placement in a clinical setting) and be confident to say no if you need to; don’t do anything above your position or that you’ve not been properly trained to do. If you have been trained on a particular procedure, make sure you’re supervised the first few times you do it.
We’re here for you
Your placement might take you miles away from campus, but UWE Bristol’s support services are still here for you. Wellbeing support is always available, as is our serious concerns line, 24/7 crisis textline (85258) and Practice Support Line (0117 32 81152).
If you see or hear something on placement that isn’t right, you should follow your practice’s procedures to report it. We want to know about it too, so use Report and Support to tell us what’s happened – if you include contact details we can follow up, or anonymous reports can help us build a picture of what’s going on in our wider community. You’ve heard “pics or it didn’t happen” – similarly, if it’s not reported, we won’t know how we can support you. Help us help you!
Stay connected
On that note – stay in touch! You’ll still be getting ’10 things you need to know this week’ from us, and academic staff will be sharing updates where relevant so check your UWE emails periodically.
Please also know that your Programme Team is here and available to support you throughout your placement, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them directly.
And finally, …enjoy it!