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Clinical Education Placement Guidelines

CE 02

March 2003

The main section headings in this document are featured below as links:

• General Principles/Philosophy
• Institutional policies and procedures
• Clinical education placement providers
• Learning environment
• Student responsibilities and rights
• Student support and information
• Staff development
• Dealing with grievances
• Assessment of practice
• Monitoring and evaluation of placement learning opportunities
• Appendix A: glossary of terms
• Useful references

1. General Principles/Philosophy

Clinical education should form part of all Chartered Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Assistants roles, thus sharing the responsibility of supporting and educating the next generation of Physiotherapists. In order to facilitate this, all Health Care Organisations should work in partnership with Higher Education in developing new opportunities for clinical education and ensuring consistent quality of current provision. Health Care Organisations will be varied and may include the voluntary and independent sectors, local authorities, prisons and the armed forces.

2. Institutional policies and procedures

The organisation and development of clinical education placements involves liaison between the clinical education placement providers and the higher education institution.

Criteria

• The length and format of the clinical education placement is agreed prior to the placement.
• The learning outcomes of the clinical education placement are identified prior to the placement.
• Representatives of clinical placement providers contribute to ongoing course development.

The higher education institution makes available to the clinical placement providers the relevant information on the course and the students.

Criteria

• The clinical placement providers should be supplied with all relevant information e.g.
  • appropriate sections of the course document
  • course handbook
  • relevant course syllabi
  • agreed placement learning outcomes
  • assessment criteria
  • placement evaluation forms
  • role of visiting tutor
  • frequency of visits to the placement by the visiting tutor
  • facilities required by visiting tutor during visits
  • name of clinical co-ordinator
• The clinical placement provider should be supplied with the dates of the placement and the level of students undertaking the placements, normally six months in advance of the placement.
• The clinical co-ordinator and clinical placement provider agree the number of students normally six months in advance of the placement.
• The clinical placement providers are supplied with the following information normally four weeks prior to the placement:
  • names of the student(s)
  • name of the visiting tutor
  • contact name in the higher education institution for the placement provider in the event of difficulties

3. Clinical education placement providers

An induction programme introduces the student(s) to the department/unit.

Criteria

• Before the placement commences, the students should have access to the following information:
  • clinical contact number
  • placement reading
  • maps, car parking etc.
  • reporting time on Day 1 of the placement
  • accommodation if applicable
  • unit specialities
  • education facilities - library, study areas, reference literature, computer access
  • local information
• On the first day of the placement, the student(s) is given a range of information which should include where appropriate:
  • name of physiotherapist to contact in event of difficulties
  • information about the bleep system, relevant telephone numbers and any other communication systems
  • department information - changing facilities, staff room, start time, lunch hour, finish time, access to Occupational Health Department, other facilities
  • departmental policies and procedures, including Accident, Health and Safety, Manual Handling and Complaints
  • general information about the unit - e.g. banks, shops, canteen
  • philosophy of the department
  • departmental profile, including staffing structure

The service manager facilitates the provision of an effective placement.

Criteria

• The manager is responsible for ensuring that:
  • clinical educators are identified
  • the clinical educators receive the appropriate training prior to the placement and encouraged to pursue CSP accreditation
  • alternative arrangements are made in the event of the clinical educators' absence
  • the placements meet the learning outcomes of the higher education institution
  • the contract for the student, where necessary, is arranged with the trust/health authority
  • all possible models of clinical education are explored e.g. 2 or more students to one supervisor, sharing of clinical educator role, joint supervision by other members of the multi-disciplinary team
  • where role sharing of clinical education exists the clinical educators involved communicate effectively and share a common approach to clinical education
  • other relevant staff are informed of the placement occurring to enhance the learning experience
  • the details of residential accommodation, arranged by placement providers, are sent to the higher education institution
  • a culture of support for practice based learning within their department is promoted, including involvement of the whole team in the process
  • changes affecting clinical placements are communicated normally within 4 weeks of the start of the placement. Offers of an appropriate alternative placement should be made when it is reasonably practicable.

The clinical educator prepares for the placement.

Criteria

• Prior to the arrival of the student(s), the clinical educator undertakes the following:
  • reviews the learning outcomes of the placement and plans the student's and clinicians' caseloads, taking into account the student's entry level and local learning opportunities
  • plans the induction period for the student
  • identifies and contacts any other team members who may be involved in the learning experience
• At the beginning of the placement the clinical educator should:
  • provide the student(s) with the information identified in student support and information section
  • carry out an induction as identified previously in this section
  • agree with the student their personal learning outcomes for the placement

4. Learning environment

The clinical educator facilitates the student's learning experience.

Criteria

• During the placement it is the role of the clinical educator to:
  • ensure the placement meets the learning outcomes of the higher education institution
  • enable the student(s) to take advantage of the potential learning experiences of the placement
  • ensure that the patient has agreed to take part in student(s) education
  • provide regular feedback regarding student(s) performance to the student and the visiting tutor
  • provide advisory support to the student(s) as necessary
  • liaise with the visiting tutor on placement management
  • communicate effectively and share a common approach to clinical education when sharing a student with another colleague

The clinical educator has sufficient experience and expertise to manage an effective clinical placement.

Criteria

• All members of the physiotherapy team may contribute to the clinical education of the student(s).
• The lead clinical educator meets the following specifications:
  • would have normally practised physiotherapy for at least two years
  • has undertaken regular updating of knowledge and skills
  • demonstrates a positive commitment to physiotherapy student education
  • conforms with the CSP Standards of Physiotherapy Practice (CSP Oct 2000)
• The clinical educator has undertaken appropriate training prior to educating students and is ideally pursuing CSP accreditation.
• The clinical educator has access to information provided by the higher education institution which includes the following:
  • philosophy of the higher education institution
  • appropriate course documentation
  • process of the course, including assessment procedures
  • role of the clinical educator
  • role of the visiting tutor
  • role of the higher education institution
  • role of the student
  • workload expectation

5. Student responsibilities and rights

Within the first week a learning agreement is negotiated between the student(s) and the Clinical Educator which takes into account the student's needs within the parameters of the clinical placement.

Criteria

• A record of the agreement should be made. which includes the student's personal learning objectives for the placement

Students have a right to a safe placement environment and be treated in accordance with applicable legislation.

Criteria

• Universities should seek formal reassurance of compliance with health and safety standards in all placement areas
• Students must observe and comply with health and safety policies whilst on placement and take reasonable care of themselves and others
• Placement providers must ensure the health and safety of students whilst on placement

Students have a responsibility to comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct and Standards of Physiotherapy Practice in addition to the clinical governance arrangements within the organisation.

Criteria

• The student wears a name badge at all times.
• The student should be familiar with the Rules of Professional Conduct and Core Standards of Physiotherapy Practice

6. Student support and information

Information is available to the student(s).

Criteria

• The higher education institution and placement providers make available information prior to the placement which should include, where appropriate:
  • the outcomes of the placement
  • the location of the placement
  • the specific clinic/unit
  • uniform requirement
  • pre-placement reading
  • name of clinical educator if possible or clinical contact number
  • name of visiting tutor
  • maps, car parking etc.
  • accommodation if applicable
  • unit specialities
  • education facilities - library, study areas, reference literature, computer access
  • local information
  • assessment process
  • evaluation process
• On the first day of the placement, the student(s) is given a range of information which should include where appropriate:
  • name of physiotherapist to contact in event of difficulties
  • information about the bleep system, relevant telephone numbers and any other communication systems
  • department information - changing facilities, staff room, start time, lunch hour, finish time, access to Occupational Health Department, other facilities, departmental policies and procedures, including Accident, Health and Safety, Manual Handling and Complaints
  • general information about the unit - e.g. banks, shops, canteen
  • philosophy of the department
  • departmental profile, including staffing structure

The visiting tutor liaises between the placement, the clinical educator, the student(s) and the higher education institution.

Criteria

• During the placement, the visiting tutor liaises with the clinical educator and the student(s) on:
  • arranging to visit the student(s) as specified in the course documentation
  • monitoring the student's progress and their learning experience
  • facilitating learning within the placement parameters
  • provide support and guidance in the student(s) assessment programme
  • providing feedback on performance and on placement management.

7. Staff development

The clinical educators receive appropriate training prior to the placement.

Clinical educators should be able to demonstrate that they are engaged in continuing professional development.

Criteria

• CPD is planned, implemented and evaluated at least annually
• There is written evidence in a CPD portfolio

Clinical educators are competent to identify and develop placement opportunities.

8. Dealing with grievances

There are procedures in place for dealing with grievances and all parties (Higher education institution, students and placement providers) are aware of them.

Criteria

• Written procedures are available
• Institutions investigate and respond to reasonable grievances about clinical placements.

9. Assessment of practice

The formative and summative assessment process is documented and available to both the clinical educator and student(s).

Criteria

• The documentation should include:
  • the process for assessment including the timetable of assessment points
  • assessment criteria
  • assessment forms

Clinical educators should organise assessment opportunities to enable them to monitor a student's performance.

• Comply with the monitoring process identified by the relevant HEIs

Regular feedback should be given to the student(s) on their performance throughout the placement.

• This should include both formal and informal feedback
• Feedback should be given on a regular basis throughout the placement
• In the event of students struggling to meet the learning outcomes for the placement, early contact should be made with the HEI, who will provide any necessary support for both the student and the clinician.

The lead clinical educator should be responsible for completing the assessment of the student(s).

Criteria

• This should be in consultation with:
  • other members of the physiotherapy team
  • members of multi disciplinary team who have been involved in the education of the student(s)
  • the HEI/visiting tutor

10. Monitoring and evaluation of placement learning opportunities

An evaluation of placements is carried out by the student, the clinical educator and the visiting tutor.

Criteria

• The evaluation process is agreed by all parties
• The evaluation occurs at regular agreed intervals
• Feedback is timely and acted upon appropriately

Appendix A: glossary of terms

Useful references

• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2002) Guidance in Manual Handling for Chartered Physiotherapists. CSP, London
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2002) Validation Procedures. CSP, London
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2002) Curriculum Framework for Qualifying Programmes in Physiotherapy. CSP, London
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (2000) Standards of Physiotherapy Practice. CSP London
• Department of Health (2001) Practice Placements - A Discussion Paper. DOH. London
• Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2001) Code of Practice for the Assurance of Academic Quality and Standards in Higher Education: Placement Learning. QAA. Gloucester

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