Why do student nurses go on placements?
Experience in a practice learning setting really helps students to identify how the theory they learn at university links to the work of nurses and midwives in everyday clinical practice.
Across all fields of nursing and midwifery, you therefore spend 50% of the programme learning theory and the other 50% is practice-based learning.
Practice-based learning takes place both through simulation in our Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre (napier.ac.uk) - which includes life-like hospital wards, a home setting and a midwifery suite - and practice placements.
The kind of practice placements students undertake differ according to their field of practice. Settings can include schools, hospitals, community teams, specialist nursing services, hospices and third sector organisations.
All students will attend sessions in the Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre to build up the core skills and knowledge needed to hit the ground running when out on practice placement.
How many placements will I do as a pre-registration nursing student?
There are six practice learning placements integrated throughout each nursing programme. Practice Learning 1-5 will be planned by the University to ensure that everyone can meet all mandatory elements and have a varied learning experience – everyone’s journey will be different. Practice Learning 6 is currently where students are offered the opportunity to express a note of interest in the area they will attend for their final experience within the approved practice learning partners.
Our maps below show the area where you will potentially be placed depending on your chosen programme.
Attendance at placement will involve travel - If you are entitled to the SAAS student nurse bursary, you will be able to claim back travel expenses subject to conditions.
How many placements will I do as a pre-registration midwifery student?
There are seven practice learning modules integrated throughout the pre-registration midwifery programmes. Practice Learning is planned by the University to ensure that everyone can meet all mandatory elements and have a varied learning experience – everyone’s journey will be different.
Our map below shows the areas where you will potentially be placed: in NHS Lothian, NHS Borders, NHS Forth Valley, or NHS Fife. Settings can include hospitals, community teams, and specialist nursing services.
Attendance at placement will involve travel - If you are entitled to the SAAS student nurse bursary, you will be able to claim back travel expenses subject to conditions.
Points to remember
- Your programme consists of 50% theory and 50% practice.
- The academic year for student nurses and midwives is longer than other University programmes.It is 45 weeks duration with annual leave of 7 weeks scheduled throughout the year.
- All nursing students are expected to work the same core shifts as the team with which they are working, and this will involve weekday, weekend and night shifts.
- Placements are offered in a variety of health care settings to reflect working in a modern healthcare environment and will be offered within our NHS Board partners in inpatient and community settings you may also be offered a placement in a private, voluntary, or independent organisation.
- Attendance at placement will involve travel - If you are entitled to the SAAS student nurse bursary, you will be able to claim back travel expenses subject to conditions. If you are not entitled to the bursary, you are expected to pay for your own travel. You can apply for a card to access the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme
- On placement, you are there to learn, and therefore you will always be counted as supernumerary to the staffing level required for the service provision. This means that you are not paid a salary while on placement.
- Attendance at placement is a requirement of your course so you should not make any arrangements to take a holiday during a work placement.
You might find it helpful to look at associated guidance and advice from the Royal College of Nursing and The Scottish Government
Questions
If you have any immediate questions around placements during your training, or any other aspect of your application, please contact our advisor of studies on 0131 455 5382 or email: nursingandmidwifery@napier.ac.uk
Student Experience
Some of our students give you an idea of what to expect on the courses.