Essential pre-placement checks

For all students undertaking placement

There are some important things that you need to do to prepare yourself for placement and to make sure you are ready to gain valuable industry experience.

One of the first steps is for you to complete pre-placement compliance checks. This means completing any required immunisations, training, or other tests before placement and submitting proof that these have been completed, to Flinders.

These compliance checks are required by both the University and your host organisation. They are there to protect you and the people you work with and to ensure you are safe on placement.

You should keep all original copies of documents in a safe place, as you may be asked to produce these by your host organisation.

What you need to do

Understand the compliance checks for your course (see below)
Undertake any tests, training, immunisations etc before placement
Submit your documents to Flinders via InPlace

It is essential that you start the compliance process as early as possible to ensure that you are ready in time for your placement.

You will need to undertake some essential pre-placement checks.

Some courses have specific WIL compliance requirements. Check the placement information for these areas:

Essential compliance requirements for all students

Activity	What you need to do	Form / more information	Submit to
Fitness for placement declaration	Declare your fitness for placement by reading and acknowledging the Fitness for Placement statement on InPlace. Let the University know if you have an access plan.	N/A	InPlace
Student consent for placement	Read and acknowledge the relevant essential conditions around student consent for placement using the applicable form. (Please note: if you are required to undertake multiple placements during your degree, you may be required to read both student consent documents, check with your WIL Support Team if you are unsure.)	Placements undertaken outside Flinders University - Student Consent for Placement Statement (PDF) OR Placements undertaken within Flinders University ONLY - Student Consent for Internal WIL Placement with Flinders University Statement (PDF)	InPlace
Intellectual property for placement	Watch the student IP declaration, then acknowledge your understanding in InPlace. Watch the IP counselling video.	Student Intellectual Property Statement (PDF)	InPlace
COVID – 19 Vaccination	As of 1st November 2021, SA Health, Aged Care and a vast majority of agencies require a full COVID vaccination status.	Please upload proof of vaccination to InPlace How to get proof of your vaccination	InPlace
Emergency contact	Confirm your emergency contact details are up to date in the Student Information System.		Student System

International placement compliance and information

Compliance

Before you go overseas for placement, there are a number of pre-placement checks and supporting documents you must provide to the University via InPlace.

Activity	More information / form	Submit to
Register for University insurance and let us know when you have registered	Student travel insurance FAQs
Contact details while overseas	Record your address and mobile number while overseas	InPlace
Local contact details	Record your host organisation name, contact person and their email and phone number	InPlace
Emergency contact details, including best person to contact in an emergency	Record details of an emergency contact in Australia in the Student System	Student System
Smart Traveller	Register with Smart Traveller and upload your confirmation email	InPlace
Travel details	Record travel dates, destination country and city	InPlace

Support - Learn Without Borders

The Learn Without Borders team support students travelling overseas for study.

Pre-departure checklist

This pre-departure checklist (PDF) will guide your preparation for international placement.

Financial support

You should consider the costs associated with travelling overseas for study. View some great information about budgeting, costs and financial support.

Additional essential pre-placement checks for Northern Territory placements

Before you go to the Northern Territory there are a number of pre-placement checks and supporting documents you must provide.

If your placement is with the Northern Territory Department of Health, please see mandatory requirements (in addition to the Ochre Card) marked with an * below. For all other placements please contact your NT placement supervisor to confirm requirements.

For SA Medicine students undertaking Medicine placements in the NT, please refer to the discipline specific information on the pre-placement page here

Requirement	Details	Link	Submit to
Ochre Card	This is a legal requirement in the NT and applications may take up to six weeks for processing. Students are able to request a reduced volunteer fee with this document	More information	InPlace
*Criminal History Checks	These must be dated within the current academic year and processed by a state or territory police service. Third party criminal history checks will not be accepted. Students are able to request a reduced volunteer fee with this document	More information	InPlace
* Student Deed of Undertaking		More information	InPlace
*Tuberculosis requirements	A Mantoux or IGRA test	More information	InPlace
*Hepatitis A	Immunisation is required for students who will be working remotely and/or with Aboriginal children. *Mandatory for students from College of Nursing and Health Sciences		InPlace
Immunisation standard and precautionary advisory	Read and understand the information in the Immunisation Standard and Precautionary Advisory booklet. For refusal to immunise - information in the booklet and a refusal to Immunisation Declaration must be completed and uploaded to InPlace.	Immunisation, Standard and precautionary Advisory Booklet 2019 (PDF)	InPlace
First Aid certificate	CNHS students are to obtain a current First Aid certificate (valid 3 years) - HLTAID003 or HLTFA311A are accepted course codes.	More information	InPlace

For further information on additional NT compliances, please contact your college placement team.

For non-compliance related NT information and contact details, please visit Flinders NT website.

COVID-19 vaccination and face mask information

Some workplaces and organisations are requiring workers, including students on placement, to have had a COVID-19 vaccination before entering the workplace. Be informed of any requirements impacting on your placement.

COVID-19 vaccination requirements

Broadly SA Health, Aged Care providers and NT Health are the primary hosts of student in healthcare settings. Flinders University therefore takes advice from these hosts in relation to student vaccination requirements.

SA Health and NT Health vaccination policies require employees and placement students to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccinations applicable to health care workers as recommended by ATAGI.

Current advice from ATAGI is as follows:

ATAGI continues to recommend a primary course of vaccination against COVID-19, followed by a booster dose for those eligible, even in individuals who have had past infection.

Administration of a 2023 COVID-19 booster dose should aim to occur prior to June 2023 and at a time of 6 months or greater following the most recent COVID-19 vaccine dose or confirmed infection.

ATAGI 2023 Booster Advice*

Age	At risk**	No risk factors
<5 years	Not recommended	Not recommended
5-17 years	Consider	Not recommended
18-64 years	Consider if severely immunocompromised**	Not recommended
65-74 years	Consider	Consider
>75 years	Recommended	Recommended
XBB.1.5-containing vaccine preferred for all doses. For eligible children aged 6 months to 4 years, use Pfizer Original 6 month - <5 year formulation (maroon cap) as the only available formulation for this age group. Timing: 2023 vaccine doses should be given from 6 months after a person’s last dose and can be given in early 2024, pending updated advice from ATAGI. Includes those with a medical condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19 illness (refer to ATAGI clinical guidance) or those with disability with significant or complex health needs or multiple comorbidities which increase the risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19. ** ^ For details, refer to the ATAGI recommendations on the use of a third primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine in individuals who are severely immunocompromised.

Exceptions

Some health care environments may have additional or varying COVID-19 vaccination requirements and students will be notified in these circumstances, via your specific placement area webpage or alternative communication.

Students failing to adopt these requirements may result in the loss of their placement in lieu of any medical condition.

Resources / Links

ATAGI vaccine infographic
ATAGI 2023 booster advice
SA Health Policy - Addressing vaccine preventable disease: Occupational assessment, screening, and vaccination and FAQs
SA Health - Health care worker immunisation and screening requirements

COVID-19 vaccination information

Face mask information

Some workplaces and organisations are requiring workers, including students on placement, to be fit tested for an N95/P2 mask.

Flinders University is offering face mask fit testing for all students residing in South Australia where it is a pre-placement compliance requirement. When your placement is imminent you will be contacted and requested to book a mask fitting appointment.

If you have previously had a mask fit test you are able to upload evidence of this via InPlace and there will be no requirement to attend a Flinders University fitting.

Your fitting will remain valid throughout your studies, however, please let your WIL Support Team if you need to be fitted again due to any significant weight change that could affect your current fitting.

On the day of your appointment please ensure you: