Preparing for placement
Rural / interstate placement allocations
Exemptions to rural/ interstate placement allocation will only be considered in the following circumstances:
- If you have a Disability Access Plan (DAP) that includes placement criteria – view further information
- If you are the registered carer for a sick or disabled child or relative, accompanied by documented evidence
- You have a major health problem requiring frequent and specialised treatment which is only available at certain locations, accompanied by documented evidence
- If you are enlisted with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the allocated placement interferes with your deployment
- If you have Elite Athlete status and your allocated placement interferes with training or competition commitments
- For other highly extenuating medical, compassionate or special circumstances outside of the control of the student, and where there was no opportunity to plan ahead
- Are a parent with dependent child/ren
Metropolitan placement allocations
Exemptions to metro placement allocation will only be considered in the following circumstances:
- If you have a Disability Access Plan (DAP) that includes placement criteria – view further information
- If you are enlisted with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the allocated placement interferes with your deployment
- If you have Elite Athlete status and your allocated placement interferes with training or competition commitments
- For other highly extenuating medical, compassionate or special circumstances outside of the control of the student, and where there was no opportunity to plan ahead
When exemption requests will not be considered
Requests for exemption to any placement will not be considered in the following circumstances:
- Desire for a different placement experience (e.g. aged care, acute) or placement within a particular venue
- Travel, transportation and accommodation requirements, except where issues are relevant to the circumstances listed above
- Student work or other business commitments
- Weddings and other celebratory events
- Extra-curricular activities such as clubs
You will need to complete the rural/interstate exemption form available on the FLO WIL Hub and send to cnhs.placements@flinders.edu.au and ‘cc’ the Placement Education Coordinator.
Speech Pathology students are required to comply with the following standard of dress to attend all placements. These standards align with occupational health and safety requirements and safe handling recommendations.
- Dress in the specified uniform (as outlined below).
- Wear a name badge at all times (see process below).
- Have your student ID card available at all times.
- Wear a freshly laundered uniform, and closed shoes each day.
- Shower and attend to personal hygiene before attending the placement.
- Complete uniform, may be worn while travelling to and from campus/placement, if desired.
- The uniform and name badge MUST NOT be worn in social settings such as hotels, restaurants and cafes.
The uniform consists of:
- A blue shirt with the College of Nursing and Health Sciences emblem.
- Navy or black trousers or tailored shorts or culottes with front and back tabard or tailored skirt - no jeans, denim or tracksuit pants may be worn.
- Enclosed, sturdy, low heeled, non-slip shoe that protects the foot.
Some sites eg a childcare centre may require different dress codes or allow other options like jeans. You must consult with your placement educator before altering dress code.
Dress code for religious requirements
- Long-sleeved, cotton navy or black t-shirt may be worn under the College of Nursing and Health Sciences shirt. However, sleeves must be tight enough so when pushed up to the elbows, the sleeves do not roll down. Students will be required to roll the sleeves up when performing clinical procedures.
- Head wear: plain navy or black head covering/hijab tightly fitted with the face fully visible.
Students who do not adhere to the above policy may be asked to leave the placement and their attendance marked as absent.
Purchasing uniforms – specify ‘Speech Pathology’
Valerie Travers
1/20 Benjamin Street, Newton SA
Phone: (08) 8223 5375
Buy online: Valerie Travers website
Wearing a student name badge whilst on placement is part of accountability and professional practice.
Clinical badges can only be obtained once you have a student ID card. How to obtain a student ID card.
Collecting in person from Central Library
- Complete the online form to order and pay at: unicard.com.au/flindersplacementbadge. The cost is $4.40 if collecting in person. Payment is not available at the office and is only available via the online form.
- Visit the Unicard office level 1 Central library, with student card. Placement cards/badges will be printed while the student waits.
- Cards/badges will not be issued if a student card is not presented.
Mailed out
- Check your address is current in the student system before trying to order.
- Complete the online form to order and pay at: unicard.com.au/flindersplacementbadge. The cost is $10 if mailed out. Payment is not available at the office and is only available via the online form.
- Cards/badges will be processed and mailed out via unregistered Australian Post within 2 working days.
Preplacement workshops are timetabled under relevant placement topics (eg SPTH3903) across the academic year.
Please see FLO WIL HUB for additional details related to placement.
If you are attending a placement at a SA Health site you are required to read and understand the SA Health Clinical Placement Requirements for Healthcare Students (PDF).
If you have an existing condition or develop an illness or disability that may impede your ‘fitness for professional practice’, you must have the Flinders University Fitness for Professional Practice form (PDF) completed by a medical practitioner.
This form needs to be submitted to the placement education coordinator as soon as possible (for existing conditions, at least two weeks prior to the start of the semester).
During placement
Venue orientation
All venues will provide an orientation for students on (or sometimes prior to) the first day of placement.
On your first day of placement you will:
- produce your current compulsory pre-placement compliance documents – keep these in a handy file (paper or e-version)
- meet the venue staff, be shown around the venue, be advised of any specific requirements for the venue
- have a meeting with your placement educator.
Orientation to your placement site is time consuming for staff and your placement educator. This cannot be repeated for individual students. You must be present.
Arrival and departure times
Expectations of arrival and departure times will be outlined by your placement educator. It is your responsibility to arrive at your venue at least ten minutes before the scheduled start time. This will ensure you arrive in a timely manner and are ready to engage in the morning briefing and/or attending client appointments on time. It is your responsibility to ensure: all documentation eg SOAP notes is completed before you leave the premises; and all resources and facilities used by you are returned in place and in original condition.
Missed placement days
Any days missed during your placement may mean that you cannot complete the topic requirements for successfully completing the placement.
Contact the Flinders University speech pathology placement education coordinator as soon as possible to discuss any attendance issues. With limited placement opportunities available, it is not always possible to negotiate extensions to your placement.
If you are unwell:
- Block placement (ie 3 – 4 days/week) - for short term illness, guidelines consistent with the Department of Human Services policy should be followed. This requires a medical certificate for sick leave resulting in absence of 3 or more days.
- 1 or 2 day/week placements - a medical certificate is required for every day you are ill, due to the limited days on placement each week.
Paid employment
You may not undertake a placement in your place of employment (due to conflicting expectations around roles). If you work in a care facility that also provides student placements, you are requested to advise the placement team.
Elite athletes
If you are an elite athlete, you need to advise topic coordinators and the placement team of your status as soon as this is confirmed. This will enable appropriate placement arrangements to be accommodated. The University’s rule for Elite Athlete status provides further details, including the need to renew applications annually.
Australian Defence Force personnel
If you are a member of the Australian Defence Forces, and expect to be deployed or required for compulsory training exercises during a placement period, please advise your Placement Education Coordinator and the placement team as soon as details are known. Wherever possible, alternative arrangements will be made for your placement.
Withdrawing from placement
If you decide to withdraw from your placement either before or soon after it commences you need to email the placement education coordinator and the topic coordinator to arrange a meeting to discuss this.
Issues sometimes arise on placement that you may not be able to resolve by yourself. Who to contact and potential solutions are covered below. Keep in mind that you are required to maintain professional behaviour and communication at all times, especially with those at the placement venue.
The placement communication framework (available below) provides information about who to contact when you have a question about your placement.
First point of contact
When an issue arises at the venue where you are on placement, the first person to contact is always your placement educator (PE). Your PE is there to act as your advocate and to help resolve any matters of concern.
If the matter cannot be resolved with the assistance of your PE:
- make sure you have all relevant issues documented (for example, keep a full record of dates, times, what happened, any correspondence such as emails, and similar)
- arrange to meet with your topic coordinator or the placement education coordinator to discuss your concerns.
If you have done this and the problem is still not fixed - what to do next:
- Make an appointment to speak with your course coordinator.
- If the matter is still not resolved arrange to meet with the Teaching Program Director – Self Accredited Health Professions.
Where appropriate and as far as is possible, your anonymity will be preserved.
Remember that you have free access to the University Health, Counselling and Disability Services.
Are you experiencing bullying or harassment?
Flinders University is committed to ensuring that students can participate in workplaces that are free from bullying, harassment and discrimination, and where people are respected and diversity is embraced.
The College complies with the Flinders University principles outlined in No bullying at Flinders.
If you feel that you are being, or have been, bullied or harassed at a placement venue, report this immediately to your Placement Educator and/or your Placement Education Coordinator.
Also, seek support and assistance as soon as possible from the University Student Equal Opportunity Adviser, who provides assistance to resolve complaints that arise from harassment or bullying, under the University’s Equal Opportunity Policy (PDF).
What is breach of conduct?
A breach of conduct is when situations arise where there are serious deficits in the way a student conducts themselves or behaves while on placement, for example when a student:
- behaves in an unprofessional manner or
- does tasks outside their scope of practice
- engages in unsafe professional practice
When a breach of conduct occurs, the student will be referred to the topic coordinator who will review whether they can continue activity within the topic, depending on the severity of the breach.
Patients and the public expect to be in a safe environment within a placement venue. If at any time a student demonstrates unsafe practice during a placement, they will be immediately withdrawn from the placement venue. The placement educator will then notify the topic coordinator and course coordinator, in writing, of the event or activity that required the removal of a student from the venue.
Unsafe professional practice include:
- inadequate knowledge for safe practice
- inadequate performance of skills, including communication
- unprofessional behaviour that places patients at risk of physical harm, unreasonable emotional distress or neglect
- unlawful or unethical behaviour.
If the issue/s that caused the removal of a student from placement can be resolved, and the venue agrees, a student may continue their placement. Negotiation for the support of a Learning Plan may also be considered.
The Placement Education Coordinator, in consultation with the placement educator and relevant clinical staff, will determine whether a student may be reinstated.
If a student’s behaviour or practice is such that they would fail the topic, then they will not be reinstated.
Learning Plans are collaboratively developed to identify goals related to the competency areas identified as areas of concern; and strategies to facilitate the student’s development in and demonstration of these competency areas (as outlined in the COMPASS® assessment) to the level required as outlined in the topic book and SAM.
The Learning Plan is designed to support the student's successful completion of their placement. A Learning Plan is not an assessable item and cannot be used as such. The students will be assessed by the placement educator using COMPASS® online. The factors for determination of successful completion are outlined in the relevant topic book and SAM.
A student may be offered a Learning Plan (LP) at any time during a placement. It is the student's choice to implement this learning strategy, however, students are reminded that a LP is designed to promote their success during placement.
How is a Learning Plan implemented?
The placement education coordinator would meet with you and your placement educator to discuss the areas within your competency development that have been identified as requiring specific focus.
A Learning Plan may then be negotiated with you and designed to specify the key areas to be addressed as related to COMPASS competencies; and learning strategies that may help you meet the expected outcomes. The area/s for development are identified and together with the placement educator, the placement education coordinator and student agree on the final plan.
Rural / interstate placements
Speech pathology students will be required to attend at least one rural, remote or interstate placement during the final year of their course. A rural venue is defined by the Australian Statistical Geography Standard Remoteness Areas 2-5.
Rural placements will provide unique opportunities and challenges that aid in developing your personal independence and professional skills. Keep in mind that they will require you to be adaptable, flexible, resourceful, collegial, able to tolerate periods of solitude, and able to complete academic work independently if necessary.
When rural, remote and interstate placements become available, the placement unit will:
- prioritise placement allocation for students who have family in rural, remote or interstate areas
- randomly allocate remaining available placements to other eligible students.
- contact students via email to notify of placement location.
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences understands that students can struggle financially with the costs of living away from home while undertaking placement. There are resources available to help:
- Reimbursement Policy – students can recover some of the costs of travel and accommodation after their placement by completing the Student Placement Reimbursement form (PDF).
- FUSA – FUSA’s Financial Advocacy service can assist with all things financial
- Scholarships – Students are encouraged to check the Scholarships at Flinders page and apply for any scholarship for which they are eligible.
Student Reimbursement Policy for SA rural, remote and interstate placements (1 February 2025)
This policy is for College of Nursing and Health Sciences students undertaking a rural or remote South Australian or any interstate placement.
Students will be eligible for reimbursement following each completed placement in line with this policy.
Reimbursement claims are processed at the completion of placement. Reimbursement claims must be submitted by the 15 January the following year for reimbursement of placement expenses the previous calendar year.
Students living in a rural or interstate location while completing their course qualify for reimbursement when they undertake placement in a metropolitan location.
Accommodation
Accommodation expenses will be reimbursed to a maximum of $150 per week for the duration of the placement period.
Students must provide evidence for payment of accommodation, a receipt is preferred where possible, bank statement or signed letter from landlord can also be provided as evidence. Bonds and security deposits for accommodation, paid by students, are not covered by this policy and will not be reimbursed.
It is expected students stay in their allocated rural placement location area when undertaking a rural placement experience. Usual living expenses, including rent at a semester address, will not be covered under this policy.
Travel
Travel will be reimbursed to a maximum of $500 for travel expenses to and from the placement venue, at the commencement and completion of the placement based on the receipts provided (such as flights, bus, taxi fare). Students will not be reimbursed for travel while on placement returning to their residential address (e.g. at the end of a shift or on weekends during placement).
Students travelling within SA to rural and remote locations by a private vehicle will receive a predetermined amount to cover fuel expenses. Students will not be required to submit receipts. The total amount students will receive is provided on the Personal Travel Reimbursement - SA Rural Locations (PDF).
Exemptions:
- If the placement is in the Northern Territory, students will be entitled to be reimbursed for travel and accommodation expenses to a maximum of $750. Accommodation can only be included, if it was required in travelling to the placement location, prior to and at the completion of the placement. The total travel and accommodation amount in these instances will not exceed the maximum allowance of $750.
- If the placement is a project-based placement requiring the student to travel several times from metropolitan Adelaide to a rural venue, the student will be entitled to 2 return trips to a maximum refund of $500. To be eligible the student must provide supporting documentation in writing from their topic coordinator indicating this activity is essential.
- Metropolitan Placements that require sporadic rural travel as part of the placement venues network are not eligible for reimbursement.
- If a student is required to travel to more than one rural location during the placement period and the placement provider requires them to travel between the locations at their own expense the student will be eligible for reimbursement of travel to a maximum of $500 (this will include travel to and from placement location on first and last day of placement).
- Students in this scenario will keep a log of the kilometres travelled, dates and destinations and submit this as evidence when seeking reimbursement. Travel will be reimbursed based on fuel at $1.80 per litre, with the average fuel consumption 11.1 L/100 km (ABS Survey of Motor Vehicle Use, Australia 2020).
Assessment
All accommodation and travel reimbursements will be subjected to the following criteria;
- Rural and remote placements in South Australia must be within ASGS Remoteness 2021, Areas RA2 – RA5 outlined on the Doctor Connect website. Mt Barker will be excluded from this policy for both accommodation and travel reimbursement.
- Interstate placements, including metro locations, are included when; the placement is approved and/or required by the college (the college via the WIL placement team will identify if a placement satisfies this test prior to confirmation).
- Interstate placements, including metro locations, are not included when you choose to go to an interstate location where there is a suitable South Australian placement available to you as defined by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences WIL placement team. In these circumstances the students can still do this placement, but reimbursement will not be provided.
- All placements will be confirmed by the College of Nursing and Health Sciences WIL placement team.
- Scholarships, Stipends and Commonwealth Prac Payments received by the student for any placement will be taken into consideration when calculating the reimbursement. Student reimbursements from this policy will not exceed the total expenditure the student incurred for travel and accommodation.
Example:
Accommodation [$1,500] + Travel [$600] – Scholarship [$500] = $1,600 (Reimbursement)
Reimbursement process
Students are to submit reimbursement claims as per the following process:
- At the completion of placement, fill out the Student Placement Reimbursement form (a fillable PDF) detailing expenses incurred while undertaking your placement.
- Save the form and receipts/invoices of expenses in PDF format and email to cnhs.placements@flinders.edu.au with your student ID number and “Placement Reimbursement Claim Request” in the subject heading.
- Payments are made into your nominated account within approximately 4 weeks of submitting your student placement reimbursement form.
You must ensure you keep your accommodation and travel expense receipts/invoices.
For more information please contact cnhs.placements@flinders.edu.au.
During placement, you are required to cover the costs of your travel, accommodation and meals. You are eligible for financial assistance and reimbursement as detailed above.
Travel to many rural centres is available through private bus companies, including Stateliner and Yorke Peninsula Coaches.
Accommodation may be offered at a subsidised rate. When you are allocated to a rural placement, your details are forwarded to the Flinders Rural & Remote Health SA team who will contact you regarding the available accommodation options.
Sturt Rd, Bedford Park
South Australia 5042
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