Enabling student placement through strategic partnerships between a health-care organization and tertiary institutions

Abstract

Nursing management needs to demonstrate its commitment to clinical education for undergraduate nursing students. The vision for the nursing leadership and management team at Princess Alexandra Hospital is to guide and support the development of hospital clinicians, at all levels in the organization, to effectively facilitate undergraduate students' learning during their clinical practical experiences. This paper examines the evolution of the meaning, commitment and practices that have been intrinsic to the development of strategic partnerships between the health-care organization and tertiary institutions to ensure that hospital staff who consistently facilitate student learning in the clinical context are well supported. The partnerships are based on open channels of communication between the health-care organization and the tertiary institutions whereby each party identifies its needs and priorities. This has resulted in increased hospital staff satisfaction through greater involvement by them in the placements of students, and enhanced understanding of clinicians of the student placement process that has contributed to improved satisfaction and outcomes for the students.

Twelve tips for structuring student placements to achieve interprofessional learning outcomes

“…Supervisors have an important role to play in guiding students as they move from peripheral 'observers' to more engaged and legitimate contributors to collaborative patient care (Conte et al 2015). Identifying a specific work setting or activity where students can meet requisite interprofessional learning outcomes is important and university staff should check with the leaders and educators at placement sites that experiences that assist students reach their goals will be available during the placement (Henderson et al 2007). As students develop a clearer understanding of their own …”

The Perceptions of Slovak Physiotherapists of their Practice Placement Experience

“…Moreover, the role of the educator was not recognised; students felt that they were sent to physiotherapy educators who had no formal preparation for such a demanding role. From what can be gathered from the participants' comments, in Slovakia there is a need for clear definition and delineation of the roles and responsibilities of the Rehabilitation Doctor, Physiotherapist and Physiotherapy Educator to ensure good working relationships between these professional partnerships (Henderson et al 2007). Delineation of the roles, placement models and practice objectives would clarify responsibilities and goals.…”

Preparing the foundations for video-based practice-placement support: establishing the role from a students’ perspective

“…. ..'' This methodology has been successfully used in similar practice areas (Henderson, Heel, and Twentyman 2007) where action research has been advocated as a means of exploring issues through collaborative critical reflection, thereby ''empowering each other to take actions to achieve the set goal agreed upon . .…”

“…Whilst affirming that a student-centred approach to placement support is paramount, Henderson, Heel, and Twentyman (2007) also discuss the benefits of clinical visits in building and maintaining partnerships between clinical and educational institutions. Their research has focused upon the development of specific roles for this purpose, leading to a more streamlined, collaborative and structured approach.…”