Faculty of Health and Wellbeing

ADDITIONAL PRACTICE LEARNING INFORMATION

BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice

(2017 Validation)

Contents Page no.1.0 Introduction to the placement handbook 4

Contents Page no.2.0 Introduction to the Operating Department Practice

Programme5

3.0 Professional issues 63.1 Expectations of behaviour and conduct during

placement6

3.2 Equality and diversity 63.3 Professional Codes 63.3.1 The Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics 63.4 Confidentiality 73.5 Informed consent 73.6 Professional relationships 73.6.1 Social Networking 73.7 Accountability and responsibility 7-83.8 Patient safety 8-93.9 Adherence to policies and procedures 93.9.1 Infection Control 93.9.2 Practice Boundary Guidelines and Scope of Practice

Guidelines9

3.9.3 Moving and Handling 93.9.4 Smoking 93.9.5 Mobile Phone use 103.8.6 Lone Working policy 103.10 Fitness to and for practice in relation to students 103.10.1 Enhanced DBS clearance 103.10.2 Mandatory training 103.10.3 Ongoing Declaration of Suitability 11

What does good health and good character mean? 113.10.4 Readiness for practice 113.11 Health issues 113.11.1 Health clearance 113.11.2 Immunisations 113.11.3 Accidents / Incidents in the workplace 12 3.11.4 Reasonable adjustments 123.12 Personal presentation 123.12.1 Professional dress and appearance 123.12.2 Body language and interpersonal skills 123.12.3 Readiness to learn 123.12.4 Role of the student in placement 12-133.13 Attendance 133.13.1 Time keeping 133.13.2 Allocated Hours 13-143.13.3 Reporting absence 143.12.3 Unauthorised absence 143.12.5 Annual Leave 14-153.12.6 Study Leave 153.12.7 Compassionate leave 154.0 Practice issues 154.1 The role of the Practice Learning Unit 154.2 Practice placement allocations 15-164.3 Practice Planning forms 16

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Contents Page no.4.4 Factors affecting practice 164.5 Request to change a practice allocation 164.6 Accommodation 164.7 Claiming travel expenses 165.0 Insurance issues 175.1 Car Insurance 175.2 Professional Indemnity 175.3 Personal property 175.4 Alternate placements & insurance 176.0 Practice learning in Operating Department

Practice17-18

6.1 Preparation for practice 186.2 Practice tips 186.2.1 Orientation to placement 196.3 Supernumerary status 196.4 Using quiet time 196.5 Assessment - University 19

Practice Assessments 19-206.6 Failing in practice 206.7 Submission of practice documents 207.0 Support and Supervision 207.1 Learning in Practice teams 208.0 Quality Assurance 208.1 Practice evaluation 20-219.0 Frequently Asked Questions 219.1 What do I do if I am asked to something that I

have not done before or am not confident to do?

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9.2 What can I do if I am asked to do something that I know is poor practice?

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9.3 What do I do if observe practice that concerns me? 219.4 What can I do if my relationship with my mentor is

not working?21

9.5 What happens if I am unable to travel to my allocated practice?

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9.6 What counts as practice hours? 229.7 Can I go to the library if the practice is quiet? 229.8 Can I work Bank / agency hours in my practice

area?22

9.9 Should I go to another practice area to help out if they are busy?

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9.10 Can I go on escort duty? 229.11 I’ve changed my name / address / contact details.

Whom do I need to contact?22

9.12 What do I do if I am experiencing a problem? 22References 23

1. An Introduction to this additional Practice Learning Information

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This information provides an overview of the guidelines and policies that underpin practice learning and specialist preparation and professional registration for Operating Department Practice. It is intended to be used by both students and practitioners to introduce them to the practice learning component of BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice programme.

Practice learning is an essential component of the ODP programme, students will be enabled to gain the required knowledge and skills for practice through various opportunities and experiences whilst working alongside perioperative teams. Luke EwartBSc (Hons) ODP Programme Director

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2. Introduction to the Operating Department Practice Programme

This additional practice learning information has been developed as a guide to help you get the most out of your practice experience.

The practice elements form a compulsory part of the award, and provide the student with the unique opportunity to apply theoretical components to the development of identified practice competencies. Every student who enrols on the Operating Department Practice Programme is expected to meet the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) requirements (HCPC 2014). In order to meet these requirements a significant part of the programme is allocated to practice learning. In addition, students are required to undertake at least 60% of their programme hours in clinical practice (CODP 2011).

It is important that students feel competent and meet the HCPC’s expectations of a registered practitioner when qualified and are what is termed ‘fit for practise’. This handbook will provide an overview of what is meant by this term and will act as a resource that can be referred to when working towards this goal.

The practice element of the programme is provided by National Health Service (NHS) and private hospitals placements and other private and voluntary organisations that provide experiences that support student learning needs. All of these organisations work in partnership with the University to ensure that the student receives appropriate practice placements.

The Operating Department Practice team are committed to helping you make a success of your pre-registration education and want students to learn from practice experiences. If you have any ideas about how this resource could be developed further, please e-mail luke.ewart@canterbury.ac.uk with suggestions.

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3 Professional issues

3.1 Expectations of behaviour during placementsProfessional regulatory bodies expect that people in the care of Health and Social Care professionals must be able to trust them with their health and wellbeing. To justify that trust, individuals must:

- Make the care of people their first concern, treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity

- Work with others to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those in their care, their families and carers, and the wider community

- Provide a high standard of practice and care at all times - Be open and honest, act with integrity and uphold the reputation

of their profession - Always act lawfully, whether those laws relate to their professional

practice or personal life.

Students are expected to familiarise themselves with their professional code and apply the principles to their conduct and practice during their education programme.

Students are also expected to adhere to the CCCU Code of Student Professional conduct, available at: https://www.canterbury.ac.uk/student-support-health-and-wellbeing/documents/Code-of-Professional-Conduct-January-2015.pdf

3.2 Equality and diversityWhile in practice students will meet people from diverse cultures, religions and those whose value base will differ from their own. At all times students are expected to respect the rights and individuality of each person.

3.3 Professional Codes3.3.1. The Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) (2016) states that practitioners and those wishing to be added to the register must:

Promote and protect the interests of service users and carers Communicate appropriately and effectively Work within the limits of your knowledge and skills Delegate appropriately Respect confidentiality Manage risk Report concerns about safety Be open when things go wrong Be honest and trustworthy Keep records of your work

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Students are expected to familiarise themselves with these standards and apply the principles to their conduct and practice during their education programme. In addition, students should also be familiar with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) (2016) guidance on conduct and ethics for students.

Students should also ensure they are familiar with the Fitness to Practise procedure (see programme handbook).

3.4 ConfidentialityStudents must maintain confidentiality at all times. They should ensure that they understand what information can be shared and with whom.

Patients / service users must never be discussed outside of practice and anonymity of individuals, organisations and staff must be maintained when completing any practice related assignment.3.5 Informed ConsentStudents should be aware that they must always seek consent for their participation in care and treatment and will be asked to sign that they are aware of this in their practice assessment documents.

3.6 Professional relationshipsStudents should never arrange to meet patient’s / service users socially either during placements or after the placement has finished. The student should aim to develop professional relationships, this means being friendly rather than becoming friends.

Students should also be aware that they are not allowed to accept personal gifts from patients, their families or friends.

There is an opportunity for patient’s / servicer users / relatives to comment on the students’ participation in their care in the Practice Assessment Record (PAR).

3.6.1 Social Networking

With regards to professional relationships, this also includes accepting invitations on social media (i.e. Facebook, WhatsApp). Please refrain from be-friending staff members involved in your assessment as this is not appropriate. Please remember to use social networking sites responsibly and not to comment about area or anything that could break patient confidentiality. By all means enjoy using ‘social networking, but remember to do so wisely.

For further information please look at the following link:http://www.hcpc-uk.org/education/learningresource/

3.7 Accountability and responsibilityPart of being a professional is being aware of personal limitations. It is essential that students do not undertake any intervention that has not

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been taught or agreed with their supervisor. We understand how important it is for students to feel useful when in practice, but this must not be at the expense of patient / service user safety.

Throughout their practice learning students work under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. This means that student practice will always be observed until it is deemed safe that they can work with less direct supervision.

Practice supervisors are accountable for their delegation decisions. However, students are responsible for their own actions and therefore if a student does not know how to do something, it is important that this is explained to the supervising practitioner.

3.8 Patient SafetyPatient safety is everyone’s responsibilityPatient safety is concerned with reducing the likelihood of patients suffering harm as a result of their contact with health and social care services. It is recognised that human error and work processes can lead to patients suffering harm or being put at risk (https://www.england.nhs.uk/patientsafety/psa/). Risk management, incident reporting and learning lessons form part of the strategies NHS and other organisations have introduced to measure, monitor and improve patient safety. To reduce risk, organisations are required to provide staff with evidence based policies and procedures to follow, regular appraisal, training and education to meet the needs of services and support to improve service delivery to meet individual needs. Equally staff are required to abide by their employment contract and (if applicable) professional codes of conduct.

A patient safety incident is defined by the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA 2012), (NHS England 2016) as: ‘Any unintended or unexpected incident, which could have or did lead to harm for one or more patients receiving NHS care’.  

and includes: Incidents that you have been involved in; Incidents that you may have witnessed; Incidents that caused no harm or minimal harm; Incidents with a more serious outcome; Prevented patient safety incidents (known as ‘never events’)

Incident reporting is encouraged and an open and fair culture promoted within the NHS. Incidents are investigated locally by the manager, at organisation level by the appropriate patient safety expert and nationally by the national patient safety agency. These Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations aim to identify systems and processes that increase the potential for human or other errors to occur. Once the lessons learnt are identified; these can be shared and actions can be taken locally, organisationally and nationally to change the systems and processes to reduce risks to patients’ / service users and increase patient safety.

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Staff, students, patients and the public are actively encouraged by NHS organisations to report any concerns they have. Students on practice have a responsibility to work within their competence, follow the organisation’s and university’s policies and procedures, complete any training the organisation requires and discuss concerns they have about practice with their mentor, senior staff/patient safety expert and link lecturer/academic personal tutor. NHS organisations aim to develop a patient safety culture that is open and fair (NHS England 2016), in order to promote incident reporting and to share learning. However, it is recognised that it is sometimes difficult to report incidents. Incidents and never events that students are involved in or witness in practice must be reported to the organisation and university. The organisation and the university will support the student through this process, so lessons can be learnt and patient safety improved.

Websites:https://www.england.nhs.uk/patientsafety/

3.9 Adherence to policies and proceduresStudents must adhere to host Trust policies and procedures at all times, some specific examples include:

3.9.1 Infection controlStudents must familiarise themselves with Infection Control policies and procedures for their host organisation. Normally students will be expected to undertake core mandatory training in their host organisation.

3.9.2 Practice Boundary Guidelines and Scope of Practice Guidelines

Students must always adhere to the ODP practice boundary guidelines and Trust policies related to their scope of practice as a student. Further details relating to practice boundaries are outlined within the Practice Assessment Record (PAR). This scope of practice includes the administration of medicines. Students must never draw-up, check medications or infusion devices or administer drugs on their own and must always be under the direct supervision of a qualified Operating Department Practitioner/ Nurse.

3.9.3 Moving and Handling

Health care students must complete mandatory Moving & Handling training prior to commencing their first practice and annually thereafter. This forms part of the Students ‘Readiness for Practice Certificate’ (RFP) issued by PEMs and must be in place prior to them going out in clinical practice. Students must comply with Trust policies and procedures related to moving and handling.

Students must only participate in Moving & handling procedures that comply with the safe principles they have been taught. Students should be

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aware who in their b could advise them on Moving & Handling issues as necessary.

Students have the right to refuse to participate in Move and handling activities that do not conform to techniques taught at either the University of host Trust.

3.9.4 SmokingStudents must follow the smoking policy of their host organisation during practice.

3.9.5 Mobile phones.Students should turn their phones off while in practice, unless they are required to use it for contact with patients’ / service users or their supervisor. Mobile phones do not need to be on your person whilst caring for patients. Personal messages and voice mails should be accessed at break times only.

Students must not take photographs using camera phones of patients’ / practice areas etc. while in practice.

3.9.6 Lone working Guidelines have been developed to inform lone working for students and should be considered in line with Trust / organisational policies. These guidelines bring to the student and practitioner’s attention the specific risks associated with lone working. The guidelines outline the measures that it is necessary to take in order to manage the risk present where staff find themselves working alone.

3.10 Fitness to and for practice in relation to studentsThe University and our practice partners have a duty to ensure that only students who meet their requirements for fitness to practise are recruited to and graduate from the programme.

The HCPC have written a guide for Allied Health Profession students to help them understand the issues and requirements for fitness to practice (guidance on Health and Character) and this can be accessed at http://www.hpc-uk.org/publications/brochures/index.asp?id=220

Further detail regarding fitness to practise can be found within the ODP student programme handbook under the - Fitness to Practise and Professional Suitability section.

3.10.1 Enhanced DBS clearanceDuring practice all students will work with vulnerable people and for this reason an enhanced DBS clearance must be obtained prior to the first practice placement. This forms part of the Students ‘Readiness for Practice Certificate’ (RFP) issued by PEMs.

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Students must keep their clearance notification in a safe place and may be asked to produce it prior to placements in the Private, Voluntary and Independent sector placements.

The University is not responsible if the student loses their paperwork.

3.10.2 Mandatory trainingEach professional programme has mandatory requirements that must be completed prior to placement commencement. Students should familiarise themselves with these and attend sessions that are arranged for them. Failure to do so could prevent students from commencing practice. 3.10.3 Ongoing Declaration of SuitabilityPrior to the commencement of Years 2 and 3, all students will be asked to sign an ongoing declaration of suitability. Students should read this document carefully prior to signing and ensure that they declare any changes in their health or personal circumstances as indicated.

What does good health and good character mean? Good health is necessary to undertake practice as an ODP. Good health means that a person must be capable of safe and effective practice without supervision. It does not mean the absence of any disability or health condition. Many disabled people and those with long-term health conditions are able to practice with or without adjustments to support their practice. Health refers to health conditions which may affect a student’s fitness to practise (HCPC 2014).

Good character is important as ODPs must be honest and trustworthy. Good character is based on a person’s conduct, behaviour and attitude. It also takes account of any convictions and cautions that are not considered to be compatible with professional registration and that might bring the profession into disrepute. A person’s character must be sufficiently good for them to be capable of safe and effective practice without supervision. The HCPC set out the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics (HCPC 2016) expected from registrants and these also apply to people who are applying to become registered.

3.10.4 Readiness for Practice

It is the Faculty’s responsibility to ensure that every effort is made to verify that students are Ready for Practice prior to commencing practice. Readiness for Practice has two components; that a student has undertaken the stipulated mandatory training for that stage of the programme, and a completed and approved declaration of good health and good character. Once all elements have been completed students are issued with a Readiness for Practice certificate, which should be shared with the practice area.Students are not permitted to commence practice without a readiness for practice certificate.

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3.11 Health issues3.11.1 Health ClearanceHealth clearance must be received before students can commence practice. Delays in being cleared will usually delay commencement of practice.

3.11.2 Immunisations For the student’s own protection, they must complete all of 4 stages of the immunisation programme for Hepatitis B. This involves 3 vaccinations and a blood test. Students should be aware that: they will be responsible for funding completion of their immunisation programme if they fail to attend appointments planned for them and that they must do this prior to completion of the year 2 declaration of Good Health and Good Character.

3.11.3 Accidents and incidents in practiceStudents who are involved in accidents or incidents in practice must immediately inform their mentor or supervisor and organisational reporting mechanisms need to be initiated. The Personal Academic Tutor needs to be informed as soon as practicable.

3.11.4 Reasonable adjustmentsThe Faculty is committed to supporting students with additional needs in both the University and Practice setting. The faculty guidelines for the support of students requiring reasonable adjustment during practice provides guidance for staff and students and are located on the VLE.

3.12 Personal presentation

3.12.1 Professional dress and appearanceThe Health and Care Professions Council (2016) expects health care students to behave and dress in a way that promotes a professional image and inspires public confidence. Students are expected to wear the uniform provided by the university (unless otherwise instructed) and comply with organisational policies in regards to professional expectation relating to personal dress and appearance.

For reasons of infection control, Operating Department Practice students will wear the two-piece trouser scrub suit as provided by the practice area (NHS Trust) when in the practice environment. Student are not permitted to wear in theatres the scrubs which are provided by the University. These are only to be worn when in University for clinical skills within the simulation site on Campus or on external placements.3.12.2 Body language and interpersonal skillsStudents should be aware of how they present themselves in practice. The Faculty expects students to be polite and use professional language at all times. It is important to be aware of body language and how this makes you appear to others.

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3.12.3 Readiness to learnThe prime role of the student in practice is to learn the practice of their profession. To make the most of practice experience students need to attend and be ready to make the most of the opportunities available. Students should portray an interest and enthusiasm for the experience and potential learning opportunities and be ready to make notes and ask questions at appropriate times.

3.12.4 Role of the student in practiceThe student is expected to be active within both the mentor-student partnership and the clinical team they are placed with. It is important for the student to contribute to the work of the team and feel that they are part of it. Quality clinical learning time is essential if the student is to be enabled to apply theory within the practice setting and internalise professional practice (Andrews, Roberts 2003). An important aspect of this process is exposure to expert role models who can actively involve students in practice and challenge their skills, knowledge, understanding and approach in a safe environment. Through having a mentor, the student should be enabled to identify their learning needs and strategies available within and outside of practice to meet them.

The student will: Act professionally at all times during the practice experience Review and utilise previous practice learning to inform

subsequent placements Take advantage of learning opportunities and to review the

Learning Contract regularly Disclose any special needs or disability in order that reasonable

adjustment can be made by the practice provider, and the University

Comply with practice policies and procedures Attend their practice hours and when this is not possible due to

unforeseen circumstances i.e. sickness, use University procedures to inform of absence

Agree with his / her mentor / educator ground rules and expectations for their working relationship

Understand the expected outcomes for practice and the competencies they need to achieve

Be aware of the practice environment and take advantage of the learning opportunities available

Identify their own personal learning needs Assess their own progress and discuss it with their mentor / educator /

academic link tutor Participate actively in their assessment process and provide written

evidence of learning and achievement Always work within their limitations, policies, guidelines and their

professional codes as detailed by the Health and Care Professions Council (2016).

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3.13 Attendance3.13.1 Time keepingStudents are expected to arrive promptly for the start of their shift and return from breaks at the time agreed with their supervisor. Poor time-keeping is considered to be unprofessional behaviour and will be taken into account during the assessment process

3.13.2 Allocated hoursThe programme requires that students experience the full cycle of 24-hour care before they can be deemed to be competent. Please note that students cannot work long shifts unless it is the working pattern of the practice area. All students can expect to be placed on the duty roster with all other members of the practice team, this includes working the same duties as their mentor. Students will be able to make a limited number of special duty requests in the same way that qualified staff do. Changing shifts without the Lead PPF’s permission may result in you being sent home and having to make up the missed hours later at a mutually convenient time.

Students must complete all of their allocated practice time before they can qualify and are therefore expected to make up any time lost through absence.

Absence of up to 3 days – time should be negotiated between student and supervisor and avoiding overlaps with subsequent cohorts of students in practice. Absence over 3 days - students must agree a schedule to make the time up with the academic link/ practice lead and Practice Placement Facilitator. This is to ensure the European Working Time Directive is adhered to and enable appropriate management of student numbers in practice. Students may be required to make up practice time in university holidays, personal academic or reassessment weeks

Students may work a maximum of 48 hours per week when making time up, but hours cannot be ‘banked’ in advance. When students are at university they are considered to be studying for 37.5 hours although required attendance may be less than this. The Working Time Directive still applies during university weeks.

3.13.3 Reporting absenceAny student who has a period of sickness during their practice experience must inform their practice area by telephone, record their absence on the Practice Education Management Software and inform their academic personal tutor via email.

To record absence on PEMS, the student should log on to PEMS and go to the ‘your actions’ box on the dashboard and then click ‘report an absence from practice’. The Practice Learning Facilitator (PLF) in practice also has the ability to report student absence through PEMS and they may choose to do this. Students should still report their own absence anyway.

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The generic email address for the Practice Learning Unit is placements@canterbury.ac.uk and can be used as the first point of contact for all communications and concerns if needed.

3.13.4 Unauthorised absenceUnauthorised absence, which is not sick leave, is considered to be unprofessional behaviour that reflects negatively on the student in terms of their professional values and respect for the team they are working with.

Any unauthorised absence must be reported immediately to the Practice Learning Unit by placement staff. They will in turn inform academic staff and will be documented on the student’s attendance record.

Lateness and poor time keeping is also considered poor professional behaviour and will be taken into account during the assessment process.

Students should be aware that this form of unprofessional conduct could lead to a fail in practice, referral to Fitness to Practise panel or disciplinary action in University.

3.13.5 Annual LeaveAnnual leave is pre-set at the start of the programme. Students are not allowed to make arrangements with individual practice areas to exchange practice time with annual leave time or vice versa.

Students are not entitled to Bank Holiday leave entitlement. If a student works a Bank Holiday they do not receive a day off in lieu. Students are expected to work Bank Holidays if they fall on an allocated practice day. Bank Holidays are within the students’ allocation of leave (holidays). Any student allocated to practice that does not open on Bank Holidays will be expected to undertake reflective activity agreed with their supervisor.

3.13.6 Study leavePractice managers are informed of any study / University days that occur during practice hours. Students should also ensure that their mentor / practice manager / PLF is aware of this planned leave at the beginning of practice.

3.13.7 Compassionate leaveIf a student experiences distressing personal circumstances during practice, they should be allowed to leave practice and contact their personal academic tutor to seek appropriate support. Compassionate leave may be arranged following contact.

4 Practice issues4.1 The role of the Practice Learning UnitThe Practice Learning Unit team arrange where students spend their practice hours while on the programme. They liaise with Practice Leads, Practice Placement Facilitators and health and social care providers to

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ensure that students have a broad and varied placement pattern that incorporates different aspects of professional practice in line with programme needs and regulatory requirement.

Once practice allocations have been organised and confirmed, students will automatically receive a message from PEMS, as well as from the Practice Learning Unit.

4.2 Practice placement allocations

All students are allocated to a variety of practice placements that reflect the requirements of the Programme and could be in the Kent, Surrey or Sussex regions. Usually students will be allocated to practice in one or more of the following geographical areas: East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust; Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust; Medway Maritime Hospital; Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust, East Sussex NHS Trust; Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust; and Queen Victoria Hospital, E Grinstead. Each area is supported by a link tutor. It is essential that you have good access to travel, either by having your own transport or being near to regular, reliable public transport. As you will be required to travel to your practice allocation.

4.3 Practice Planning formsIn order to match students to the most appropriate placements, the Practice Learning Unit needs to collect some information from the student. Students are required to log on to PEMS to complete the Placement Planning Form. The Placement Planning Form ask students if they have any special circumstances that might impact the planning or the student’s ability to attend/perform in some placements. It does not guarantee a practice placement of choice but enables the best option where possible.

4.4 Factors affecting placementsOccasionally factors happen in practice that can affect placement allocation. For example, the number of practice educators may be significantly reduced, the placement may be relocated or re-organised. If this occurs, an action plan will be initiated by academic link, placement staff and the practice learning unit and students will be kept informed.

4.5 Requests for change of practice placementOnce placements have been posted on PEMS, changes will only be made in extenuating circumstances and with the consent of the practice lead. A request made to the practice lead will be considered based on individual circumstances and any changes are subject to placement capacity. Examples of extenuating circumstances are:

A close relative currently works in the placement area There has been a recent bereavement in the placement area The student has recently been / or is undergoing treatment in the

placement area The student is involved in litigation with the placement area.

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4.6 AccommodationAccommodation can be requested in the acute Trust. However, students should be aware that, depending on demand, requests may not always be successful. Under these circumstances students will need to arrange bed and breakfast accommodation and claim back (if eligible) or travel to the practice placement.

4.7 Claiming travel expenses All students can expect to travel up to 1.5 hours to practice to ensure that the full range of experiences is achieved. Students can apply to access funding from the standard support system to help pay for travel expenses.

Please see the following for further information on student support and advice:https://cccu.canterbury.ac.uk/student-support-health-and-wellbeing/docs/Accessing-student-support-brochure-Final-Version.pdf

5 Insurance Issues5.1 Car InsuranceStudents should be aware that travel to practice is considered to be a commute and is covered by normal car insurance. If students are required to travel to another site or in the community in their own transport this is considered a business journey and as such requires restricted business use insurance.

Any student who has fully comprehensive insurance will find that requesting this change to their policy is unlikely to incur an additional cost, it may well cost extra for students who have 3rd party insurance policies.

Students who do not have restricted business insurance will not be covered in the case of an accident.

All students are advised that they must not transport patients / service user or carers in their cars.

5.2 Professional IndemnityAll students are encouraged to apply for membership of a professional body/association or union.

Students should be aware when under supervision their supervisor is accountable for their delegation decisions.

Any student who practices outside of their supervision or the boundaries of their student role and competence are putting themselves and the people they are working with at risk. Under these circumstances students are considered to be ‘reckless’ and would not be covered under the placement liability insurance

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5.3 Personal property Students are advised that their personal property is not covered when in practice accommodation and they should ensure that the insurers of their primary home are aware of the change of address.

5.4 Alternative placements and insurance

Students are advised to read the guidance for voluntary sector, out of area, elective and international placements that can be found on the Practice Learning Unit VLE.

6 Practice learning in the Operating Department Practice programme

Practice placements are an integral part of the learning process of the programme and are critical to reinforce and enhance your learning. The hours apportioned to practice based learning comprise approximately 50% of the programme. This has been agreed following detailed consultation with practice placement stakeholders involved in the development of the programme and is in line with CODP curriculum requirements. The professional requirements for the BSc (Hons) Operating Department Practice mean that you will pass through a number of clinical placement areas to develop essential areas of skill and knowledge to support your professional practice. In doing so, you will meet several mentors who will participate in your development over a number of short placements i.e. Weeks rather than years. You will be expected to work with your named mentor approximately 40% of your time on placement. The rest of the time you will work with other suitably prepared members of the perioperative team who will discuss your progress with the named mentor, who will make the ultimate decision on whether or not you have met the required competencies for that placement. Each placement area has a named clinical ‘link’ who is a member of the academic ODP teaching team who supports students and mentors in clinical placement. The programme follows the College of Operating Department Practitioners ‘Standards, recommendations and guidance for mentors and practice placements’.

It is imperative that when completing your practice assessment record (PAR), all aspects of the documentation are completed, dated appropriately and signed where indicated otherwise the paperwork will be considered incomplete and returned to the practice area to have the paperwork resigned.

Students will be prepared for practice at the beginning of the programme with an ‘observation placement’. The purpose of this short placement is to give students the opportunity to meet their practice placement facilitator and experience the environment of the operating department through observation, prior to the commencement of placement.

6.1 Preparation for Practice

Students will be prepared for practice at the beginning of each academic year during the year Induction.

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6.2 Practice tips

Students are asked to remember for all practice placements, to:

Take enough money for the day (leave other money and valuables at home, as there may not be anywhere secure for you to store belongings)

Take their university ID (smart) card Ensure they comply with the uniform guidelines Bring their PAR Black pen for documentation A small pocket note book to make notes to help with learning.

Patient confidentiality must be maintained at all times.

Students should arrive at placement at least 15 minutes before the start of the planned shift. This enables enough time to get access to the changing rooms and change into the theatre ‘blues – (scrubs)’ before the start of the shift. Students should Introduce themselves as a student ODP and ask where they should wait as the practice placement facilitator will be expecting them.

6.2.1 Orientation to placementAt the start of every practice allocation, a member of staff will orientate the student to the area. This will include directing to key items of equipment, codes for entering locked areas such as cloakrooms, where policies and procedures are kept, e.g. Local Rules, how to call for help if needed, what the team expect the student to do in an emergency, how the fire system works and what they should do in the event of a fire. Students may be expected to attend a Trust induction event.

6.3 Supernumerary status A student in practice is a learner in the team. This means they are not counted in the numbers for the purpose of service delivery but are expected to be involved in both direct and indirect care of patients.

6.4 Using the quiet timeSometimes but not often, practice may find it is experiencing a quiet period and the mentor may direct students towards an opportunity to optimise learning. This is a really good chance to:

Read policies, procedures and learning resources. Find out more about the clinical conditions patients commonly

present with Complete practice assessment paperwork

6.5 AssessmentUniversityStudents undertake a theoretical assessment which can be assessed through a variety of methodologies. These can include examinations, case

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scenarios, presentations and written assignments. Students have the opportunities to pass each assessment. (Pass mark 40%).

It is likely that students will be working on theoretical assessments throughout each practice learning opportunity and it is important to note that time out of practice to either work on these assessments in the library or submit first or reassessments IS NOT permitted and cannot be claimed against practice hours.

However, students are advised within many assessments to ask their mentors for help in selecting an appropriate patient/service user on whom to base their work (although mentors should not help with the writing of the assignment). It is important for the student to show the mentor the assessment guidelines in order to facilitate this process.

Practice AssessmentsAt strategic points during the programme, students undertake a formative (mid-point) and a summative (end of placement) assessment of practice. The exact timings are dependent on the duration of the clinical placement detail can be found within the Practice Assessment Record (PAR) along with a more detailed explanation of practice assessment process.

As with theoretical assessments, students who are unsuccessful on first attempt at practice assessment have one further opportunity unless there are extenuating circumstances that would lead to the student not being offered at this opportunity. If there are any students unlikely to be successful at first attempt, then an academic link tutor must be informed at the earliest opportunity, whereby there would be a requirement for a tripartite meeting to be arrange with Academic link / Mentor and the student concerned.

6.6 Failing in practiceIf a student fails in practice, a tripartite meeting must be arranged to discuss areas where the student needs to improve and a suitable action plan for improvement. Students will be able to complete a reassessment during the reassessment period over the summer. A further unsuccessful outcome will be subject to the university assessment regulations depending upon individual circumstances.

6.7 Submission of practice documentsStudents will be advised of a date when all practice documents should be handed in after summative assessments have been completed. Any documentation not completed will be subject to a new resubmission date. Failure to submit the completed paperwork will result in non progression.

7. Support and supervision

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7.1. Learning in practice teamsThe Practice environment is supported by a variety of staff including the Practice Lead, Academic Link Tutor, Practice Placement Facilitators and mentors.

8. Quality AssuranceThe University and practice placement providers work together to develop high quality safe learning environments for learners that meet the standards required by the HCPC.

8.1 Practice evaluationAn essential element of any learning experience is evaluating its’ success and can help with development and learning, for both student and mentor. Placement providers and the University are very interested to find out more about the student’s practice experiences. At the end of each practice placement students will be required to complete an online evaluation. These are monitored by the Practice Learning Unit Senior Lecturer Practice learning (SLPL), practice staff, academic tutors and discussed with practice, and used within the Education Audit process.Once a student has finished a practice placement, PEMS will send the student a reminder. This process informs the overall quality assurance processes of the ODP education programme.

Students are also encouraged to feedback and evaluate during their practice experience so that any concerns or feedback can be managed at the time. Students will also have the opportunity to discuss their reflections with their mentor, academic tutor and within the reflective practice module.

9. Frequently asked questions by students

9.1 What do I do if I am asked to something that I have not done before or am not confident to do?

If you are asked to do something that you have not been taught/are competent to do so, it is important that you explain why you cannot complete the task to the person who has asked. As a student you must not attempt to undertake a task that a registered practitioner has not previously observed you undertake and confirmed that your practice is safe. Instead, ask to be shown how to undertake the task so that you can begin to learn it. Refer to your ODP boundary guide in the PAR.

9.2. What can I do if I am asked to do something that I know is poor practice?Do not agree to undertake a task that you know is poor practice; Instead, explain to the person asking you, how you feel about it and seek clarification. You may need to discuss your concerns with your mentor, the practice placement facilitator or the academic link for the placement. It is important that you express your concerns.

9.3 What do I do if observe practice that concerns me?

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These should be addressed as soon as possible after the event. Please do not leave concerns until you return to the University. If you feel that you can discuss this with your mentor / practice manager, please do so. Otherwise, please contact the link tutor/practice lead. Please also refer to the University Raising and Escalating concerns policy (Faculty Practice Guidelines) that can be located on the PLU webpage in the Information for students section.

9.4 What can I do if my relationship with my mentor is not working?We understand that sometimes relationships between students and mentors do not work for a variety of reasons. We hope that both mentor and student will be aware of this and try to find ways of achieving a productive and professional relationship. If this is not possible, students can talk to the practice manager, practice placement facilitator or member of the ODP team to express their concerns.

9.5 What happens if I am unable to travel to my allocated placement?Students can expect to travel to practice placements across a variety of organisations, the majority of these are accessible by public transport or by car. Sometimes Practice placements may require two bus journeys or a mix of transport; the Faculty does not consider this as inaccessible. However, should travelling to a specific practice location cause major problems please contact the Practice Learning Unit staff and your practice lead. The team will then consider the case on an individual basis and if possible look at relocation. It is important however that students experience a full range of experiences that reflect the ODP programme requirements and therefore a change of placement may not be possible.

9.6 What counts as practice hours?Students are required to work a 37.5 hour week for every practice week identified on the programme plan. Practice hours constitute time spent in the clinical environment only. Any practice hours missed due to illness or other unforeseen circumstances must be made up before the end of the year, or his may impact on the ability to progress in to the next year.

9.7 Can I go to the library if practice is quiet?No, practice hours are for either Direct or Indirect patient care... This does not mean you cannot access electronic sources from the workplace, when and if, convenient to the workplace to obtain information regarding procedures/interventions that you need to research.

9.8 Can I work Bank / agency hours in my practice area?We understand that at times students need to work whenever possible and they are advised to be careful that it does not interfere or affect their programme of study. Students should ensure that they do not:

Work bank / agency hours in the area that they are currently placed

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Wear their student uniform during agency / bank shifts (students who do should be sent home to change)

Work more hours than allowed for working time directives in the host organisation.

9.9 Should I go to another practice area to help out if they are busy?Students are supernumerary and should not be relocated to another practice area unless they are able to work with a mentor and can achieve their learning outcomes in that area. If the practice area is external to the department and for an extended period then the PLU & practice lead must be informed to ratify the relocation.

9.10 Can I go on escort duty?Students should not escort patients away from the practice area unless:(a) It is under the supervision of a registered practitioner and forms

part of their learning and development(b) It is in the student’s extended practice and they have been deemed

competent to do so through a risk assessment process.

9.11 I have changed my name / address / contact details. Whom do I need to contact?You need to tell Registry and the Practice Learning Unit. There is a link to Registry on the Practice Learning Unit website.

9.12 What do I do if I am experiencing a problem?If you are experiencing any kind of problem while in practice it is important that it is dealt with straight away rather than waiting until you return to University. Who you should speak to will vary depending on the nature of the problem. If possible, discuss it with your mentor or the Practice Placement Facilitator. If this is uncomfortable for you, then please talk to a member of the Practice Learning Unit team, your personal tutor or one of the Student Liaison officers.

References

Canterbury Christ Church University (2015) Faculty Student Fitness to Practise Policy http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/quality-and-standards-office/docs/student-fitness-to-practise-policy.pdf

College of Operating Department Practitioners (2011) Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Operating Department Practice – England, Northern Ireland and Wales, Bachelor of Science in Operating Department Practice – Scotland Curriculum Document. London: CODP.https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/health-care/representing-you/unison-partnerships/codp/

Health and Care Professions Council (2014) Guidance on Good health and Good Character http://www.hpc-uk.org/publications/brochures/index.asp?id=220

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Health and Care Professions Council (2016) Guidance on Conduct and Ethics for Students http://hpc-uk.org/publications/brochures/index.asp?id=219

Health and Care Professions Council (2016) Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics http://hpc-uk.org/publications/standards/index.asp?id=38

Health and Care Professions Council (2014) Standards of Proficiency – Operating Department Practitioners http://hpc-uk.org/publications/standards/index.asp?id=46

Health and Care Professions Council (2014) Standards of Education and Training http://hpc-uk.org/publications/standards/index.asp?id=183NHS England - Patient Safety https://www.england.nhs.uk/patientsafety/

http://www.canterbury.ac.uk/health-and-wellbeing/practice-learning-unit/docs/FPLC-Guidelines.pdf

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