UNIVERSITY POLICIES
Attendance
Attendance hours within clinical practice are recorded in the “PRACTICE PLACEMENT RECORD OF HOURS” card included in this
booklet. Any days of absence during the practice module must be made up as it is an NMC requirement that students MUST
complete 2300 hours of practice within year 2 and 3 of the programme in order to register. Arrangements to retrieve practice hours
may be directly negotiated with the practice area if less than 37.5 hours. If this is not achievable or 37.5 hours is exceeded, this
MUST be discussed with the year leader at the earliest opportunity. Practice hours include time in the practice area and reflection
study days in the university (7.5 hours per day attended).
Reporting absence on practice placement
If a student is unable to attend practice due to illness or any other reason they, or a representative MUST inform the person in
charge OR mentor of the placement area prior to the start of the shift or, at the earliest opportunity if an emergency situation has
arisen. The student should also inform their personal development tutor if the absence is extended for a significant period (i.e.
greater than 37.5 hours). Thereafter it is the student’s responsibility to keep the placement informed of their return.
Failure to
follow this policy could result in the student being unable to achieve the professional competencies within Domain 1.

If a student fails to inform the placement of their absence, the mentor / charge nurse should contact Napier University via:
Email: cl.reception@napier.ac.uk or Telephone: 0131-455-5636.

If it is anticipated that the student may be absent for a prolonged period, the Practice Education Facilitator or the Practice
Placement Link Lecturer should be made aware of the situation indicating student’s name and student intake / matriculation
number if known.1
Accident / Incident Reporting
In any situation where the student has been involved in an accident / incident, they should be provided with access to the Datix
system and complete the appropriate web page. They should also be provided with a paper copy to forward to the Module Leader
(please refer to page 8). If any clarification is required on this policy, please contact Jane Muirhead, Risk Facilitator at the RIE.
Where the DATIX system is not in operation, the third sheet (any other interested parties) of an accident / incident form, should be
forwarded to the practice Module Leader (please refer to page 8).
Emergency Procedures
To maintain a safe environment students should ensure they are fully orientated and aware of the emergency procedures /
emergency equipment referred to on page 31-32 booklet.
Supernumerary Status
NHS Education Scotland (2006) has offered the following working definition of supernumerary status:
“Students should be able to fully participate in the delivery of care in a range of care environments in accordance with the
requirements of the academic programme and appropriate to the level of competence of the student.
1
This is in keeping with the stated policy within the Lothian and Borders Practice Placement Standards handbook
This should include
the opportunity to experience 24-hour / 7day care but should not involve the student being used to replace or substitute for a
paid member of the nursing/midwifery team. The student should not be included in staffing ratios and at all times learning in
practice must be held as a priority”2.
Policy for ACCOMPANYING patients / clients / residents
While in a practice placement area, students may, with the approval of the person in charge of the practice placement, accompany
patients / clients / residents OUT-with the practice placement for social companionship.
This is subject to the following provisions:
1.
The student should not accompany a patient / client / resident during the first week in a practice placement.
2.
The student should not be expected to accompany a patient / client / resident who has complex needs or would normally
require the support of a qualified member of staff.
3.
The student should only accompany a patient / client / resident with whom he / she is acquainted and confident of meeting
their care needs in a different environment.
4.
In support of the Scottish Executive 3 / NHS4 / Napier University Policy on no-smoking, students have the right to decline a
request to accompany a patient / client / relative for this purpose.
2
Please refer to “Supernumerary status-your questions answered” in the Lothian & Borders, Practice Placement Standards Handbook, for further information
3Scottish
Executive Guidance on Smoking Policies for the NHS, Local Authorities and Care Service Providers / Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill (2006):
available from http://search.scotland.gov.uk
4
NHS Lothian Tobacco Policy – available from NHS Intranet
Policy for patients / clients / residents requiring a NURSE ESCORT
Placement 1: Students must NOT escort patients / clients / residents unless accompanied by a first level nurse or an appropriately
qualified person, and then only when the experience is part of their planned learning.
Placement 2 & 3: A Student may at the discretion of their mentor escort patients / clients / residents with whom he / she is
acquainted and then only when the experience is part of their planned learning.
Manual Handling (MH: please refer to Section 9)
Students MUST attend ALL the prescribed Manual Handling classes. Student’s failing to attend manual handling instruction must
complete a manual handling Mitigating Circumstances form and notify the appropriate module leader. Failure to follow this policy
will result in the student being unable to progress to the next placement.
Administration of Medicines (please refer to Section 9)
The level of participation of students in the administration of medicines is determined by local protocols / procedures and
students MUST work within the guidance of the administration of medicines policy document in use within each area. Students are
not permitted to administer any medications without direct supervision. Within certain environments, students can be used as a
witness or an observer of the procedure, and these should be apparent within the local policy document.
Prevention and Safe (Therapeutic) Management of Aggression and Violence (please refer to Section 9).
No health care professional should consider violence or abuse to be an acceptable part of their work. Napier University Prevention
and Safe (Therapeutic) Management of Aggression and Violence Policy (2005) aims to:
1. Increase student awareness of issues relating to violence and aggression
2. Provide appropriate training to all students that equips them to recognise risk and provides practical advice on preventing
and managing violent incidents
3. Ensure that an appropriate reporting system is available to students involved in violent incidents
4. Encourage full reporting and recording of all incidents of violence and aggression
Students involved in any aggressive / violent incident during a placement should contact their Personal Development Tutor to
obtain support and ensure appropriate and full reporting and recording of the incident (please refer to incident / accident reporting
above).
Advanced Practice
It is not the policy of the university to allow student nurses to undertake duties that are considered to extend their role beyond
stated NMC levels of performance as specified in the Learning Outcomes.
Skills such as cannulation, venepuncture and the
administration of an intravenous bolus of medicines are therefore strictly prohibited.
If in any doubt please discuss your
concerns with the Practice Placement Link Lecturer or Practice Education Facilitator (PEF).
Health and Safety Procedures for Placement Students
The University has a statutory duty not to expose students to risk to their health and safety as far as is reasonably practicable when
they are on clinical placement. Students will only be sent to placements which have been risk assessed, approved and subject to
audit or evaluation.
Students with a disability or with special needs
Napier University has a Disability Policy that states:
“The University aims to provide equal opportunity and access to programmes for students with a disability and will make
every reasonable effort to provide or arrange necessary support to enable students to fulfil their potential.”
Contact details for key Disability personnel within the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Care and Napier Universities Special
Needs Team can be found on page 16. Alternatively further information can be found at www.napier.ac.uk/specialneeds