Student Nurse Placements
We have developed a program within Cancer Services enabling students to work with a variety of healthcare professionals (for example, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Cancer Support Workers, Consultants, Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Services Staff) to gain an understanding of the patient journey from pre-diagnosis to living with and beyond cancer. This will include:
- Holistic needs assessments and Care plans
- Clinics
- Investigations
- Treatments
- Health and well-being events including pre-habilitation
- Services available within WUTH and locally in the community
The timetable details a plan of all learning experiences. There will also be online learning prior to going to each tumour site. The placement hours are 8am to 4pm and there is time for self-directed study and reflection of learning experiences throughout the day.
Prior to Starting
Information Booklet
Prior to starting the placement student nurses will be sent an information booklet hat has been designed to welcome them to their new team and to give an insight into the Cancer Services Team at Wirral University Teaching Hospital. This also includes online learning that they may wish to access prior to starting.
Click here for booklet.
Induction Morning
Student nurses will attend an induction morning on their first day with Cancer Services to welcome them to their placement covering:
- What to expect during the placement
- Health and safety
- Policies
- Complete PARE paperwork
- Any reasonable adjustments
- Objectives
This should hopefully ease their transition and give them the opportunity to ask any questions or alleviate any concerns.
Pre and Post Placement Questionnaires
Student nurses will be given a pre-placement questionnaire during the induction morning to align their goals with placement opportunities, assess learning needs, expectations and previous experience. Post placement questionnaires allows us to measure placement effectiveness.
Click here for pre-placement questionnaire
Click here for post-placement questionnaire
Placement Area Feedback Forms – Professional Values
This form is completed to demonstrate the student nurse has shown Professional Values throughout the placement.
Click here to view the form.
Welcome Packs
Many teams have developed welcome packs detailed more specific information regarding their tumour group
Click below to view the pack
Colorectal – Student Welcome Pack
Lung Cancer – Student Welcome Pack
Diversity and Inclusivity
We strive to ensure our environment is inclusive to everyone and welcome discussions regarding any adjustments that we can make to ensure everyone has a good learning experience with us. We have the following considerations:
Format of information
Information and the timetable is sent electronically prior to the placement to give student nurses time to read it and consider any questions. A paper copy is available on induction.
Induction is always face-to-face and gives the opportunity to discuss any of the information further and answer any questions
Information is available on the intranet so the ‘accessibility’ tab can be used changing the font, size and colour of text, read out the text or translate to other languages
Reasonable adjustments
Student nurses are emailed in advance to confirm if reasonable adjustments are required. This includes if they have access to a car to plan the timetable to accommodate as placement is across sites.
This gives an opportunity to share any Reasonable adjustment plans (RAPPS)
Online learning
Time is allocated at the beginning and end of the day so student nurses can chose where is best for them to learn (eg home using their own equipment, library, hospital)
Support at WUTH
There is support at WUTH from all cancer services staff as well as the following:
- Occupational Health
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Wellbeing information, self help guides and training packages for staff and manager available via the staff wellbeing pages on the intranet
- https://www.wuth.nhs.uk/your-wuth/staff-health-and-wellbeing-resources/
- The Cheshire and Merseyside Resilience Hub (CMRH)
- NHS People Website offering learning, guides, support
- https://www.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk/bitesize/
- Staff Networks and groups student nurses can attend
- Disability webpage on the intranet
- Tracy Nolan, Freedom to Speak Up Guardian
- Chaplaincy Team
Evaluation and Feedback
We are constantly striving to improve the experience for our students’ nurses and ask them to complete an evaluation form. Following this, we send evaluation letters back to our teams and celebrate what we do well whilst looking at ways to improve to give student nurses the best experience whilst with us.
What Student nurses say about us
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