Preparing for placements

Before students’ names are uploaded on to the InPlace/InPlace Network system (four weeks prior to scheduled start date), Education Providers are responsible for verifying the documentary evidence and confirming in writing that students meet ACT Health requirements for:

• National Police Check (NPC)
• Working With Vulnerable People check (WWVP)
• Immunity check

As the NPC and WWVP checks may take some time to process, students are encouraged to ensure that these are completed in their first year of study and that they are mindful of the expiry dates of the checks to ensure that they remain current.

No later than two weeks before the start of their placement, students are to have completed:

• Mandatory e-learning
• National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) Student Health Practitioner Module
• Student Acknowledgement form

Students will have access to InPlace/InPlace Network as soon as their information is uploaded by the Education Provider.  Please contact your Education Provider if you have not received access to InPlace Network.

Once your details have been received by Clinical Placement Office, they will create you an account within HRIMS Learning.  Please be advised that this may take 2-3 days. You will receive an email with your username and password for HRIMS Learning.  This will be sent to the same email you use to log into InPlace/InPlace Network.

A National Police Check is a mandatory requirement for all students on placement within ACT Health.

No student may commence placement at ACT Health prior to a National Police Check and issuing and assessment of a National Police Certificate.

ACT Health will accept a National Police Certificate from the Australian Federal Police, the National Police Checking Service, State Police, and accredited organisations, provided it is dated no more than twelve (12) months prior to the first clinical placement with ACT Health.

Please see the links below to the AFP police check and the ACIC list of accredited organisations.

AFP - https://www.afp.gov.au/what-we-do/services/criminal-records/national-police-checks

ACIC - https://www.acic.gov.au/

A NPC for health/hospital workers in the ACT provides a complete disclosure certificate, which means all recorded offences are released.

Students are to provide a copy of their National Police Certificate to their Education Provider placement coordinator well in advance of a scheduled ACT Health clinical placement date.

Students with positive police checks are required to complete an ‘Authorisation to Investigate’ form and provide their National Police Certificate with a statement to their education provider. The Education Provider will forward it directly to either the CPO Manager or, for Allied Health students only, to the CPO Allied Health Placement Officer. Clearance for placement will be sought from ACT Health’s People and Culture Branch.  Clearance must be obtained prior to the student being allocated for placement.

ACT Health will determine whether a student or trainee with a criminal record is accepted for any clinical placement in accordance with the CPO NPC review process. Where the placement concerns a student or trainee who is not affiliated with an Education Provider, the student or trainee should submit the required information directly to the CPO.

For International Students and Trainees

International students may be required to undertake a local police check, as well as an Australian National Police Check prior to placement with ACT Health.

Medical – All requests for elective/selective placements within ACT Health facilities are organised through the Australian National University (ANU).

Students must provide an Australian National Criminal History Check to ANU.

Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health – Students must provide an Australian National Criminal History Check to CPO.

The Working with vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 (the WWVP Act) commenced on 8 November 2012. It aims to reduce the risk of harm or neglect to vulnerable people in the ACT.

The WWVP Act requires those who work or volunteer with vulnerable people to have a background check and be registered.

The premise of background checking is that the past behaviour of an individual can provide an indication of the possible future behaviour of that individual. Examples or patterns of abusive or inappropriate behaviour can sometimes be evident in information available for assessment, which includes an individual’s criminal record.

The ACT Government considers that the creation of a checking system with appropriate safeguards for people who work with, or who want to work with vulnerable people is consistent with section 28 of the Human Rights Act 2004.

How to apply

You can apply by completing an online application. Please note you will need access to a printer to generate the completed application.

Applicants who are unable to access the online application form should contact Access Canberra for further assistance, including alternative lodgement options.

Access Canberra will conduct a thorough risk assessment of your conviction and non-conviction history, and any other information relevant to the background screening process.

Based on the outcome of the risk assessment you may be issued with a registration card with a unique identifying registration number that is valid for up to five years. You must carry the card at all times while engaged in a regulated activity as you may be asked to produce it to verify current registration

ACT Health requires that all students and trainees who undertake placements in Health Directorate facilities are covered by an appropriate level of immunisation against infectious disease before commencement of clinical placement. All students and trainees must comply with the ACT Health’s Occupational, Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.

Immunity checks are to be undertaken at student’s own cost.

Education Providers must collate and verify evidence that each student has received the required occupational assessment, screening, education and immunisation when uploading student details on to InPlace/InPlace Network. This must be done at least one month before students commence their placement.

Trainees who are not attached to an Education Provider will need to submit a documented screening and immunisation history to the CPO. 

Unless specifically stated, the evidence can be either:

• A record of vaccination provided and signed by an accredited vaccination provider

or

• Serological confirmation of protection.

Dental, medical and midwifery students will need to show documented evidence of serological testing for the following Blood Borne Viruses in addition to the regular evidence of protection as required of other students:

- For Human Immunodeficiency Virus: HIV Ab/Ag test

- For Hepatitis C Virus – HCV Antibody

All students require the following documented evidence of protection:

ACT Health Student Vaccination Requirements

For further information refer to forms 1,3 and 4 and information sheets 2,3 and 4 in the Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Procedure

Documented evidence of TB screening will only be deemed acceptable if that screening was performed in an accredited TB screening facility within Australia. The accredited TB screening facility in the ACT is the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Canberra Hospital.

Vaccination Recommendations for ACT Pathology Personnel-Other Specified Infectious Diseases

• The ACT Health Directorate requires all students to undergo TB screening before they start placement.
• A negative screening test is current if the test was performed within the previous 12 months or at least 3 months following a potential exposure or at risk activity (whichever is less).
• Students who have travelled to high TB endemic countries for periods of 3 months or more are required to have repeat screening.
• Evidence of TB immunity may be either an:
  • Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) – TB Quantiferon blood test, for which a GP referral is needed or
  • Tuberculin skin test (TST) which has been completed at an Accredited Chest Clinic.

Please note – A Tuberculin Skin test cannot be performed within 4 weeks of Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) or Varicella vaccine.  Please attend TB screening prior to MMR vaccination. 

Every individual attending a placement with ACT Health is to complete an Acknowledgement form .

The form is to be completed annually through HRIMS Learning.

All students are to complete the following e-learning modules on their HRIMS Learning account two weeks before the start of their placement: 

• Fire and Emergency e-learning module – this is valid for 1 year.
• Manual Task Essential e-learning module – this is valid for 1 year.
• Child Protection Foundation e-learning module – this is valid for 2 years.
• The Basics of Infection Prevention and Control e-learning module – this is valid for 1 year.
• National Hand Hygiene Initiative (NHHI) course – Is completed through your HRIMS Learning Management System account - this is valid for 1 year.
• Acknowledgement Form for Placement – this must be updated every calendar year.
• Aseptic Technique e-learning module (only required for nursing, medicine, midwifery, nuclear medicine, podiatry, radiation therapy, pathology, and dental therapy students) – this is valid for 3 years.

The e-learning courses will not work on a tablet or smart phone and you will need to use an up-to-date browser.

The requirement for Manual Handling face to face training is dependent on the tasks performed within a specific job role. It is a mandatory requirement for all nursing and midwifery students and for some allied health students. Allied Health students should check with their ACT Health/Calvary Clinical Educators.

Manual Handling face to face training is mandatory for students who do on bed and off bed tasks, lift, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or restrain any people or objects in a clinical environment. Each area manager is responsible for identifying the manual handling risks and needs of their students.

Training is essential to ensure that students are familiar with equipment and manual handling practices, can safely practice manual handling techniques and comply with the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

If this training is required, each student attending a clinical placement with ACT Health is to have attended a face to face Manual Handling training session in the year prior to their placement and to repeat training annually to ensure their skills are current.

Manual Handling face to face training will be provided by either the Staff Development Unit at The Canberra Hospital or through the education provider, with the agreement of the Staff Development Unit. Completion of the Manual Handling Awareness elearning module is required for professions that do not need to attend the face to face manual handling training course.

This is a mandatory requirement prior to the commencement of a clinical placement.

All students need to go to the Security Office at Canberra Hospital before their first placement, whether this is with CHS or at Calvary, so that they can collect an ACT Health ID card.

All students must clearly display ACT Health student identification and introduce themselves as a student at all times during placement.

All students will be allocated ‘TCH General’ access when their placement is processed, so they will also be given an access card with their ID. This is activated remotely only when students are on placement with CHS.

Students can keep the ID and access cards for the duration of their training before returning them to the Security Office.

Students will need to revisit the Security Office if they have a placement in the Community Health Centres at City, Phillip or Dickson; or at Village Creek, to collect an additional access card.

In addition to an ACT Health ID card, if students have a placement at Calvary, they also need to contact the Calvary Learning and Development Unit on 62016111 for access to Calvary facilities.

How to obtain the cards

Things to prepare -  You will need to show 3 forms of identification (e.g driver’s licence, student card, Medicare card, credit card, passport etc) + $20 cash as a refundable deposit

Collection Process:

1) Go to the Cashier’s Office to provide $20 deposit. The Cashier will issue you with a receipt.

2) Take the receipt to the Security Office for ID check and photo. The card/s will be issued to you by Security Office staff.

 All cards need to be returned to TCH security desk on the last day of placement (unless you have multiple placements) and you will be refunded the $20 deposit.

Returning students can keep their cards until the completion of their final placement.

Student Types

Nursing and Midwifery Students

• New students need to present to the Cashier’s office to pay their deposit before presenting at the TCH Security Office.
  • Local students: Cards are to be collected at least one week before placement. The cards cannot be issued more than two weeks prior to placement
  • Interstate students: Cards are to be collected on the first day of placement.
• Returning students who have multiple placements can keep their cards until the completion of their final placement. Proximity cards will be re-activated electronically once students have been allocated placements.

Allied Health Students

• Check with your Clinical Educator, Manager, Supervisor or Team Leader on arrangements prior to placement.

Medical Students

• Contact scmreception@anu.edu.au for further information.

Notes

• The cards are electronically monitored and will be activated during placement only.
• There are two proximity cards for different facilities. Please make sure you have the appropriate card for your area. In some cases, you may need both proximity cards.
• Please contact the Security Office if you have lost or need to change your card or if it is not working.
• ID cards expire yearly. Please renew at Security Office as needed.
• Lost cards will attract a $20 replacement charge and students will be required to complete a RISKMAN report with your ward supervisor.

Contact Information

Canberra Hospital:

Students requiring accommodation can only book this once their placement has been confirmed.  It is the student’s responsibility to coordinate accommodation.

Students can book accommodation through the following:

Canberra Hospital Accommodation (Residential Accommodation)

Students need to complete a request form and send it to the Residence. The CPO will confirm an application only when students have a confirmed placement.

Operational Support Services – Client Services
Building 2 Level 2 Main Reception
Canberra Hospital
Ph: (02) 51242613
Email: CHS.Residences@act.gov.au

More information

For further information follow this link:

• Residential Accommodation

Calvary Hospital Accommodation

Rotary Cottage offers modestly priced on-campus accommodation and has ensuite rooms with access to a shared lounge and kitchen.

To enquire about staying in Rotary Cottage, call the Calvary Hospitality Administration Officer on 02 6201 6111.

Further information:

• Calvary accommodation

This section is for students who have been allocated placements and need to contact their supervisors/clinical managers.  Please refer to the sections below for your discipline’s contact list for Canberra Health Services (CHS) and Calvary Public Hospital.

The contact details below are not to be used for general placement enquiries or by students who are seeking clinical placements.

For Nursing and Midwifery Students

• Canberra Health Services & Calvary Public & UCH ward contact list
• Mental Health (MHJHADS) Contact List and Guidelines

For Allied Health Students

• Canberra Health Services & Calvary Public & UCH ward contact list
• Allied Health Contact List - Jan 2020

For Medical Students

•  Contact: admissions.medicalschool@anu.edu.au