Contemporary healthcare

Becoming a placement provider for student nurses

Becoming a placement provider will give you the opportunity to work in partnership with Health Education England (HEE) and the University of Plymouth. You'll contribute to developing a skilled and effective workforce to meet the health needs of the South West, now and in the future.

The benefits of hosting students

Placements are a vital part of the future workforce learning experience. By promoting excellent nursing practice, you can greatly contribute to the development of student nurse competence so that they will be able to make an evolving contribution to the services your organisation provides.

As a new placement provider you will:

  • enhance a culture of learning in nursing practice, making a significant difference to care experience and clinical effectiveness
  • raise your profile of expertise
  • attract staff with the right values to aid recruitment
  • receive staff training on supporting students on placement
  • receive a tariff payment for each placement you provide
  • be supported by the University of Plymouth
  • be able to develop your team through opportunities for staff to engage in critical inquiry and implement evidence-based practice
  • enable your nurses to evidence continuing professional development, and address the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards (2018)
  • celebrate the success achieved through collaborative working.

Frequently asked questions

What is involved in becoming a placement provider and how long will this take?

  • An initial visit – to discuss learning opportunities and development needs of mentors
  • The development of a practice placement profile for your placement area
  • Completion of a learning environment audit
  • The setting up can take from a few weeks up to six months.

How long are students placements and when will I know that a student will be coming on placement?

  • Placements are between 8–10 weeks. You will be notified well in advance of a student commencing their placement with you

How are students prepared?

  • Occupational health and Disclosure Barring Service clearance, mandatory training, skills-based training, preparation on professional behaviour

What support will be available?

  • Ongoing support will be provided by the University for both student and placement provider (please see contact details)
  • Online resources are available from the University of Plymouth website.