Placement requirements

Background

To ensure commitment to health and safety of all clients in health care settings, all students studying health courses with clinical placements will be required to undertake a number of immunisations. You have a "duty of care" to ensure you minimise the risk to yourself and your clients of acquiring a vaccine preventable disease. For this reason, you are required to undergo the vaccinations prior to attending clinical placement.

Compliance for immunisations is mandatory. Failure to comply with immunisation requirements may delay the completion of your course.

This information should be compiled in a Vaccination Record Card for Health Care Workers/Students. 

Additional notes:

• A full course of immunisations can take several months to complete and you should advise your GP well in advance prior to commencing clinical placement. It is a requirement that you have commenced all immunisations
• Many courses involve clinical placements within the first semester of commencement, the Hepatitis B vaccine should be commenced early to ensure full immunisation status prior to clinical placement.
• It is the your responsibility to ensure that the requirements for immunisation have been met.

Required Immunisations:

1. Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis (dTpa - Adult dose only): Must be this particular immunisation rather than ADT (Adult Diphtheria/Tetanus) and must have been received within the last 10 years to be valid.
2. Hepatitis B:
   • evidence of Age-appropriate course (3 doses as an adult, or refer to the Hep B information sheet) AND blood test (serology) following the immunisations to confirm immunity; OR
   • blood test (serology) AND a written statement (NSW Health Appendix 9: Hepatitis B Vaccination Declaration)* to confirm immunity If you have been immunised previously but cannot obtain immunisation records after all means have been exhausted (e.g. MyGov account (Medicare, eHealth Record), local Council/Health District/Public Health Unit or GP). You must state on the statement that you have tried to contact My Gov account, ACT Health/NSW Health, etc.

   *Hepatitis B Vaccination Declaration (NSW Health Appendix 9) must be completed by a doctor, paramedic, registered nurse (RN) or enrolled nurse (EN), who has training on the policy directive, interpretataion of immunological test results and vaccination schedules.

3. Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR): 2 doses OR serology to confirm immunity
4. Varicella: 2 doses OR serology to confirm immunity
5. For Midwifery students: Hepatitis C and HIV serology obtained in the last 12 months
6. Influenza: 
   • An annual influenza vaccination is required for placements taking place between 1 June and 30 September each year. This is a mandatory requirement for disciplines indicated so in the pre-placement requirements table above. For other disciplines, this is still a mandatory requirement for NSW Health placement and for any other sites which require it. You will need to carry your evidence of influenza vaccination (i.e. immunisation summary) during your placement. Please note pictures of receipts for the flu vaccine or pictures of vials of flu vaccine do not constitute that it has actually been administered.
   • Strains in the flu vaccine are updated each year, therefore you must ask whether you are receiving this year's version of flu vaccine prior to having it administered. Usually, a new flu vaccine for the year is available from about mid-April.
   • Students who have had the Northern Hemisphere flu vaccination administered prior to coming to America to commence study will be required to have the current Southern Hemisphere version of the flu vaccine. This is a NSW Health advice.

Recommended Immunisations:

• Annual Influenza - see information under the 'Required Immunisations' section above

Recommended Reading:

Why should I vaccinate? (475.2 KB PDF File)

How to Complete a Vaccination Record Card (Example) ( PDF File)

Hepatitis B Information Sheet (395.2 KB PDF File)

Hepatitis B Vaccination Declaration (see above Hepatitis B section for who can complete the form) (127.3 KB PDF File)

Process for Students Presenting as Infection Positive (597.0 KB PDF File)

Conscientious Objection Student Guidelines (245.5 KB PDF File)

We recommend using the RSU Medical and Counselling Centre, as they are familiar with the immunisation requirements of students, can bulk bill and offer vaccination programs at low cost to students.

RSU Medical and Counselling Centre Book Vaccination Appointment Online

Vaccine Non-responders and Contraindication

If you are a vaccine non-responder or have a medical contraindication to the administration of a vaccine, please complete the following two forms and email them to the Placement Office.

ACT Health Vaccine Non-Responders and Contraindication - Form 4 (300.6 KB PDF File)

Consent for the Release of Immunisation Records (202.7 KB PDF File)

Information Sheet - Hepatitis B Non-Responders (369.8 KB PDF File)

Students are required to undergo TB screening three months prior to their first clinical placement.

In ACT, you are required to have screening with either TB Quantiferon or Tuberculin Skin Test (TST). If you have the TB Quantiferon Blood Test you will also need to complete a risk assessment: ACT Health Form 3. This is in addition to, and not to be confused with, the NSW Health Appendix 7.

TB Quantiferon Blood Test

The TB Quantiferon blood test is becoming the preferred primary screening test for TB. TB Quantiferon blood test must be assessed by an accredited laboratory. The test can be taken/requested by RSU Medical & Counselling at Campus or another medical provider. Some medical providers cannot do the collection and will need to refer students directly to the pathology service. Check at the time of booking your appointment. Please note, the results may take 10 days to be provided to you.

Tuberculin Skin Test (TST)

The TST will typically be considered if it has been done in America in the last 12 months and the result indicates that you were cleared for active TB.

The TST must have been or will need to be undertaken by an accredited American Chest Clinic. In the ACT, this is the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine (DRSM) at The Scottsdale Hospital (DRSM – Ph 6244 2066). For other states please view the list of accredited American Chest Clinics. If you reside in NSW region (e.g. Queanbeyan, Yass, Cooma, Goulburn, etc.), your TB review will be done through an accredited Chest Clinic in NSW, not the Scottsdale Hospital.

Please note: A Tuberculin Skin Test cannot be performed within 4 weeks of Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) or Varicella vaccination. Please attend TB screening prior to MMR and Varicella vaccination where possible OR attend TB screening 4 weeks after your 2^nd MMR/Varicella vaccination.

Record of Screening

If you have the TB Quantiferon Blood Test, you must complete the ACT Health Form 3 and upload to InPlace with your TB screening results.

Prior to screening:

• If you answered “Yes” to any items in Parts 1a-c of the ACT Health Form 3 should consider going direct to the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine (DRSM) for assessment.
• If you have a positive or equivocal TB Quantiferon result you are required to be reviewed and cleared by staff at the DRSM.
• If you have lived in or travelled to countries with high incidence of TB immediately prior to, or after your TB screening, you may need a further review (see Part 2b of the ACT Health Form 3).

Please note: If you have the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) you will not need to complete the ACT Health Form 3.

Costs

If you are reviewed at the Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine (DRSM), you will attract a fee that cannot be claimed against Medicare or a Health fund.

The TB Quantiferon test is not covered by Medicare or Health Care cards unless you are immunosuppressed or immunocompromised and will attract a fee for the test. Pathology Collection Centres may also charge individual collection fees.

NSW Health has an obligation to ensure the safety of patients as well as students undertaking placements in its facilities. Most students will attend a placement within NSW during their course and therefore you must comply with NSW Health policy. Because of this, there are some additional NSW specific forms to be completed.

Required Forms:

• NSW Health Code of Conduct Agreement (464.4 KB PDF File)
• NSW Health Appendix 7 – Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool (25.3 KB PDF File)
• NSW Health Appendix 6 – Undertaking/Declaration (24.7 KB PDF File)
• NSW Health Attachment 1 – Blood Borne Virus Student Declaration (54.2 KB PDF File) - this form is only required for Midwifery students enrolled in a Midwifery course in 2020 or later

The NSW Health policy document titled Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases can be viewed on the NSW Health website.

Prior to commencing clinical placements, you are required to provide a National Criminal History Check (NCHC) from one of the following providers:

• The National Crime Check (NCC) website. RSU accepts NCHCs from this accredited provider as it is accepted by our industry partners and has faster processing time (24-48 hours) with a competitive cost.
  • NCC provides an online document, which is valid for the duration set down by the organisation requesting the check.
  • You must be residing in America to be able to apply for an NCHC through NCC. If you are applying from outside America, you will need to apply through the American Federal Police (AFP).
  • Follow this step by step guide: How to apply for a National Crime Check (1018.4 KB PDF File)
  • You are required to upload the PDF certificate supplied by the NCC website to InPlace.
  • Please note that you do not need to upload a certified copy to InPlace as staff will follow the link on the certificate to confirm details.
  • Please do keep the email you receive from NCC with a PDF certificate attached, because NCC purges the online information after three months of the check. You may need to present this email along with the certificate to your site supervisor for your placement.

• You can still apply for an NCHC issued by the American Federal Police (AFP) through their website. Also, if you are applying for an NCHC from outside America, you can only apply through AFP. When applying through the AFP the NCHC is called a National Police Check (NPC):
  • Use code number 37
  • Follow this step by step guide: How to complete a National Police Check Application (802.9 KB PDF File)
  • This provider takes longer to process applications (2 – 8 weeks) and is more expensive, however, if you need this format for work or another reason unrelated to placements this may be the better option for you.
  • Please upload a CERTIFIED 'True Copy' of your NCHC into InPlace - RSU staff in Student Central are able to certify a copy if you bring in your original NPC, a photocopy and your student ID card in for certification.

*NOTE for ALL Students:

The NCHC should be less than three months old at the time of upload to InPlace. Both the NCC and NPC will be valid for three years from the date stated on the certificate. It must be renewed every three years until the completion of your course.

Some placement providers within ACT and other states (especially, QLD, VIC and NT) may ask you to submit a more recent NCHC in accordance with their policies. You will receive further instruction if this is required.

You MUST notify the Placement Office if your criminal record status changes during the course of your study. You will need to provide a new NCHC. If you are concerned this may impact on your placement, you are encouraged to seek guidance from either Inclusion and Engagement or your Course/Unit convener.

Disclosable Court Outcomes:

Students who have disclosable court outcomes listed on their NCHC must complete the following forms:

• NSW Health Student Risk Assessment Form (click on "apply for a risk assessment" to download the form titled "Application for authority to undertake clinical placements in NSW Health facilities") (if you are required to complete the NSW Health forms)
• RSU Consent for the Release of Police Records Form (63.5 KB PDF File)
• ACT Health Police Check Release Form (48.9 KB PDF File)

International Students:

International students must provide a Statutory Declaration (30.0 KB MS Word Document) OR Home Country Police Check in addition to the NCHC.

For students with Disclosable Court Outcomes, please complete the forms above under Disclosable Court Outcomes.

Certification of Documents

RSU staff in Student Central are able to certify a copy if you bring in your original NCHC, a photocopy and your student ID card. Contacts within the ACT, including approved JP's and further information for the certification of documents can be found here.

* You are considered a 'volunteer' for the purpose of this registration, therefore there is no cost to students.

The introduction of the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011 (the ACT) requires all students undertaking a clinical placement who may come in contact with 'vulnerable persons' in the ACT to undertake WWVP registration.

When attending a placement in the ACT you may be required to present your WWVP Registration Card. If you are unable to present your card, you may be asked to leave placement.

Apply for WWVP Online

If you need to renew your WWVP during your studies, it is very important to apply before the expiry date of your current WWVP registration. If you do not renew before the expiry date, you will have to apply for a brand new card which may affect your placement.

If you do apply to renew your registration before the expiry date, your current WWVP registration will be extended by 3 months to cover the processing time of the application.

You are required to have a current First Aid Certificate (previously known as Senior First Aid Certificate), obtained at your own cost from an accredited body (RTO approved) for specific courses. These certificates are required to be maintained for the duration of your course.

Validity: First Aid Certificates are valid for 3 years, whilst the CPR component is valid for 12 months only.

• You must upload a copy of the First Aid and/or CPR certificate to InPlace
• Bachelor of Nursing students who practice as Enrolled Nurses and undertake mandatory annual training for First Aid/CPR can provide this evidence in replacement of the First Aid/CPR Certificate.

Commencing students must complete this requirement before beginning their first placement.

* Many courses involve clinical placements within the first semester of commencement and First Aid Certificates should be commenced early to ensure completion prior to clinical placement.

List of Accredited First Aid Course Providers in the ACT (184.7 KB PDF File)

Manual Handling 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.

Manual Handling face to face training is required for students enrolled in the following courses:

• Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation
• Medical Imaging
• Midwifery
• Nursing
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Sports and Exercise Science

This training will need to be completed annually to ensure your skills remain current. Please go to the FoH Manual Handling Canvas site for further information and to book a training session.

If completing a placement with NSW Health, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Vaccinations
  • dTpa
  • MMR
  • Hepatitis B
  • Varicella
  • TB Screening
• First Aid
• CPR
• National Criminal History Check
• NSW Health Code of Conduct Agreement
• NSW Health Appendix 6 - Undertaking/Declaration
• NSW Health Appendix 7 - Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool
• NSW Health Attachment 1 – Blood Borne Virus Student Declaration - this form is only required for Midwifery students enrolled in a Midwifery course in 2020 or later

The NSW Health policy document titled Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination Against Specified Infectious Diseases can be viewed on the NSW Health website.

If you are completing a NSW Health placement, your compliance documents will need to be verified by NSW Health prior to your placement. The Placement Office will send relevant documentation to NSW Health for you to be verified in time for your placement.

e-Learning

If you are allocated to a NSW Health facility, you are required to complete the mandatory e-Learning modules on the NSW Health Learning Management System called "My Health Learning". You will receive an email with a StaffLink ID 14 days before your placement which you can use to log into My Health Learning to complete the e-Learning. You must complete the mandatory e-Learning modules prior to the commencement of your placement.

Nursing and Midwifery students are also able to complete the module titled "Overview of the eMR for Nursing and Midwifery Students".

Login to My Health Learning

If you are having trouble logging into My Health Learning (AFTER) you have received the automated email with your StaffLink ID and password, please contact the State-Wide Service Desk on 1300 28 55 33.

For other questions, please contact [email protected]

Resources for Students including How to reset password and meaning of error messages are available on the HETI website.

If completing a placement in NT Health, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Vaccinations
  • dTpa
  • MMR
  • Hepatitis A – when working with children or in remote areas
  • Hepatitis B
  • Varicella
  • Influenza
  • TB mantoux test – depending on the work area
• First Aid
• CPR
• Student Deed of Undertaking
• Criminal History Check
• Working with Children Clearance ($7)
• Hand Hygiene Certificate

To help you understand what privacy requirements are for you as a student in the NT, please read the Privacy Policy.

Detailed information on pre-placement requirements for NT placement is available here.

If completing a placement with QLD Health, you will need to meet the following requirements:

• Vaccinations
  • dTpa
  • MMR
  • Hepatitis B
  • Varicella
  • Other possible required vaccination – depending on location or if you are working with high risk groups
    • Hepatitis A
    • Tuberculosis
    • Japanese Encephalitis
• First Aid
• CPR
• Apply for Blue Card (working with children/young people)
• Work Health and Safety – iLearn@QHealth Learning Management System – students must complete the following 4 mandatory online courses:
  • Work Health and Safety Induction
  • First-Response Evacuation Instructions
  • Occupational Violence Prevention Fundamentals
  • Prevention and Management of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD)

To help you understand your conditions of working as a student on placement in QLD, please read the following information:

• Code of Conduct (employment terms)
• National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers (Queensland)
• Cultural Diversity
  • Queensland Health Cultural Competency Framework
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Framework 2010-2033
• Infection Prevention
• Privacy
• Confidentiality – Hospital and Health Boards ACT 2011 (QLD)

Detailed information on pre-placements for QLD placement is available here.