Students should refer to their student checklist for a comprehensive list of mandatory pre-placement conditional requirements.
All clinical/field placements are arranged by the Course Coordinator and the CPU. Students are not to negotiate their own clinical placements. Please check with your Clinical Coordinator or contact the CPU.
Students should refer to the teaching schedule provided at the time of their enrolment or re-enrolment for details of their clinical placement dates and times throughout the year. These dates and times are set in advance and are not negotiable.
Students are notified of placement details well in advance and are expected to be able to organise personal life commitments and travel arrangements to undertake these as scheduled.
Variations to placement allocations are only considered in specific circumstances. Please refer to the Clinical Placement Policy (PDF 311KB) criteria for requesting a variation to your placement allocation. If you believe you have circumstances that may impact on your ability to attend certain placement locations, then you are strongly encouraged to submit a pre-allocation request to the CPU. This must be submitted, with supporting evidence, at least 12 weeks prior to the placement commencement date.
Student requests for variation to placement allocation must be submitted on the Variation to Placement form (PDF 141KB). The completed form and attachments must be lodged with the CPU within the specified time frame, following the initial notification of your placement allocation unless otherwise advised by the CPU. For details about how to submit/upload documents to the CPU, please refer to your student checklist.
Each request for variation to a placement will be considered by the Course Coordinator. A student may appeal a Course Coordinator's decision by making a written submission. Please contact the CPU for information if you wish to make an appeal. In the case of appeals for Nursing placements, please contact the Program Director ELA, should you wish to appeal the decision.
Students with an Access Plan may need adjustments to their placement, depending on the requirements of the student. The Student Engagement Unit (SEU) recommends that a student with an Access Plan that has a placement requirement meets with their Program Director, Course Coordinator, and Access and Inclusion Advisor, as soon as practical to work through the adjustments that might be required, including if/how disclosure will be made to the host placement provider. This will ensure the best success at placement, and that the student’s needs are catered for in a structured, safe and supportive way.
Nursing and midwifery students are required to complete the Fitness to Practice in Clinical Placement documentation prior to placement.
UniSA reserves the right to change clinical placement dates to suit clinical practice sites' availability if necessary. Students will be notified as soon as possible should such a circumstance eventuate.
Students are strongly advised to read the Clinical Placement Policy (PDF 311KB) prior to placement.
All students must adhere strictly to the requirements around clinical placement practice for their program. The requirements are detailed in the Course Outline and other course documentation.
Students should also refer to the Practicum, Field and Clinical Placements clauses in the current year's Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual, for further information on their rights and responsibilities while on placement.
UniSA students are covered under the University of South Australia's insurance policy while on placement, provided that certain criteria are met.
Only fully compliant students will have their placement allocation published to them. Sometimes, if there is additional checking that needs to be completed before a placement can published due to partial compliance, this will be noted in the verification comments against any compliance documents affected. The CPU is required to coordinate with your Course Coordinator & Placement Providers to ensure placement sites are able to support your placement with your current partial compliance.
Yes. Students must have copies of their conditional evidence documents available for sites to check on the first day of their placement. Documents can be accessed through students InPlace and PebblePad (nursing/midwifery students only).
Information on uniform policy can be found in policies and forms.
Some programs will require students to undertake a rural or interstate clinical placement. All nursing and midwifery students will be required to undertake a rural placement at least once during their program. Medical Radiation Science (all streams) students are also required to undertake a rural placement.
Further information can be found on the Rural Placements page.
You may be required to complete intra-placement site travel as part of your placement i.e. to secondary sites, community partners or home visits during your placement. Where possible, UniSA will ask its Industry Partners to provide access to vehicles where intra-placement travel is required. Students are also advised to provide information about their ability to drive on InPlace (if they have a car and if they are willing to drive), in order to assist in matching students to placement opportunities. Where a student uses their own car for intra-placement travel, the university will provide insurance for personal injury, but the student must have their own comprehensive insurance for damages. For further information about insurance coverage, please check the UniSA Insurance page for Personal Vehicle usage while on placement: https://i.unisa.edu.au/siteassets/staff/finance/forms/unisa-students-as-driver-and-passenger-in-vehicles-29112021.pdf Alternatively, students may be able to book UniSA pool vehicles via FM Assist https://i.unisa.edu.au/staff/facilities/fm-assist-services/transport/pool-vehicle-bookings/ however, this may not be a suitable option for everyday use while on placement.
Where home visits are part of your placement, please check with your Course Coordinator first, as there may be additional requirements for you to complete to ensure your safety on placement, including risk assessment checklists and identifying hazards, work health and safety planning.
Students who will be undertaking an interstate placement may require additional compliance documents before their placements can be confirmed. Each state also has its own requirements, which it is the student’s responsibility to meet. You can find out more about interstate requirements here.
Most students will need to be fit tested prior to placement.
Please note: UniSA’s Fit Test Clinic does not accept any appointments for students who do not have an upcoming placement.
If students receive a reminder to be fit tested and evidence has been uploaded to InPlace - you do not need to book another appointment.
Open Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome and type in the following InPlace web address: https:\\unisa-prod.inplace.com.au. Please note that InPlace is not optimised for Internet Explorer.
For information about password security and resetting your password please visit the Ask IT website.
During the preferencing period you can still log in to make changes. Once the preference period closes, you will no longer be able to view your agency preferences. If you want to keep a record of the preferences you submitted - take a screenshot or write them down.
If you have not met your conditional evidence requirements for placement, you will not be able to view your allocated placement. Please upload your conditional evidence to InPlace (login required) and allow 3 - 5 working days for CPU staff to verify and update the status.
Please allow up to five to seven business days for your conditional evidence documents to be verified and updated by CPU staff. After this time we recommend that students login to InPlace to ensure that documents have been recorded correctly, verified, and set to yes. If your document has been rejected, read the comment entered by CPU staff and follow the instructions provided.
To contact the Clinical Placement Unit, email cpuoffice@unisa.edu.au or call (08) 8302 2214
Office Hours are 08:30 - 4.30pm Monday to Friday.