Placement One

Please note, our placement structure is changing. Students who started in their degree prior to January 2025 will be on the 'old' structure. Students starting from 2025 will be on the 'new' structure.

'New' structure for students who started their degree January 2025 onwards

Placement One (April year one)

The first placement is a two-week placement. We ask that educators mark the students using the CPAF form, omitting any areas which were not relevant in this short period. It is up to each individual educator and placement provider to decide if this placement is undertaken as an observational placement, or if the student can have hands-on experience too. The focus of this placement is on Communication. Over the course of the placement the student should develop their communication skills with patients, carers and their colleagues.

Students will have had approximately 11 weeks of formal university teaching prior to this first placement and will have completed the compulsory pre-placement activities and training.

Background

We have changed our first placement from six-weeks to two weeks in response to educator feedback. Educators commented that it was challenging having such a new student for a full placement. By decreasing the length of the placement students have more time in university (we have also moved the placement back a little, but there is a limit to how much placements can be moved unfortunately), and also means educators have a shorter amount of time with someone who is so new to the course.

Marking the Placement

The two week placement can involve elements of observational work. Depending on the setting it may be that students need to spend the majority of the time in an observational role. This is fine, although we do like students to get as hands-on and involved as possible.

The placement is marked on the level 4 CPAF form. We are using the new, slightly shorter version of the CPAF. We expect all students to adhere to the Professional Behaviours at all times. Please contact the student's tutor if you have any concerns. (You can contact Helena helena.drummond@port.ac.uk or the Placement Office in an emergency). Student's who do not adhere to these will fail the placement.

It is not appropriate to complete a full halfway assessment for the two-week placement. We will not arrange a halfway meeting during this placement, but can meet you at any point if there are concerns or questions. For the final way assessment, please can you fill in as much of the CPAF domains as possible to enable the student to gain as much valuable feedback as they can. If there are a couple of boxes which cannot be completed due to the length of the placement, they can be left blank or contact us if you have any concerns.

The placement is marked as pass/fail and the pass mark is 50%.

Prior to placement one students will have had core skills training including -

- Information Governance and Data Security
- Resuscitation
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Manual Handling (Moving and Handling)
- Fire Safety
- Preventing Radicalisation
- Safeguarding Adults
- Safeguarding Children
- Conflict Resolution
- Equality, Diversity and Human Rights
- Health, Safety and Welfare
- Basic life support
- Manual handling (students are not given formal training on the use of specific equipment, please deliver this locally).

Prior to placement one students will have knowledge and experience of the following –

● Basic anatomical terminology

● Joint movement in relation to the anatomical reference position

● Planes and axes of movement

● Normal movement

● Muscle groups responsible for limb movements

● Basic structure of bones, tendons, ligaments and muscle

● Basic neurophysiology

● Knowledge of the location and function of main brain regions

● Respiratory anatomy

● Auscultation

● Handling skills

● Writing SOAP notes

● The core principles of physiotherapy practice including professionalism, consent and documentation

● Reflection

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