Overview of Field Experience

In Preparation for Your Field Experience Hours You Will:

Meet with your Program Mentor to discuss initiating placement process
Complete the requirements on your Field Experience Application
Work with your Coordinator and site throughout the placement process
Complete WGU Compliance and site-specific requirements
Obtain official clearance from your Coordinator

To avoid delaying your degree progression stay in close contact with your Coordinator

Discuss the Field Experience expectations with your Program Mentor

*To initiate the placement process, your Program Mentor will send a referral to the Clinical Learning and Placement Support team.

You want to have ample time to network in order to identify a potential preceptor and site. When establishing an Affiliation Agreement with your selected host site or renewing an old agreement, the process can take a significant amount of time. Additionally, gathering and uploading compliance records can take time and may require updating your immunizations.

Any delay in starting these steps can impact your degree progression, especially when you are at the end of term or nearing graduation.

Possible placement locations

Patient Advocate Organizations
Nursing Homes
Home Care and Hospice
Hospitals
Health Departments
State and Community Health Organizations
Mental Health Organizations
Healthcare Coordination and Counseling Organizations
Substance Abuse and other Social Programs
Department of Child and Family Services

Provide potential host site and contact information on the Pre-Placement Survey located on your Field Experience Application

Please be sure that the information on your Pre-Placement Survey is accurate and filled in completely.

What is a Placement Host Site?

A health facility that is willing to accept WGU BSHSC students and enter into an Affiliation Agreement with WGU. A few examples of possible sites are: Nursing Homes, Home Care and Hospice, State and Community Health Organizations, Hospitals, Health Departments, etc.

Students are welcome to utilize their place of employment as their host site. Your Coordinator will connect with the site and discuss the placement process and details.

Review the Introduction to your Placement Process page

Please be sure to review the resources provided to fully understand this placement process and the expectations you will be held to.

To access this page click here

Process of securing placement

Once you have identified a Site and Preceptor you will work with your Coordinator to secure placement. Your Coordinator must be in direct contact with your placement site to move forward with this process.

Your Coordinator will stay in regular contact with you throughout this process. Your communication with the site and your Coordinator during this placement are essential in moving this process forward.

**Your placement may require site-specific placement approval or on-boarding**

Affiliation Agreements

Please visit the Affiliation Agreement Process Page

This is a legal contract negotiation between WGU's legal team and the legal team at your selected site. This typically takes 2-3 months to fully execute, however, please be aware, it can take longer.

Students will be notified once the Agreement is fully executed.

Compliance requirements

Please visit the Compliance Requirements Page

Documentation of WGUs Compliance items are required for every student in the College of Health Professions. Even if a student is seeking placement with their employer, a Complio account is required, as employment status and the Field Experience are not interrelated.

Please feel free to review the document linked below for more information.

BSHSC Compliance FAQ

For compliance related questions, students should email the WGU Compliance Team at healthplacement@wgu.edu with “Compliance Questions” in the subject line.

Once onboarding and compliance have been completed for both WGU and the site, an agreed upon start date will need to be reported to your Coordinator

BSHSC final placement confirmation email

Students' CANNOT engage in hours prior to receiving the Final Confirmation Email or the hours will not be counted.
Once you have received the Final Confirmation Email from your Coordinator, you are cleared to begin hours on your start date.

Students should remember when they are at the worksite, they should function like a staff member and support others in their work, all the while maintaining professionalism and following WGU policies. Please dress professionally until you have learned dress code standards of the facility.

Contact us: healthplacement@wgu.edu

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