Student Placements

If a practicum placement requires direct contact with vulnerable children or adults, a Criminal Records Check (CRC) from the Ministry of Justice must be completed. This is to be completed prior to the placement, every 5 years thereafter and if there is a charge or conviction within those 5 years. Of importance:

• The cost of the CRC is the responsibility of the student.
• The education institution will maintain the document in the students’ file.
• It is recommended the student maintain a copy of the CRC in the event proof/evidence is requested by the practicum site.
• Immediate termination of the student’s placement will result if false information is reported.
• If there is a status change to the CRC during the practicum placement, notify the education institution and practicum site immediately.
• In the event of a current or pre-existing charge or conviction, IH will determine how the student’s placement will be impacted.
• If a practicum placement is less than 1 day and the learner will remain under the direct supervision of an employed professional at all times during the experience, a CRC may not be required.
• Refer to Part 4.1 – Registered Students of the Criminal Record Review Act for more information

Using a school-based email address, instructors and students will create an account within the Learning Hub in order to complete SPECO. Refer to the SPECO Quick Reference Guide for additional information. Retain a copy of your completed checklist and provide a copy to your PSI.

Instructors and students are expected to wear their school issued identification, preferably ID with a photo and this is to remain visible at all times while on IH property.

Students will be provided with a mnemonic prior to the practicum placement. This unique identifier will be used for all additional practicum placements and employment with IH. This is standardized as the first three letters of your last name, first letter of your first name and sometimes followed by a number. Depending on the area of study, the mnemonic will grant you access into the following areas:

• Omnicell Medication dispensing cabinet
• Blood Glucose Monitors
• InsideNet: This is IH’s internal website (where iLearns, Policies and; Procedures are stored) that is only accessible when logged into an IH computer.
• Meditech: Meditech is the clinical information system that is used in the provision of care. Access to electronic clinical information systems is only provided for the duration of the practicum placement. You may require access to patient/client electronic health records as part of your practicum placement. Students are only permitted to access records of patients/clients to whom they are providing direct care. It is the responsibility of the student and/or on-site faculty to ensure that they have received the necessary training prior to the practice placement.

For computer network processes where education institutions are geographically situated outside IH and needing to dispense and administer medications and complete blood glucose monitoring, click on the Out-of-Region Processes expandable text in the Placement requests section of this page.

The Confidentiality Undertaking for Student Placement only ever needs to be completed once. There are two options for completion:

• Option 1 (Students with a mnemonic and iLearn Access): Students log into the iLearn system and search for course 2282. Students will complete this iLearn (answer each of the statements) and click submit. Nothing further is required. A certificate of completion may be downloaded and printed. A copy is to be filed in the student’s academic record.
• Option 2 (Students without computer accesses): Click the link and print the form. The student will complete all fields of this document. This completed form is given to the appropriate person at the PSI where it will be filed in the students’ academic record.

The Communicable Disease Prevention Practice Education Guideline for BC (PEG) stipulates PSI students and educators must maintain a record of their vaccine and immunity status, including documentation of medical contraindications. Further, all students and educators with student placements in any setting within Interior Health are expected to follow the screening expectations and recommended immunizations of HCO Workers in that setting as set out in Interior Health’s policy.

Information specific to the COVID-19 series and potential impacts to student placement can be found in the Government of B.C.’s Order of the Provincial Health Officer – Aug. 31, 2021, as defined as “outside health care or personal care provider.”

If you’re an education Institutions with an HSPnet Account, placement requests are made using the following steps and provincially negotiated timelines.

1. The education institution’s placing coordinator will submit the request through HSPnet at least 10 weeks prior to the practicum placement start date.
2. The IH student placement team’s designated receiving coordinator will review the request for suitability and confirm currency of the Affiliation Agreement. If the placement request is deemed suitable, the request will be redirected to the destination coordinator.
3. The destination coordinator will review the request and either:
   1. Accept the request. The Education Institution will be informed of the acceptance via HSPnet
   2. Decline the request. After this information is received, the education institution may submit a new request for an alternate site and destination.

If you’re an education institution outside B.C. with an HSPnet Account, email StudentPlacement@interiorhealth.ca and request a link for HSPnet Guest Access, then follow the steps listed above.

If you’re an education institution without an HSPnet Account, email StudentPlacement@interiorhealth.ca and request a placement request form.
 

The following is only to occur once a placement request has been confirmed in HSPnet.

Computer network access for local schools (All Students)

For education institutions geographically situated within IH, the placing coordinator (or equivalent school designate) will arrange access for you. This will generate a mnemonic and grant Meditech access.

If the education institution uses Access Management Portal (AMP), you will receive an email from the IMIT Access Team. The subject line will read “Do Not Reply – Interior Health Access Management Portal – Terms of Agreement”. This is not SPAM. This email may arrive in the junk folder depending on your email settings.

This email will expire after seven days and provides you with instructions including:

• Provide a four=digit PIN that you will need to remember for verification purposes
• Read and click “accept” on the terms of the agreement, which completes the form and automatically submits to the IMIT Access Team, and
• Wait for an email from the Access Team (which you will receive within two weeks of the practicum placement start date) with your assigned mnemonic and the phone number you need to call to set up a password (this is when you will need to provide the four-digit PIN).

If your Education Institution is not familiar with the AMP, you will need to complete and sign the External User Access Agreement (EUAA) and return it to your placing coordinator (or equivalent school designate).

The mnemonic is required in order to proceed with obtaining Glucometer and Omnicell access.

Glucometer Access (Nursing Students)

Once the corresponding theory has been completed (usually provided as a lab by an instructor), complete the Skills Assessment Checklist & email IH Lab Quality (cc’ing the instructor) a minimum of one (1) week prior to the practicum placement start date.

On the checklist, ensure the school name is included on the same line as the student name. Annual re-certification is required. This is done by re-submitting the Skills Assessment Checklist.

Omnicell (Nursing Students)

This is how nursing students will dispense medications while in the clinical setting. Complete the Omnicell User Access Form and bring to the unit manager or preceptor on the first practicum day for approval and forwarding to the on-site pharmacy.

Community/Clinic Settings

For any practice placement occurring in a “community/clinic setting” complete only the External User Access Agreement (EUAA)

The following is only to occur once a placement request has been confirmed in HSPnet.

Computer network access for non-local schools (All students)

Complete the External User Access Agreement (EUAA) Email this completed form to the Access Team. This will generate a mnemonic and grant Meditech access.

The access is required before Glucometer, Pyxis and Omnicell accesses will be granted.

Glucometer Access (Nursing Students)

Once your preceptor has provided on-site training of the glucometer machine, complete the Skills Assessment Checklist and email the IH Lab Quality (cc’ing the instructor) a minimum of one (1) week prior to the practicum placement start date.

On the checklist, ensure the school name is included on the same line as the student name.

Omnicell (Nursing Students)

This is how nursing students will dispense medications while in the clinical setting. Complete the Omnicell User Access Form and bring to the unit manager or preceptor on the first practicum day for approval and forwarding to the on-site pharmacy.

Community/Clinic Settings

For any practice placement occurring in a “community/clinic setting” complete only the External User Access Agreement (EUAA)

​BCCDC Recommendations to Post-Secondary Students, Faculty and Staff about COVID-19

British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM)

• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Registered Nurses
• Registered Psychiatric Nurses

British Columbia College of Social Workers | BCCSW

College of Dietitians of British Columbia | CDBC

College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia | COTBC

College of Pharmacists of British Columbia

College of Physical Therapists of British Columbia | CPTBC

College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of British Columbia | CSHHPBC

HSPnet | Provincial Education Guidelines (PEG)

IH Policy | AU1100 - Student Practice Education

Interior Health Facilities Information (Units)Student Practice Education Core Orientation (SPECO) Checklist

BC Student Practice Education Website