Covid-19 advice for Pre-registration Nursing Students

If you need specific personal health advice specifically in relation to Covid-19 you should call the NHS 111 service or your GP.

Please do not attend the GP or Emergency Department without phoning in advance.

You should email the School following the usual procedures as outlined in your student handbook, which includes contacting the ward manager/team lead if you are in clinical practice.

If advised that you do not need to be tested or to self-isolate, you should return to the course as soon as you are well and complete the normal self-certification process.

If you need specific personal health advice specifically in relation to Covid-19 you should call the NHS 111 service or your GP.

Please do not attend the GP or Emergency Department without phoning in advance.

You should email the School following the usual procedures as outlined in your student handbook, which includes contacting the ward manager/team lead if you are in clinical practice.

If advised that you do not need to be tested or to self-isolate, you should return to the course as soon as you are well and complete the normal self-certification process.

Students do not routinely get fitted for masks unless they will be caring for someone with Covid-19.

Should they be caring for someone with, or suspected, Covid-19, you will undergo the same preparation and fitting for the level of PPE required as healthcare staff in the setting you are in.

Currently, emergency legislation is in place that means emergency standards from the NMC apply to all programmes. Under these standards, those in their final six months of their pre-registration nursing course can go on extended placement under a contract with the Health and Social Care Trusts.

Year two students are also out on similar placement under a contract.

Students had to option to opt in or out of these extended placements. Should the emergency be stood down, these extended placements will be reviewed by the Department of Health. In terms of caring for someone with Covid-19, those on placement may be involved in care of people with Covid-19 but not those in “red” areas in Trusts (e.g. critically ill patients).

For those who could not opt in to placement, and for year one students who could not go out on practice learning under the usual supervision and assessment arrangements, resumption of practice learning is currently being explored with our practice partners through the Department of Health.

The school will apply the normal attendance procedures in the first instance for a 2 week absence.

The normal attendance rules would apply as per the Nursing and Midwifery Council standards as outlined in your Student Handbook.

Students should apply for exceptional circumstances if they need to miss exams.

There is remedial time and repeat exams available for students in all years to make up for time they have missed through no fault of their own.

The school will ensure that no student is academically disadvantaged as a result of self-isolation.

Under the emergency standards, and as a result of ministerial decisions and consultation with the Chief Nursing Officers across the four countries of the UK, year one students did not progress to practice learning during the emergency period; as this progresses, this is being reviewed.

Year 2 and 3 students were able to progress to practice under extended placement and associated contracts; those who opted out of extended placement are being considered alongside year one students in terms of resuming practice learning with supernumerary status.

Based on Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advice, non-essential travel outside of the UK is currently not permitted; this includes international electives. Additionally, many countries are also not accepting students for international electives at this time.

Your bursary will not be affected if self-isolating is instructed by the PHA or your GP.