NMPC: Clinical tasks & responsibilities on placement

As you would expect, the supply of a controlled drug is a highly regulated activity.

Please check with the healthcare organisation where you are placed. You must not sign for controlled drugs unless you have received explicit confirmation that this is permitted by your Practice Supervisor. Your Practice Supervisor will provide you with information about the guidelines and requirements.

Venepuncture and cannulation and blood sampling are one of the NMC proficiencies you will need to have completed by the end of your programme, as documented in your Practice Assessment Document & Ongoing Achievement Record. This proficiency can be achieved in either Part 2 or Part 3.

Your participation in this activity may vary from placement to placement, and from organisation to organisation. Please check with your Practice Supervisor and/or Practice Assessor to review opportunities for you to undertake this whilst on placement.

Nursing students are required to complete the Medicines Management assessment within your Practice Assessment Document. This includes preparing and safely and effectively administering medications, as well as correctly calculating doses for a range of prescribed medicines.

Your participation in this activity may vary from placement to placement, and from organisation to organisation. Please check with your Practice Supervisor and/or Practice Assessor to review opportunities for you to undertake this whilst on placement.

The insertion, management and removal of oral/nasal/gastric tubes are an NMC proficiencies you will need to have completed by the end of your programme, as documented in your Practice Assessment Document & Ongoing Achievement Record. This proficiency can be achieved in either Part 2 or Part 3.

Your participation in this activity may vary from placement to placement, and from organisation to organisation. Please check with your Practice Supervisor and/or Practice Assessor to review opportunities for you to undertake this whilst on placement.

The insertion, management and removal of catheters for all genders is one of the NMC proficiencies you will need to have completed by the end of your programme, as documented in your Practice Assessment Document & Ongoing Achievement Record. This proficiency can be achieved in either Part 2 or Part 3.

Your participation in this activity may vary from placement to placement, and from organisation to organisation. Please check with your Practice Supervisor and/or Practice Assessor to review opportunities for you to undertake this whilst on placement.

You may transfer patients and give handover by yourself only if permitted within the policies of the individual healthcare institution where you are placed, and if you are deemed competent to do so by the specific placement.

However, you must have been assessed as fully prepared to manage unexpected and/or emergency situations as a lone practitioner, and therefore this activity should only take place during final placement.

The accountability for the safety of the patient remains at all times, the responsibility of the registrant who delegated this task to you, therefore you must appreciate that your participation in this activity may vary from placement to placement, and organisation to organisation.

Important to know: You may not transfer a patient who has an intravenous infusion in progress.

As a student in the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, you can be supervised in practice by NMC registered nurses, midwives, nursing associates and by other registered healthcare professionals.

• Nursing students can only be assessed by registered nurses who have appropriate equivalent experience for the student's field of practice.
• Midwifery students can only be assessed by registered midwives who have appropriate equivalent experience for the student's field of practice.

Any Practice Assessor can sign the Practice Assessment Document, even if they are not your ‘named’ Assessor for that placement. However, to promote continuity of assessment, most organisations prefer that assessments are completed by the named Practice Assessor.

You’ll need to make an appointment with your Occupational Health Provider, and inform your Personal Tutor and Cohort Lead (contact details on KEATS). 

For MSc students
Contact King's College Hospital 

• Telephone: 020 3299 3387 
• Email:  kch-tr.kclohkings@nhs.net  

For BSc students
Contact Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital ​​​​​

• Telephone: 020 7188 4152 
• Email:  KCLugsoh@gstt.nhs.uk

Contact your Occupational Health Provider urgently using the contact details below. 

For MSc students
Contact King's College Hospital 

• Telephone: 020 3299 3387 
• Email:  kch-tr.kclohkings@nhs.net  

For BSc students
Contact Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital ​​​​​​

• Telephone: 020 7188 4152 
• Email:  KCLugsoh@gstt.nhs.uk