Allied health and nursing student placements and remote and rural workforce location outcomes study

In this study, the exposure being studied is having undertaken a student placement in the Northern Territory of at least one week in length. As part of standard accreditation processes, university level health professional courses are required to demonstrate graduate competence in application of knowledge and skills to patients/consumers of health care. Workplace-based placements, sometimes known as work-integrated learning (WIL) activities are therefore a cornerstone of the curriculum because the students are working in healthcare workplaces under the supervision of a qualified health professional, learning to deliver the graduate competencies of the profession. The supervision requirements, length, curriculum and assessment, of student placements, varies according to the needs of the specific profession. We recognise that the exposure being studied includes student placement experiences that are not homogenous. From the perspective of workplaces, it is commonly assumed that student placements are a mutually beneficial recruitment strategy, allowing both the workplace and the student to consider the suitability and attractiveness of employment once graduated. Following student placements, all students are asked to complete an on-line study specific process evaluation questionnaire asking about their satisfaction of the placement and perceptions of learning outcomes. After graduation, students will be followed-up via a 20 minute on-line survey to assess currency of professional practice and identify workplace location (rural and remote location).