How do we manage patient/customer and colleague expectations?

The student can be introduced to patients/customers and colleagues as a pharmacy student on placement.  The student will also wear a badge provided by their School of Pharmacy, that identifies them as a pharmacy student.   Feedback from previous 2nd year students indicated that students felt they greatly benefited from the opportunity to improve their communication skills with patients in a “real-life” environment.  Students are encouraged to interact with patients, and to reflect on these interactions in the context of their own professional development, under the supervision of their pharmacist.  Students are also reminded before they go on placement, to be mindful not to treat the patients they meet as “case studies”, but to be respectful, courteous, and empathetic at all times.

How can my experience of supervising a 2nd-year student become part of my own CPD?

In 2019, 84% of our Supervisors agreed that supervising a student contributed to their CPD. APPEL has developed some sample CPD cycles, based on some feedback that pharmacists shared regarding their experiences of supervising students.  These cycles are intended to illustrate how pharmacists can incorporate their experience of supervising students into their own professional learning journeys. These sample CPD cycles are available in the Resources section of this website.

What are the placement hours?

For UCC and Trinity students, placement hours will mirror the student’s academic hours i.e. Monday-Friday, 9.30am – 5pm. For RCSI students, placement is scheduled on Tuesday afternoons from 2-5pm.

What do I do if the student is unwell or absent?

If the student is unwell during their placement, please excuse them from attendance and/or help them get medical care, as appropriate. If a student fails to attend their placement or calls in sick, please inform APPEL as soon as possible. Students will also have been advised to contact both their Training Establishment and their Practice Educator if they are going to be absent from their placement.

Can I stop the placement, mid-placement?

If you are not certain that your establishment will be able to take a student for the entire duration of the placement, please inform APPEL before the placement starts. In cases of emergency or serious and unexpected shortage of staff to supervise the student, please contact APPEL as soon as possible.