Public Health and Social Policy

The dates of practica within the relevant term(s) will be established by each School or program, and will be announced to the students involved at the beginning of each term.

Attendance

Attendance at practicum activities is required. Students are expected to notify the placement agency whenever practicum appointments cannot be kept, and also to inform the course instructor. Failure to do so may result in a student being withdrawn from the practicum setting.

Denial and Withdrawal

Denial

Students will be denied the practicum experience if their preparatory work is considered unsatisfactory by the Director of the School or if all core courses in the MPH or Graduate Diploma program are not complete prior to commencing practicum and project/thesis (PHSP 507, PHSP 508A, PHSP 508B, PHSP 589, PHSP 599).

Temporary Withdrawal of Students Pending Report

The Director may require a student to withdraw temporarily from a practicum if, during the course of a term, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the conduct or lack of competence of a student enrolled in the practicum has adversely affected or may adversely affect:

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clients or pupils, or

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personnel, including students associated with the practicum

The student will be required to withdraw temporarily pending the receipt of a report on the conduct and lack of competence of the student. This written report from the course instructor will normally be provided to the student within 10 business days of the withdrawal.

Withdrawal

After giving the student an opportunity to be heard, the Director may require a student to withdraw from the practicum if the Director is satisfied that the student’s conduct or lack of competence may adversely affect members of any of the groups identified in the paragraph above.

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students seeking voluntary withdrawal from a practicum, whether permanent or temporary, must receive permission to do so from their faculty supervisor in Human and Social Development.

Termination of Practicum by Placement Agency

In situations where a practicum is terminated by the agency, the student will be informed in writing of the reasons for termination, by the School within 15 business days of the termination. After giving the student an opportunity to be heard, the Director or designate will determine appropriate action: 1) withdrawal from the School; 2) additional preparatory work; 3) placement in a different practicum setting.

Practicum Evaluation Documentation

If a student withdraws from practicum or is required to withdraw from practicum by their instructor of record, all practicum evaluation materials to date of withdrawal will remain on their student file and may be taken into account in determining whether their preparatory work is satisfactory to enter a subsequent practicum.

Notification of the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Students who withdraw temporarily from a practicum must notify the Faculty of Graduate Studies in writing. Students who are required to withdraw from a practicum will be withdrawn from any course involved by written notification from the Director to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Readmission

Students who have withdrawn from a practicum for whatever reason who later wish to reenter the practicum must apply for readmission to the course and should not assume that readmission is guaranteed.

Appeals

The normal avenues of final appeal are available to students who have been required to withdraw from a practicum. Students in the Faculty of Human and Social Development may follow regular appeal procedures within the faculty.

Additional Practice Requirements for Registered Nurses Registered in the Public Health Nursing Area of Focus

Active Practicing Registration and Malpractice Insurance

Registered Nurses enrolled in the Public Health Nursing area of focus must have active practicing registration as a Registered Nurse or the equivalent registration for the jurisdiction in which they are undertaking their practice experience. Periodically, information provided by students will be checked. Please note that students studying outside of BC are required to submit verification of active practicing registration to the School of Public Health and Social Policy annually. Students studying in the US must also provide proof of current malpractice insurance, annually, for the duration of the program.

Current Basic Life Support Certificate

All Registered Nurses enrolled in the Public Health Nursing area of focus must provide evidence of successful completion of a basic life support level-C course no more than 12 months prior to admission. Current CPR level-C certification must be on file in the School of Public Health and Social Policy to remain registered in the program.