Community Placements: A Pocket Guide for Student Nurses

Community placements can be daunting – you'll be working in a variety of settings, caring for a range of individual people and families with different needs, often in their own homes. There are new colleagues to work with, and newly learned nursing theory to put into practice. This pocket guide is designed to make your placements much more enjoyable and less stressful.
From absence policy to palliative care, via home visiting, it's full of practical detail, hints and tips.

• Written by experienced lecturers with the input of current nursing students – this guidance is really produced with you in mind.
• Pocket-sized format – carry it with you at all times.
• Space to make your own notes – be it uniform policy, observations about the community you're supporting, or just the names of your new colleagues!

Reduce your stress and make the most of your community placement by having this book to hand from the start.

Contents

Getting there
1. Preparing for community placement
2. Uniform
3. Absence policy
4. Professionalism
5. Person-centred practice

Settling there
6. Induction / first day
7. Key colleagues you will be working with
8. Getting to know your community
9. Working with your mentor

Being there
10. Home visiting
11. Interpersonal skills
12. Communicating with colleagues
13. Health and safety
14. Community emergencies
15. Documentation
16. Caring and supporting people across the lifespan
17. Opportunities for learning

Moving on from there
18. Reflection
19. Completion of your practice assessment documentation
20. Transferable skills
21. Further reading