The deadline to complete the National Student Placement Survey has been extended to midnight on Wednesday 12 June, allowing more time for students to share their insights.
Placements are a vital and formative part of every radiographer’s career. It offers students an initial glimpse of what life as a working radiography professional is like, as well as opportunities to develop skills and confidence.
However, it has been reported that some students are experiencing unacceptable behaviour in the workplace, which is not only impacting their learning but their decision to join the profession once qualified. To understand more, the SoR launched this survey to gather information on the standards and quality of student placement experiences across the UK.
Students are encouraged to complete the survey here.
What student's have said so far
One respondent explained, “it is a shared experience with other students in my cohort that placement can feel like a hostile environment. Some staff just referred to me as 'student' rather than learning or using my name. I often felt ignored; hours would go by without anyone talking to me.”
Previously, the SoR have worked with teams to address and correct similar behaviour, by facilitating discussions with managers and universities on the impact of such actions and language. Testimonials like the above, can be used to help shape the development of resources in this area.
Additionally, the survey aims to capture experiences of neurodiverse students. A respondent noted, “staff at the university have completely supported my learning needs, but practice educators have never understood how to implement my workplace adjustments – there just didn’t seem to be much awareness of neurodiversity at all.”
Comments like this will help inform the type of content that SoR delivers, so it addresses key member concerns including raising awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace.
The survey is anonymous and allows students to comment on all aspects of being on placement, from location, to related costs and wellbeing support. Respondents are encouraged to share their experiences in as much detail as they are comfortable with. By doing so, the SoR will better understand the challenges that students face, so related support and resources can be improved to meet their needs.