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This page provides essential information about field placement requirements, procedures, and options for students enrolled in the Healthcare programs under Professional and Part-Time Learning.
Please review these FAQs for details on placement documentation, registration processes, eligibility criteria, and other important information to help you successfully prepare for your placement experience.
Please note:
- Hospital placement opportunities can take a significant amount of time to secure. Students may not start their placement on the posted start date.
- Students will be advised of placement clearance as soon as a placement agency has been approved.
- Students may be required to travel outside of the Durham Region for available placement opportunities at their own expense.
The following are the documents required for each placement:
- Field Placement Application Form
- Remote Work Health and Safety Pre-Placement Checklist (for remote and hybrid placements only - Mental Health Nursing Community placements only, where the agency can support the remote format)
- Professional Resume
- Entry Immunization Form
- Criminal Reference Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (valid within six months from the start of the placement term – see PPL website for specific date ranges)
- Standard First Aid & CPR Level C OR BCLS (Registered RN/RPNs)
- Note: Non-nursing students will require the "Standard First Aid/CPR Level C" course only.
- (Online and hybrid (online & in-class) courses will only be accepted if WSIB-approved.)
- Proof of current CNO Registration (Required only for students who are RNs or RPNs. Not required for non-nursing students.)
- Current Mask Fit Test Results (Required only for students who are RNs or RPNs. Not required for non-nursing students or those who will not attend a hospital setting. Students attending a community agency will follow that agency's PPE requirements.)
- Student Declaration of Understanding
- Informed Consent for the Release of Personal Information
- Online Training Modules (accessed via PPL’s DC Connect Application Modules):
- Workplace Hazardous Materials Information (WHMIS) Module Completion Certificate
- Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) Module Completion Certificate
- Workplace Violence and Harassment Prevention Module Completion Certificate
- Worker Health and Safety Awareness in 4 Steps Module Completion Certificate
Option 1: In-Person, Remote, or Hybrid
- Remote or hybrid options may be available with community agency partners (e.g., LTC, Correctional Services, Community Mental Health agencies, hospices, etc.).
- Remote placements can be secured at agencies anywhere in Ontario, provided the agency is willing/able to support this option and can meet the learning objectives and supervision requirements for each placement.
- Hospital placements are in-person placements only.
Option 2: Mental Health Nursing Capstone
- This online course is an alternative to the field placement option and includes a series of applied learning activities/assignments to consolidate learning across the program.
- No agency hours will be required; therefore, no paperwork is necessary.
- Students interested in the Capstone course may register and pay online via the PPL website.
Students in all placement programs will receive permission to register (via email from the Placement Officer) only when all of their documentation has been reviewed and approved by both PPL and Synergy Gateway. If applicable, final grades from the previous semester’s prerequisite courses must also be posted. This process takes time, and your patience is appreciated.
Grades are typically not available until within the week of the start date of the following term.
- Students wishing to complete their placement in a hospital setting are not permitted to contact hospitals to arrange their own placements.
- Students wishing to complete their placement in long-term care facilities or an agency other than a hospital setting (e.g., Mental Health Nursing, Palliative Care, etc.) must contact their chosen agency to arrange their own placement and provide the information on the application form by the posted deadline date.
Due to the limited availability of in-hospital placements, it can take a considerable amount of time to find available opportunities. Students may not be placed by the course start date and, in some cases, could be waiting weeks or even months for a preceptored placement opportunity to become available.
- Students may not be placed at the hospital of their choice due to these limitations and will be placed at the first available location in Durham Region and the surrounding GTA.
- If students have location restrictions, this could greatly affect the time it takes to be cleared for placement.
- Mental Health Nursing Practicum - 80 hours
- Palliative Care Field Placement - 60 hours
Students must complete all required hours and submit their final evaluation on or before the published course end date. Failure to do so will result in an unsatisfactory grade for the field placement course.
Nursing placements must be completed in the province of Ontario, while non-nursing placements can be done outside of Ontario, but only with a community agency.
Many program field placements are eligible for PLAR (Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition). Students must contact the PLAR office at plar@durhamcollege.ca or 905-721-3053 for details and to register for the PLAR challenge.
- Some programs may contain a Capstone Course in place of the field placement requirement. Please review your Program of Study for available options.
For detailed information about Paperwork Submission Deadlines and the Field Placement Process, click here. If you have additional questions, please contact us here.