ISRRT_COVID-19_book

The mind maps suggested 3 main topic areas which were then supplemented with indicative
quotes.
Theme A: End of Placement
Analysis into how students felt in relation to an early end to clinical placement and missed
placement hours revealed three main themes: (1) decision making absence; (2) clear
communication wish; and (3) anxiety.
A1 - Decision making absence
Many students felt that they were waiting on either their placement hospital or university to
take ownership of deciding whether students should leave placement or not. They spoke of
there being no ‘connect’ or a ‘miscommunication’ between the university and hospitals,
adding that they wanted a definitive answer regarding what was to happen and for someone
to take charge.
“The university said it was up to the trust that we were on placement with, and so we just kept
waiting on the trust, and the trust told us that we should wait on our lecturers.”
A student even discussed emailing the university themselves:
“This is what the trust has said, this is what you’ve said, can you communicate for us.”
Students were also aware of either being sent home from placement before other students
and feeling that this was ‘unfair’ or ‘quite difficult’. They reasoned that there had not been a
‘solid decision’ that was consistent across all placement sites.
A2 - Clear Communication Wish
Students described receiving information regarding placement indirectly. Rather than from
university or placement management, it was via ‘rumour’ and ‘through the grapevine’ from
other staff members. The students expressed that they wanted official communication,
however described ‘a lack of communication’ or it eventually arriving very late without ‘any
warning’.
“I just think it was [sic] lack of communication, just the suddenness of things. It left everybody
scrambling and it just wasn’t a good way to finish really.”
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