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Supporting Students' Fitness to Study Guideline

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Section 1 - Purpose and Scope

(1) This Guideline is intended to provide a sample of concerns that may give rise to a fitness to study matter and how matters may be categorised depending on the degree of seriousness of the matter when judged against the below criteria:

  1. Type of issue;
  2. Frequency of concern(s);
  3. Level of experience of the student;
  4. Intent of the student; and
  5. Impact, or potential impact, of the issue(s) including risk to the student and to others.

(2) This Guideline supplements the Supporting Students’ Fitness to Study Policy and Supporting Students’ Fitness to Study Procedure.

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Section 2 - Categorisation of fitness to study concerns

  Level 0 Concern Level 1 Concern Level 2 Concern
1. Type of Issue • Exacerbation of an existing condition that is usually well managed and is capable of remediation in the short term or accommodation through a reasonable adjustment that is not currently in place

•Impairing the ability of a University staff member or another student to participate in a learning activity		 • Existing condition that is not well managed but is capable of remediation or accommodation through a reasonable adjustment that is not currently in place

• Failure to respond to a direction from a University staff member or placement supervisor resulting in minor risk to University community members, and/or patients and/or the wider community (including other students and placement staff)		 • Ongoing physical disability, medical condition or impairment where a reasonable adjustment cannot be implemented

• Failure to respond to a direction from a University staff member or placement supervisor resulting (or potentially resulting) in a serious risk to University community members and/or patients and/or the wider community (including other students and placement staff)

• Failure to disclose an inability to meet fitness to study standards

• Failure to successfully complete a return to study competency assessment
For professionally accredited programs:

• One-off or infrequent instances of:
   • failing to engage or actively participate
   • lack of punctuality
   • non-attendance
at compulsory University or placement-based learning activities and without a valid reason

• Poor communication skills proficiency resulting in minor misunderstandings in responding to and giving instructions

• Communication issues of a minor nature or seriousness (e.g. inappropriate communication or rudeness that does not lead to, or risk, serious consequences)

• Inappropriate use of mobile phones or other electronic devices during University or placement based learning activities

• Inadequate preparation or clean-up of practical placement work area

• Illegible recording of patient records

• One-off or infrequent failure to comply with an agreed standard eg infection control protocols including failure to wear the required personal protective equipment

 		 For professionally accredited programs:

• Frequent instances of:
   • lack of punctuality
   • non-attendance
at compulsory University or placement based learning activities without a valid reason

• Poor communication skills resulting in significant misunderstandings in responding to and giving instructions

• Leaving assigned post without authorisation from University or placement supervisor

• Minor breach of confidentiality (e.g. failure to limit the ability of others to hear or see confidential information)

• Inappropriate use or lack of care of equipment or materials at a placement site

• Minor breach of health and safety policy/ requirements

• Deficient, inaccurate or incomplete recording of patient records/reports/case notes/student logs

• Frequent non-compliance with an agreed standard eg infection control protocols including failure to wear the required personal protective equipment

• Failure to complete and/or maintain the pre-placement requirements that may be addressed in the short term		 For professionally accredited programs:

• Verbal language skills are not of a sufficient standard to undertake placement activities in the community with persistent failure to improve

• Intoxication by alcohol or drugs in connection with the practice setting (including being under the influence of prescription drugs that impair performance in the practical placement setting)

• Serious breach of confidentiality (disclosure of an individual’s information to others, where the information was previously unknown, identity impersonation and identity theft)

• Serious breach of health and safety policy/ requirements

• Breaching standards of a relevant professional code of conduct, professional association or professional registration body (including failure to maintain student registration where applicable) as well as the Placement Providers policies and procedures

• Failure to complete and/or maintain the pre placement requirements that is not able to be addressed in the short term
2. Frequency of issue One-off lapse or infrequent Episodic, frequent and unpredictable Habitual, continual, constant, predictable
3. Length of experience of the student

Relates to the expectation that the student should be aware of the expected standards of the University		 • Students who have not previously undertaken a learning activity related to work and/or the profession • Students who have had some previous experience in a learning activity related to work and/or the profession • Experienced student
• After completion of known instruction in profession’s or placement organisation’s code of conduct, policies and standards

4. Intent of the student

Intentionality of the act		 • Action is accidental, thoughtless, unintentional or due to lack of knowledge • Student could reasonably have been expected to understand the action was undesirable.

• Action is of a moderate nature

• Considerations may include whether there was any prior instruction		 • Actions more deliberate in nature

• Action is of a serious nature

• Actions contravene clear instructions

• Two or more students involved

5. Impact, or potential impact, of the issue(s) including risk to the student and to others		 • Minor impact on other students’ learning opportunities

• Actions impact in a minor or temporary way on the student’s Fitness to Study		 • Moderate impact on other students’ learning opportunities

• Actions impact in a moderate or temporary way on the student’s Fitness to Study		 • Significant impact on other students’ learning opportunities

• Actions impact in a significant or permanent way on the student’s Fitness to Study
For professionally accredited programs:

• No/minor impact on patient/client/public safety		 For professionally accredited programs:

• Minor/moderate impact on patient/client/public safety		 For professionally accredited programs:

• Actions impact on the relationship between the University and/or other organisation(s)

• Significant impact on patient/client/public safety