The following data was collected as part of a national survey of ACEN members during the week of 6 – 9 April, 2020. The survey sought responses about the impact of COVID on professional placements and what alternative arrangements had been put in place.
Key results from the survey are:
- The majority of non-accredited placements continues in other forms and only 25% of them were cancelled
- The majority of accredited placements (e.g. clinical health placement) have been postponed and opportunities for conversion to online projects was limited
- Reasons for cancellations were due to the hosts’ inability to cater for students in this stressful, uncertain time
- Impact of placement cancellations on students included: wellbeing (disappointment, fear, uncertainty), remote access issues, poor institutional communications
- University responses to COVID situation included designing alternative placement models
- The university-industry partnership was seen as very important