Purpose
To ensure reasonable work hours and the prevention of fatigue-related injury to BVSc students participating in clinical placements at host veterinary practices.
Scope
This policy applies to Massey University veterinary undergraduate students enrolled in courses requiring participation in clinical experiences at contracted host practices. Much of this policy is also relevant to student-organised clinical placements.
Expectation
The primary purpose of clinical placements is to provide students with sufficient exposure to clinical practice to achieve the intended learning outcomes while maintaining their health, safety and wellbeing.
A standard ‘week’ of clinical placement is expected to be at least 37.5 hours (excluding lunch breaks). Students must also meet the work hours expectations of the host practice (ie "can’t leave at lunchtime on Friday") just because they have completed sufficient hours. Where some practices operate extended shifts or non-standard rosters, it would be appropriate for students to work the same hours as the supervising veterinarians, provided the total placement hours are achieved (eg 'four 10-hour days' or 'five 8.5-hour days' are both acceptable).
Certain clinical settings may require flexibility. For example, in an after-hours clinic, the hours may vary and an anticipated night shift may have low caseload, resulting in the student being sent home. If this occurs on several shifts, the student may not complete sufficient hours to meet the requirements of the placement. Students may need to be present for more shifts to accumulate enough clinical experience and/or be scheduled to work a longer shift on a weekend or public holiday to meet the placement requirements.
Travel and fatigue
Students may need to travel considerable distances to get to their next scheduled placement (usually starting on a Monday). The timing of finishing a particular placement needs to allow for the student to travel and to have a period of rest (at least a day) between placements.
Some scheduled placements may run over a 2-week period. In this instance the days/hours should be negotiated and agreed between the placement supervisor and the student to ensure sufficient rest but also completion of the required hours.
Operating procedure
Regularly scheduled hours
- Clinical placement hours may vary depending on the operational requirements of the host practice. For example:
- A typical working week for students and staff may involve four 10-hour days. When meal breaks and other required breaks are included, the total time associated with a workday could extend to 12 hours dependent on the work. Such arrangements are considered exceptions rather than the standard working pattern.
- It is the university’s expectation that continuous on-site duty must not exceed 16 hours.
- A 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked as well as a 30-minute break for meals for every 6 hours works will be provided. For more information, see the Employment Relations Act 2000: Rest and breaks. For example, a student working an 8-10 hour day must get two 10-minute breaks and a 30-minute meal break. These breaks will not necessarily be scheduled for a set time but should be taken by the student when caseload permits.
- No student will be penalised or otherwise sanctioned for requesting or adhering to this policy, however we expect students to take their breaks around scheduled activities.
- In recognition of fatigue management and health and safety considerations, reasonable opportunities for rest and meal breaks must be provided. For example, where operationally appropriate, time spent travelling between calls or work locations may be treated as a rest period, allowing individuals the opportunity to pause, eat or recover between duties.
On-call (after-hours) activities
- Students should expect to participate in on-call duties for approximately 1 to 2 nights per week during their clinical placement, depending on clinic operational needs. On-call duties typically occur outside of core working hours, during which students may be contacted by the host practice and asked to attend the clinic or designated work site to assist with cases or duties as required. These hours are in addition to the expected hours for the placement.
- When a student is scheduled for a placement of 2 or more weeks duration at a host practice, the student should arrange to be available for after-hours duties for at least half of 1 of the weekend days. This can occur on a weekend during the placement or the weekend at the end of the placement (if it doesn’t interfere with safe travel to the next placement). If a student is not available at all for a weekend shift, they should participate in on-call duties for an additional weeknight. We recognise that it will not always be convenient or appropriate for the on-call vet to arrange to meet/pick up the student.
- Where possible, reasonable opportunities should be provided between calls, particularly during the evening period (for example between 5:00pm and 9:00pm), to allow students time to eat and take short rest breaks.
- If a student attends after-hours calls immediately following the end of a normal clinic day (eg 8:00am – 5:00pm) and the work extends into the evening (eg until 9:00pm), the total duty period may approach 12 hours, noting that natural breaks may occur during the day between calls or cases.
- Opportunities to attend after-hours or emergency calls (for example early morning or late evening emergencies) may be offered at the discretion of the supervising clinician and may depend on the student’s learning objectives, availability and fatigue considerations.
- Fatigue management principles must be applied to ensure student wellbeing and safety. For example:
- If a student completes a standard clinic day and subsequently attends after-hours calls extending into the late evening (eg 9:00pm to midnight), the student should receive a minimum 9-hour stand-down period before resuming duties the following day; this would mean that they must not be expected to be back at the clinic any earlier than 9am the next day.
- Students are expected to monitor their working hours and personal fatigue levels. If a student believes they require a rest break or are approaching unsafe levels of fatigue, they should raise this with their supervising clinician as soon as practicable so appropriate rest or adjustments can be provided. Particular attention must be given to any fatigue at the beginning and the end of the roster when considering the travel to and from the placement location.
- Supervising clinicians are responsible for ensuring that workload, hours and on-call participation are managed in a way that minimises fatigue and supports the health, safety, and wellbeing of students.