Professional experience requirements

Professional Experience Obligations & Disclosure Consent eform (PEODC)

Submission to PEU: electronic form completed and submitted within SONIA via the 'forms' tab

• The Professional Experience Obligations & Disclosure Consent Agreement describes your responsibilities and obligations to the University and its agencies with respect to participating in Professional Experience Activities
• By submitting this agreement, you agree to comply with the terms and conditions outlined within
• It is a students responsibility to notify the PEU immediately if they become aware of anything that might adversely affect their professional experience obligations or fitness to practice.

National Police Certificate (NPC) and International Police Certificate

Submission to PEU: upload to SONIA via the 'Checks' tab

All students are required to obtain a National Police Certificate (NPC) at their own expense and submit it to the PEU by the mandatory compliance due date within the first year of study. Students are responsible for ensuring the NPC is valid for the duration of their enrolment.

All National Police Certificates with a charge or listed conviction presented to the PEU compliance team will be forwarded for an Internal Risk Assessment. Students in this position will need to submit a written response outlined in the SCU Negative NPC Information Sheet and submit it to peuteamleader@scu.edu.au  Approved students once allocated to placement may be required to meet additional requirements depending on the specific placement site requirements. Failure to meet these requirements may delay or prevent course progression and completion.

International students must also obtain a police certificate from any country they have resided in (as a permanent resident or citizen) since turning 16 years of age. The police certificate must be translated into English.      

Applying for a National Police Certificate

• Students may apply online through an accredited organisation.
• A list of accredited providers is available on the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) website.
• National Police Check by CVCheck comes recommended by students. It has a streamlined process with most results returned within 3 business days.
• The NPC must:
  • State that it is a National or Australian-wide check
  • Include the student’s full name and date of birth
  • Contain the same name as on the student’s ID card
  • If you have a NPC issued by the Australian Federal Police you need to ensure that it states "complete disclosure" (partial, standard etc. will not be accepted). If partial or standard you will need to order a new one as a matter of urgency.  
• Students may need to provide additional NPCs throughout the course of their study depending on the requirements of specific placement sites.  At the date of placement, some placement sites require the NPC not to be older than six months from the date of issue and state that you are ‘working with vulnerable groups’
• The original email/certificate must be retained by the student for verification by placement sites if required.

  Vaccinations

Submission to PEU: Upload vaccination documentation to SONIA via the ‘Checks’ tab

Faculty of Health students are required to be vaccinated prior to participating in activities that may expose them to becoming infected with or transmitting infectious diseases.

Activities that are high-risk include, but are not limited to:

• Any type of Professional Experience learning including placement, volunteering, or community-engaged learning
• Laboratory work that involves handling non-cadaveric human tissue or waste, or other human specimens
• Participation in a project, research or other work that requires the student to attend a health facility, clinic, school or service.

It is mandatory to provide evidence of your vaccination status in your first year of study as per state policy, ensuring you have immunity against specified infectious diseases:

• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (Whooping Cough).
• Hepatitis B
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella
• Varicella (Chickenpox)
• Tuberculosis.

It is also mandatory for students attending Professional Experience Placement in high-risk settings to provide evidence of the following vaccinations:

• Seasonal Influenza Vaccine 
  • All students assessed and verified for placements with NSW Health must obtain the Influenza Vaccination yearly in April. If you have not received the flu vaccination you will not be approved to attend placement impacting your course progression
  • Mandatory for all Bachelor of Midwifery students
• Covid-19.  

How to obtain vaccination records?

There are a number of ways students can obtain vaccination records which include:

• School records - contact the local area health district in the area you went to school
• Gold Coast Public Health Unit
• NSW Health Northern and Mid North Coast: Request for Student Vaccination Records NSW Health
• NSW Health (other than Northern and Mid North Coast): Request Student Vaccination Records NSW Health via public health units
• List of vaccinations from GP or immunisations provider
• Baby book records
• Immunisation History Statement via the Australian Immunisation Register or call 1800 653 809.

How to submit vaccination documentation?

• Obtain vaccination records per the process outlined above - How to obtain vaccination records? 
• Students must upload their vaccination evidence to SONIA (instructions below)
  • Scan your vaccination evidence as separate documents for each vaccination check and save separate documents as PDF files to your device
  • Log into SONIA
  • Select ‘Checks’ tab
  • Scroll down to relevant check
  • Select Browse icon to find vaccination evidence document from your device
  • Select icon
  • Repeat process for each vaccination check. Multiple files can be uploaded to an individual check if required
• Documents must be correctly orientated and legible. Photos of your documents are not accepted as these files tend to be too large.

How are vaccinations verified? 

All vaccinations records must be verified by a qualified medical practitioner.

Nursing and Midwifery - Once all vaccination records are uploaded to SONIA along with Appendix 6: Undertaking/Declaration Form and Appendix 7: Tuberculosis (TB) Assessment Tool the PEU will forward documentation directly to NSW Health for verification by the NSW Student Occupational Assessment Screening and Vaccination Assessor (OASV Assessor). Students must adhere to the requirements of the NSW Health OASV Assessor and a student's NSW Health Vaccination/OSV Verification Status must be valid before attending any professional experience placement. Midwifery students must also complete the Blood-Borne Virus (BBV) Student Declaration .

All other Disciplines - Students must download the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Verification form and have an approved medical practitioner complete it.  The medical practitioner provider number, signature and practice stamp must be completed. Students must ensure the completed form along with the Tuberculosis Risk Assessment Form and copies of all the vaccination records are uploaded to SONIA in order to be considered verified. A student's OSV: Vaccination status must be compliant before attending any professional experience placement. Upon allocation to NSW Health facilities, students will also be required to be verified by the NSW student Occupational Assessment Screening and Vaccination Assessor (OASV Assessor) as outlined above for Nursing and Midwifery. 

 NSW Working With Children Check (WWCC)

Submission to PEU: Upload your ‘WWC number’ to SONIA via the ‘Checks’ tab 

Step 1: Complete the online form

• Fill in the online form
• Select - Volunteer, Student on a professional placement
• You will be sent an application number by email

Step 2: Go to a Service NSW Centre or Motor Registry

• Take your email receipt and proof of identity documents to a Service NSW Centre
• If you do not verify your proof of identity by visiting a Service NSW Centre, within 28 days, your application number will expire. 

Step 3: Upload your Working with Children Check Number to SONIA  

  Qld Blue Card

Submission to PEU: Apply online and upload your ‘account number’ to SONIA (‘Checks’ tab) OR if you have an existing valid Blue Card upload a scanned copy to SONIA (‘Checks’ tab).

• There is no fee for a student Blue Card
• If you have a valid Blue Card, you don’t need to apply again
• A current unrestricted AHPRA registration in the same discipline that you are studying makes you exempt from applying for a student Blue Card in that discipline Upload evidence of this registration in place of any Blue Card details.
• Students not living in QLD or near the NSW/Qld border will need to apply via a Blue Card remote pack

Step 1: Obtain a QLD Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) customer reference number (CRN)

• You need a CRN and current photo from TMR before you apply for your Blue Card
• If you do not already have a CRN, or if your photo was taken more than 6 years and 9 months ago, you will need to apply at one of the TMR Customer Service Centres with ID documents
• If you cannot visit a TMR service centre or know when your photo was taken, contact Blue Card Services on 1800 113 611 or info@bluecard.qld.gov.au
• How to apply for a Blue Card using a Customer Reference Number
  
  

Step 2: Register for an online account

• This is how Blue Card services verify your identity and obtain the photo for your Card
• If successful, you will be provided with your online registration account number
• Upload the account number to the SONIA Checks tab so that the PEU can create a link with Blue Card Services. 
• Please note: you will not be able to continue to apply for a Blue Card until the link has been established with the PEU.
• You will be notified via SMS or email of the successful link.
• How to register for an online account video

Step 2: Apply for a Blue Card using the online applicant portal

• Once the link is confirmed you must revisit the online portal and complete the online application and submit it.
• Ensure you select that you are a student applying for a Blue Card and that you have successfully been linked to the PEU, Southern Cross University.
• Once your application has been submitted it can be up to 12 weeks before your application is approved and you receive a Blue Card
• Students are not approved to attend any Professional Experience Placement without an approved Blue Card
• How to Apply for a Blue Card as a student or volunteer video

  First aid course including CPR

Submission to PEU: upload to SONIA Checks tab

Certification is only accepted from selected professional bodies or Nationally Recognised Training organisations with the following course registration codes (accredited online courses accepted):

• HLTAID009 – CPR Only (old Code HLTAID001)
• HLTAID010  - Provide basic emergency life support (First Aid and CPR, old code HLTAID002)
• HLTAID011 - First aid and CPR (old code HLTAID003).

Accepted professional certificates:

• Paramedic Certificate
• Certificate to Practice (ambulance)
• NSW Health first aid/CPR qualification
• QLD Health first aid/CPR qualification
• Aged Care Facility first aid/CPR qualification.

Only the official Certificate/Card of Completion is accepted as evidence.

 Student ID Card 

Submission to PEU: Upload a copy of your Student ID card to sonia via check  

Southern Cross University issues Student ID Cards to all students. The card remains valid while you are a student and should be carried with you whenever you are on campus or on placement.

Details of how to obtain your student ID Card can be found via Student administration