Keeping a Learner Record and Reflective Evaluation of Work Experience

You are required to keep a learner record/learning journal of your learning and development whilst on work experience. This journal should include 5 entries, each entry should be 500 words.

The following should be included in every entry; you can use these as headings.

(1) Date and Number of Entry

(2) Description of work undertaken on the date of entry.

(3) Evidence of new learning that occurred (for healthcare student).

(4) Challenges the student may have encountered on the day.

(5) Strategies for self-improvement in relation to new learning/challenges. 

(6) Positive piece experienced by the student on a professional level. 

Once you have completed all your learner records, you are required to outline an overall critical and reflective evaluation of your experience. 

This section should be 800 words.

The following headings should be used:

(1) Introduction 

(2) Aims 

(3) Main learning in relation to healthcare practices

(4) Key pieces of learning and awareness in terms of your integration into the healthcare Team. 

(5) Positives and Negatives of your Work Experience.

(6) What you would do differently during Work Experience should you get the opportunity again. 

(7) Plans Moving Forward 

(8) Conclusion 

Learners are required to have progress meetings with supervisors as outlined below:

Major award: Learners who are completing a major award must complete 3 progress meetings over the course of their placement. 

Advanced entry: Learners who are completing one or more components must complete 2 progress meetings over the course of their placement.

Multi organisation placement: Learners who are completing placement in more than one location must complete 2 progress meetings in each location over the course of their placement.

On each progress meeting supervisors are required to complete a supervisor’s report and progress meeting report.  The report should be based on the experiences that the learner had while on work placement and their progress during the placement.  See attached document.

• You are required to carry out a personal skills audit in relation to healthcare work, this involves you measuring and recording your own personal skills.
• Outline your learning goals for work placement and how you achieved these goals, details of contingency plans that you had to enable you to achieve your learning goals.
• Outline your understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the healthcare support industry.

• Discuss the importance of legislation, policies and procedures in the context of Healthcare Support Industry. Ensure that you make reference to employment legislation, health and safety legislation, specific polices and procedure related to the healthcare industry.

• Complete your CV (as if qualified in Healthcare Support).
• Look up three different suitable positions using a variety of sources if possible. Include a copy of these positions in your collection of work.
• The following advertisement is in your local paper. Apply for the position clearly following the criteria on the advert. (This is to be handed up with your assignment and not posted to the address on the advert). 

• Outline the importance of meeting deadlines. Give an example of a deadline you had to adhere to on work experience and how you dealt with it.
• Outline the importance of interpersonal skills. (Interpersonal skills are the life skills we use every day to communicate and interact with other people, both individually and in groups). Give an example of how you used interpersonal skills whilst on work placement.
• Outline the importance of having technological skills. Give an example of you demonstrated your technological skills on work experience.
• Outline your understanding of the HIQA regulations and/or company policies and procedures. Give an example of how you showed your understanding and awareness of these and how you abided by them on your work experience.

• Outline your understanding of your role as a healthcare worker; provide examples of how you demonstrated your ability to be a productive worker.
• Outline the challenges you encounter while on work placement.
• Outline the positive aspects of your work placement.

• Evaluate your own participation and progress during work experience.
• Outline key pieces of learning in relation to working in the healthcare industry.
• Outline what you would do differently in any future related jobs.
• Detail your plans moving forward.