Student Practice Education

We are very proud to host students for their practicum placements and collaborate with educational institutions, faculty, and instructors to ensure students have opportunities to consolidate their learning.  We welcome students' energy, perspective and commitment to learning.

PCIS Access and Training Update

October 28, 2022 - PCIS Access and Training is no longer required in the areas using CST Cerner as of November 5, 2022. For more information, please refer to VCH CST Split Activation: What you need to know.

See the updated information on these pages:

• PCIS - Vancouver Acute/Richmond (oneVCH – VCH network access is required)

• PCIS training - VA/Richmond (oneVCH – VCH network access is required)

• Training course calendar (oneVCH – VCH network access is required)Access to the GE CareCast patient care information system (PCIS)

December 24, 2021 - Effective January 1, 2022, students at VCH sites will no longer have access to the GE CareCast patient care information system (PCIS). The only exceptions will be Medical Students, Residents and Nurse Practitioner students. Nursing Instructors will continue to get PCIS access, if required, and all students who currently have PCIS access will continue to have access for the duration of their program. For the most up-to-date training requirements, please refer to the Discipline-specific requirements section.

COVID-19 Vaccination Status Order for Hospital and Community (Health Care and Other Services)

October 15, 2021 – If you placement takes place in a hospital or community setting, please refer to the newly posted PHO order for the COVID-19 vaccination guidance for hospital and community sites. For the long term care and assisted living sites, please refer to the Residential Care Staff order.

New online Profile EMR training

August 18, 2021 - Starting August 23, Profile EMR training will be offered online through the Learning Hub. The module is self-paced, and will include the account registration form. More information can be found under the applicable discipline-specific requirements section. 

Update to Respirator Fit-Testing for Students

July 16, 2021 – BC Health Authorities in partnership with the Provincial PPE/N95 Sub-Working Group have issued an update to current approaches for respirator fit-testing for students.

Criminal record check

Students must complete a Criminal Record Check (CRC)  from the Ministry of Justice if their placement requires contact with vulnerable children or adults. It should be completed prior to their first placement, every five years and upon any charge or conviction. In addition: 

• CRC cost is the responsibility of the student.

• CRC should be kept on file by your educational institution.

• False information will result in the termination of your practicum experience.

• Informing your educational institution and your placement site of any status change incurred during your practice experience.

• In the event of a pre-existing or current charge or conviction, VCH will decide if your practice experience will be impacted.

Professional image

Students will be expected to follow the same appearance guidelines of our staff. 

Professional Image Guidelines

Photo identification

Instructors and students will be expected to wear their school identification, preferably ID with a photo.

Access cards

Because VCH does not provide personal photo ID cards to students, they also do not automatically receive access cards for locked units. 

If a student is completing their practicum in a restricted-access unit that requires an access card, the site manager needs to obtain generic swipe cards for students to use while on site. It is recommended for students or school instructors to ask if there are available generic cards on sites with locked units in advance of the placement start date.

If there are no generic swipe cards at the site, the site managers are to access this intranet link to request generic cards for students.