Frequently Asked Questions

As outlined in the Griffith Health Local Protocol – Fit for Professional Practice, you are required to maintain all professional practice requirements.  Students are required to update any professional practice requirements upon expiry so that currency is maintained throughout their enrolment in a program.

Students are required to submit all fit for professional practice documents by the end of T1 of their first year of study, or earlier if advised by the Program.

Please visit the Fit for Professional Practice website and select the program you are enrolled in.  It will then take you to the list of requirements you need to complete and it provides information on how to complete them.

Please contact your Placement Officer in your School.

Please visit the Contact Us page on the Fit for Professional Practice website to locate the contact details for your Placement Officer.

Please review the email you received from Fit for Professional Practice as it will have the reason why it has been rejected.

The University respects the dignity and worth of all human beings.  Students are provided information regarding the mandatory requirements prior to enrolling in a health program which are outlined on the Fit for Professional Practice website.

The purpose of the fit for professional practice requirement of immunisations is to protect the health and safety of not only the student, but also those with whom they come into contact with. Students who are not fully immunised put themselves, patients and the placement providers at risk through potential contamination or spreading of infection and diseases.

The importance of this outweighs the individual right to refuse completing fit for professional practice requirements.

“Vaccination status” is not an attribute which is protected against discrimination under the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act 1991.

Please review the Griffith Health Local Protocol – Fit for Professional Practice section 3.1.1.

You have also read and acknowledged the Warranties in the Griffith University Student Undertaking which you completed during your first Trimester of study.

• I will complete all immunisation and health requirements, as outlined on the Fit for Professional Practice website/School policies, rules and procedures or manuals and as required for the Placement;
• I will notify the School of my immunisation and health status prior to participating in a Placement, where required, as outlined on the Fit for Professional Practice website/School policies, rules and procedures or manuals; and
• I will comply with and will maintain all professional practice (Placement) requirements for my Degree Program as listed in the online program catalogue/School manuals/School policies/Fit for Professional Practice website, and where required I will provide evidence of completion of the requirement to the School.

Professional practice requirements may include:

1. a nationally accredited ‘Provide First Aid’ unit (formerly known as Senior First Aid) from an Australian Registered Training Organisation;
2. a nationally accredited ‘Provide Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)’ unit from an Australian Registered Training Organisation;
3. an Australian National Police Certificate issued by the Australian Federal Police (code check 37); and a Working with Children Check (Blue Card) issued by the Public Safety Business Agency (Blue Card Services) or a Working with Children Check from the relevant state or territory.

Yes, all Health students are required to meet all of the Fit for Professional Practice requirements listed on the web page for their program, as outlined in the Griffith Health Local Protocol – Fit for Professional Practice.

Yes, you need to provide the evidence to show you have completed an age appropriate course of Hep B vaccines. As outlined in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Contact the Fit for Professional Practice Team to discuss.  Do not start a new course of vaccines until you have spoken with the Team.

As long as you have everything else submitted and you are only waiting on a final dose of Hep B and/or Hep B serology, you are partially compliant and eligible to commence placement.

You can find your records on MyGov under your Medicare records, by contacting the Australian Immunisation Register, Baby Book/Immunisation Booklet or a letter from your GP.

Please contact the Health and Medical Services on either Gold Coast (5552 8734) or Nathan campus (3735 7299) to book an appointment, they should be able to assist with this vaccine.

The Influenza vaccine was introduced in April 2020 by the Health Executive as most placement providers require this vaccine to attend the placement site.  As we ensure all of our students are ready to attend any placement at a moment’s notice, this requirement was introduced for all health discipline students.

As per Australian National Guidelines, Health care workers  who perform exposure prone procedures are responsible for knowing their Blood Borne Virus (BBV) status and should be tested every 3 years and are required to have appropriate and timely testing after potential BBV exposures, both occupational and non-occupational.

Australian National Guidelines for the Management of Healthcare Workers Living with Blood Borne Viruses and Healthcare Workers who Perform Exposure Prone Procedures at Risk of Exposure to Blood Borne Viruses

MMR & Varicella may interfere with Mantoux testing therefore testing should be delayed for 4 weeks after administration of the vaccine.

Please provide a medical certificate from your General Practitioner to the Health Placement Advisor via email to healthplacementadvisor@griffith.edu.au

Placement organisations set the conditions under which they will take students. For example, Queensland Health/New South Wales Health have vaccination requirements for the majority of front line roles (including students) within Queensland Health and New South Wales Health facilities.

The University also has a duty of care to ensure that students are safe when undertaking placement and therefore pre-placement vaccination requirements must be complied with.

The University respects the dignity and worth of all human beings.  Students are provided information regarding the mandatory requirements prior to enrolling in a health program which are outlined on the Fit for Professional Practice website.

The purpose of the fit for professional practice requirement of immunisations is to protect the health and safety of not only the student, but also those with whom they come into contact with. Students who are not fully immunised put themselves, patients and the placement providers at risk through potential contamination or spreading of infection and diseases.

The importance of this outweighs the individual right to refuse completing these requirements.

“Vaccination status” is not an attribute which is protected against discrimination under the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act 1991.

Please review the Griffith Health Local Protocol – Fit for Professional Practice section 3.1.1.

Within the educative approach to facilitate appropriate student conduct, the student is an active participant. Student responsibilities include, but is not limited to:

• Understanding and displaying professional behaviour that is in line with the relevant Codes of Professional Conduct

• Understanding and meeting the professional practice requirements by the end of the first trimester of first year of study, or earlier if advised by the Program, as outlined on the Fit for Professional Practice website.
  • Obtaining required immunisations and health test requirements, as specified on the Fit for Professional Practice website, to comply with the Griffith University Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Communicable and Notifiable Diseases
• Maintaining all professional practice requirements. Students are required to update any professional practice requirements upon expiry so that currency is maintained throughout their enrolment in a program

You have also read and acknowledged the Warranties in the Griffith University Student Undertaking which you completed during your first Trimester of study.

• I will complete all immunisation and health requirements, as outlined on the Fit for Professional Practice website/School policies, rules and procedures or manuals and as required for the Placement;
• I will notify the School of my immunisation and health status prior to participating in a Placement, where required, as outlined on the Fit for Professional Practice website/School policies, rules and procedures or manuals; and
• I will comply with and will maintain all professional practice (Placement) requirements for my Degree Program as listed in the online program catalogue/School manuals/School policies/Fit for Professional Practice website, and where required I will provide evidence of completion of the requirement to the School.

Professional practice is a critical component of Griffith Health programs as it builds student professionalism as well as a well-equipped health workforce of the future.  To engage in professional practice, students are required to understand their professional practice obligations in their intended profession as well as the expected conduct of the profession.  Health students are therefore required to meet professional practice requirements in their first trimester of study and maintain them throughout their enrolment in a program.  Some vaccination schedules and health tests can take up to 7 months to complete.  Completing and maintaining these requirements ensures that you are fit for professional practice for all work integrated learning activities.

Griffith Health is focused on educating students on professionalism and appropriate professional conduct, as a student is a health professional in training.  This educational approach builds student professional identity and socialises students to the expectations of their intended profession as well as to interdisciplinary practice.  Professional conduct education prepares the student for all types of professional practice activities, as well as employment, and protects the student and the public against risks.

Obtaining required immunisations and health test requirements, as specified on the Fit for Professional Practice website, complies with the Griffith University Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of Communicable and Notifiable Diseases.

The Influenza vaccination requirement was introduced in April 2020, as most of our placement providers require this vaccination to attend the placement site.  As we ensure all of our students are ready to attend any placement at any given time, this requirement was introduced for all health discipline students.

No, you must complete an Australian course with a Nationally Accredited Organisation.

If you purchased your police check prior to January 2019, this police check is only valid for 3 years.  The new policy allowing for 5 year police checks was implemented in January 2019.  All Australian Federal Police Checks purchased from January 2019 are valid for 5 years.

If you are attending a placement in an Aged Care Facility or National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Funded service, your police check must be within the 3 year period.

Please disclose this information to your Program Director and the Health Placement Advisor.  This will enable the Program Director to establish if a Placement will be possible within the relevant program.

Please notify the Health Placement Advisor of any change in Police information.

The Fit for Professional Practice website advises to apply for a National Police Certificate through the Australian Federal Police.  If you applied through the Queensland Police then you should tick the box at the bottom of the application form to receive a hard copy certificate.  If you did not  tick this box, you will not receive a hard copy certificate.  Fit for Professional Practice is unable to accept electronic certificates as several of our placement providers do not  accept these.

You are now required to apply for a National Police certificate through the Australian Federal Police.  Please follow the instructions on the Fit for Professional Practice website.

We are unable to accept police certificates from an ACIC organisation as several of our placement providers will not accept these certificates.

You are now required to apply for a National Police certificate through the Australian Federal Police.  Please follow the instructions on the Fit for Professional Practice website.

You can apply for your Blue Card and use the Fit for Professional Practice Office address as the Postal Address.  Once the Blue Card arrives, the Team will make contact with you to make arrangements for collection.  As soon as you have an Australian address, please update your details with Blue Card Services.

For your National Police Check, you need to wait until you are in Australia to apply for this certificate.

Fit for Professional Practice address is:

Griffith University

G01, 2.02

Gold Coast Campus

Parklands Drive

Southport  Qld  4222

Sonia is the electronic Placement System Griffith University utilises to manage the fit for professional practice requirements and placement information.

Please watch the video on the home page of the Fit for Professional Practice website.

https://www.griffith.edu.au/griffith-health/fit-for-professional-practice

Please watch the video on the home page of the Fit for Professional Practice website.

https://www.griffith.edu.au/griffith-health/fit-for-professional-practice

Please contact the Health Placement Advisor via email healthplacementadvisor@griffith.edu.au for assistance.