Student Nurse Placements

Every year DDRC Healthcare offer 2nd and 3rd year student nurses the opportunity to have their placement with us at the Hyperbaric Medical Centre in Plymouth. Approximately four student nurses spend time with us each year, learning about Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) Therapy and its many uses. Each placement lasts eight weeks and is allocated by the student nurses’ host Trust.

Many of the student nurses have no prior knowledge of hyperbaric medicine. We offer a unique experience where they can work with routine patients dealing with many medical conditions such as diabetes, hard to heal wounds and divers with decompression illness (DCI).

Whilst attending their placement, students are allocated a mentor for the duration and, under supervision, are able to carry out medical procedures in wound care, dressings, blood pressure, blood count, eye tests and step test. Students attend a weekly Multi-Disciplinary Team meeting, assist with social care for patients and attend external clinics such as the diabetic foot clinic at Derriford Hospital.

If students are not allocated an eight week placement they can still find out more about us through a one day experience in their third year, or perhaps through attending one of the ‘Talks and Tours’ offered of our facilities.

Student nurse Sarah Grimshaw completed an eight week placement and knew nothing about us before coming here. Sarah said:

“I have found the whole subject of hyperabic oxygen therapy really interesting. I had never even heard about it but found the variety of patients really useful and I have had such a lot of hands on experience.”

Any student nurses who may be interested in applying for a placement with us is invited to get in touch for a discussion with our Senior Nurse by either calling us on 01752 209999 or sending an email to info@ddrc.org