SUNLOC
Safety guidelines
TRANSPORT
Students are encouraged to direct enquiries to the relevant departmental/divisional coordinator re available Faculty self-drive student transport, as well as the Faculty shuttle service to specific clinical sites. Students are encouraged to make use of transport that has been arranged by the faculty.
- Identification signs are supplied by the Faculty and are available from the relevant Department/Division. Students who drive in the community must display these signs, clearly visible. Signs should be removed from the vehicle and placed in the boot when it is parked.
- Road maps and/or GPS co-ordinates to relevant clinics or other institutions as well as relevant telephone numbers are available from the Department/Division. Students are strongly encouraged to follow these routes wherever possible.
- In the event of a student being placed in a remote community where the lecturer does not know the safest route, before starting the placement the student must be informed that he/she, personally, must contact the relevant clinic or other institution to find out the recommended route.
- At the end of the block, each group of students is responsible for ensuring that any identification signs and maps are handed over to the following group of students or returned to the Department/Division.
- Should any problem arise while the student is working in the community, he/she must immediately contact the nearest police station and enquire about the safest/recommended route to leave the area.
- Students must never go alone on a home visit, nor drive alone to the clinical placement.
- Car doors must be kept locked at all times, and items of value, e.g. handbags, laptops, purses and cellular phones and even study material, must always be kept out of sight. Wherever possible, lock up facilities should be provided by the clinic or other institution. If these are not provided, ensure that all valuables/important items are out of sight, preferably locked in the boot of the car.
- Cars must be parked in the grounds of the clinic or other institution, or as near as possible to the particular place of work.
- Cars should be parked in well-lit areas when working after hours.
- Under no circumstances may students transport patients in private (or any other) vehicles.
COMMUNICATION
Each student must be in possession of a cellular telephone for personal use. The following telephone numbers must, where applicable, be available to the students and if possible be stored in the cellular telephone:
1 | Tygerberg
Campus | Campus
Security | 021 938
9500 021 938
9507 |
2 | Worcester
Campus | Security | 023 346
7820 |
3 | Flying
squad | | 10111 |
4 | Police | Closest
police station | |
5 | Community
contact person(s) | | |
6 | Tygerberg
Campus Department/Division | | |
7 | Lecturer | | |
8 | Relevant
health clinic | | |
9 | Clinical
supervisor(s) | | |
These telephone numbers must also be
available at the departmental/-division secretary or administrative officer.
Personal cellular telephones must be switched on and close at hand at all times, but not visible, to enable the lecturer or other contact person to make urgent contact with the student(s) if necessary. Cellphone numbers should be given with careful consideration to third parties.
- It is the responsibility of students to store the above-mentioned telephone numbers on their personal cellphones.
- The responsible lecturer, as well as the departmental/divisional secretary, must have all telephone numbers and cellular telephone numbers of the students and the places they work at in the community.
SAFETY
If at any time there is ever any question regarding safety in the area, the local police station or other contact person(s) should be contacted. If necessary the students should leave the area as soon as possible, using the safest/route of choice and inform the responsible lecturer.
If students become aware of temporary danger to person or property in certain areas (e.g. as a result of protests), it is the responsibility of students themselves to make alternative arrangements, or to consult with SU staff for making such alternative arrangements for the completion of the relevant part of the clinical training.
HOME VISITS
- Students may never do home visits alone. Wherever possible, a responsible person should accompany the student(s).
IDENTIFICATION
Personal identification must be visible at all times and should be in the form of name badges (name and surname, profession) and the University logo and an ID photo (student cards).
Students and personnel should introduce themselves courteously to each patient and staff member at the clinic or other institution (Addendum A – Code of conduct)
REPORTING OF AN INCIDENT
Please report any incident that occurs during your training to ensure that the FMHS may monitor the safety of student placements on the distributed training platform.
- Complete the form below within 24 hours of an incident occurring. For Incident Report Form click here
- If a criminal offence has occurred, immediately report it to the local police station (SAPS: 10111).
An incident is any occurrence where a student/staff member considers that her/his safety has been compromised, e.g.
- personal injury/harm
- an attempt to injure/harm
- possessions were stolen / damaged / tampered with, or
- an attempt was made to do so
Forms to be used by students to report an incident and can be found on the relevant websites.