Developing a Specialist Respiratory Placement for Student Nurses

East Lancashire NHS Trust’s Integrated Respiratory Service (IRS) has developed a specialist ten to twelve week placement for student nurses, which allows students to gain clinical experience in a specialist nursing role, rather than within a traditional ward or outpatient setting.Trainees gain an understanding of the specialist respiratory nursing role as well how that role works alongside other members of the multi-disciplinary team. Whilst on placement students learn how to seek advice, refer patients and gain experience that could lead them to undertake postgraduate studies in respiratory care in the future.