Post Diploma Degree Nursing Program Placement FAQs

There are two  mandatory nursing practice courses that you must complete while enrolled in the Post Diploma Degree Program: C/NCL 300: Nursing Practice I (opens in new window)  and C/NCL 400: Nursing Practice II (opens in new window) . 

You must complete a Placement Information Record (PIR) for each Nursing Practice course by the deadline. The PIR allows you to indicate an area of interest for your placement, such as community health, gerontology, or public health and provide other details.

A ‘nursing practice placement’ refers to the healthcare setting you attend to complete the mandatory nursing practice courses prior to graduation. Nursing practice placements can take place in any of the following areas: hospitals, community and public health settings, and/or long-term care agencies.

A work study placement enables students who are Registered Nurses (RNs) to complete a nursing practice course at their own workplace. You will be expected to apply the knowledge learned in the Post Diploma Degree Completion Program to your work environment.

The work study option only applies to students who are RNs that will be enrolling in C/NCL 300 (opens in new window)  or C/NCL 400 (opens in new window) . This options does not apply to students who will be enrolled in C/NUR 300 or C/NUR 400.

In order to complete a work study placement, you must provide the CPO placement coordinator with proof of approval from your manager and your employer’s student placement coordinator. Once you’ve provided proof of approval, you must complete the Work Study Placement Information Record.

Yes. If you are interested in precepting a third or fourth year student in your workplace, please speak to your manager and the student placement coordinator at your workplace for approval to become an assigned preceptor. Once you receive approval, complete and submit the Work Study Placement Information Record. A placement coordinator at Toronto Metropolitan University will confirm the student’s name once it has been assigned. You will need to provide this information to your workplace student placement coordinator.

If you are a registered nurse (RN), and have completed all prerequisite nursing courses and have an RN-level Canadian Nursing Association (CNA) Certificate, you may be eligible to challenge a credit towards C/NCL400. To proceed, contact the Post-Diploma Student Affairs Coordinator (opens in new window)  and provide a copy of your CNA certification.

The PIR form allows you to indicate your practice areas of interest, such as community health, gerontology, or public health, and provide other details important to help coordinate and negotiate a variety of nursing practice experiences that will meet the objectives of Post Diploma Degree Nursing practice courses.

The information you provide in your PIR will assist placement coordinators with assigning your nursing practice placement. You will receive your PIR form by email in the winter semester for the following year of the program. You can also find PIR forms on the Post Diploma Degree Program in Nursing: Forms page. You must be logged into your Toronto Metropolitan University account when completing the form.

You will receive placement information via HSPnet (external link, opens in new window) . We strive to confirm all placements, via HSPNet, within two weeks of your nursing practice course start date. Make sure to check HSPNet frequently for placement updates, it is your responsibility to do so.

If you have an extenuating circumstance and self-identify as requiring an accommodation for your clinical placement, you must get in touch with the Academic Accommodation Support Office and meet with a student accomodation facilitator. It is very important to initiate this process well in advance of your placement assignment. Placement coordinators require accommodation information to negotiate your placement with our partners and to ensure they are securing a placement that meets your needs, ensures your safety and aligns to course objectives.

Please note this process should be started prior to the start of the new semester to avoid any delays in starting your clinical placement.

Contact the Academic Accommodation Support Office by:

Fall - May 15th

Winter - October 1st

Spring - January 15th

All Post Diploma Degree Completion Program in Nursing students are expected to use their Toronto Metropolitan University OneCard as their ID Badge while in placement. You can apply for a OneCard online. OneCards are only issued in person at the OneCard office and cannot be mailed. Students must have a valid government issued photo ID. For more information please contact the OneCard office.

No, you cannot arrange your own placement. The CPO organizes all practice placements for the Post Diploma Degree Nursing Program, and has pre-existing relationships and affiliation agreements with agencies and hospitals throughout Ontario. These are legally-binding agreements that are in place to ensure the safety and security of both parties involved. Agency partners will only host students in placements arranged by the CPO.

You will have the opportunity to rank your placement choices using the Student Site Selector in HSPnet. In addition, you will have the opportunity to complete a Placement Information Record (PIR) where you can indicate an area of interest for your placement, such as community health, gerontology or public health and provide other details.

The CPO collaborates with course leads and placement partners to ensure that you receive quality placements in various diverse settings to successfully meet course objectives and competencies. 

The Post Diploma Degree Nursing Program is a generalist program that ensures students meet entry-to-practice competencies prior to graduation. 

You may have the opportunity to complete placements in specialty areas such as: critical care, intensive care, emergency, labour and delivery or pediatrics. However, these placements are few in number and follow a competitive process set by the placement agency. 

Nursing practice placement opportunities may involve working with diverse populations who experience barriers. Barriers may include, but are not limited to, literacy level, sexual orientation, culture geography, social factors, religious practices, education, economic circumstances, mental and physical abilities. The Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing is supportive and inclusive of all people who experience barriers.

You can pursue specialization and certification in specialized clinical areas after graduation at a community college.

No. Your placement site will assign you with a preceptor. All parties are responsible to disclose any potential conflict of interest.

Placement decisions and student assignments are based on some or all of the following factors: 

• Curriculum requirements
• Placement availability
• Past practice experience
• Placement agency interviews
• Faculty consultations

It is important to ensure that you keep your address and contact information up to date in HSPnet (external link, opens in new window)  and on myServiceHub.

Yes. If you have moved or no longer have access to a vehicle, please complete another PIR. Make sure to contact the placement coordinator for your year of study prior to submitting your updated PIR. This ensures that they are aware of the changes and can update their records.

Please note if the form is no longer available, contact your placement coordinator with the updated information.

No. Once you have been assigned a placement, you cannot switch your placement.  You are responsible for reporting any professional conflict of interest or special accommodations prior to beginning your placement. We assign placements in a fair and equitable manner.

Placement partners do not permit students to enter practice if they miss their placement site orientation. If you miss your placement site orientation, you jeopardize your placement as well as your progress in the program. The CPO is not obligated to assign a new placement for students who have missed their practice placement orientation.

You should consider travel time when ranking choices in Student Site Selector in HSPnet (external link, opens in new window) . In some cases, you should expect to spend up to 90 minutes commuting to your placement. Make sure to plan your route and travel accordingly to ensure you arrive on time for your assigned shifts.