Community placements may be a great way to learn what goes on outside the hospital. But what are they actually like for students? Jason Beckford-Ball spoke to one adult nursing student, Elisa Mais, about her experience of life in the community...

In the not-too-distant past nursing students regarded a community placement as a chance to spend some time away from the hectic pace of the wards — the hours were 9–5 and you got to drive around in the community nurse’s car. How times have changed.