I can’t believe we are already a few weeks into our third semester! Each week just seems to go by so quickly, we are busy with our five courses, and have recently begun our second clinical. We are split into three groups here in Metro Vancouver: at Ridge Meadows Hospital, Chilliwack General Hospital, and Langley Memorial Hospital. I’m with the Langley group and there are 6 of us there. Due to the size of the unit, only 5 of us can be there at one time, so we rotate a person out each week, which gives us a breather to do theory research and medication cards.
Our first week consisted of orientation to the unit. We met in the main lobby and made our way to 1 South, the Inpatient Psychiatry Unit. We began our day a little later in the morning with a scheduled meeting with the Clinical Nurse Educator, but since she was on holidays, we met with the Program Coordinator. As an RPN himself, he was able to provide us with a wealth of information and guidance as we prepared to enter our clinical practice. From there, we toured the unit, and we were shown where any supplies we might need could be found. We were also given a safety tour to identify potential safety hazards for patients, as well as the various resources and recreational activities available to the patients during their stay.
For our second week, it consisted of mainly observation and a day of lab at the school. First, the day at the lab. When I first inquired about the program, I had no clue what the labs consisted of and wasn’t able to get a clear answer, mainly because the people you’ll work with in admissions have not been in one. So we started lab day going over documentation and confidentiality. We then moved onto the competency of the mental status exam or MSE. From there we practiced an MSE on a character and made a guessing game of it. One of the goals of recording an MSE is that it should be so accurate, a nurse coming onto their shift should be able to look it over and know who it is discussing. The instructors gave us an overview on how to chart an MSE with us and the general dos and don’ts. We then moved to role playing, where we practiced encountering an angry patient, and working to open a conversation through the use of therapeutic communication. The afternoon was spent discussing and practicing palpating in order to find injection sites for administering intramuscular medications.
Back at Langley Memorial, our day started back in 1 South just before shift change. We met in the nursing station and discussed what the goals for the day were. We were split up into the nursing teams, where we would observe, learn the routine for the ward, and begin interacting with patients. At 730, shift change occurred and we did a walk around to ensure all patients were well. From there, the nurses prepare medications, administer them, and rouse patients for breakfast. Anybody who needed vitals was also done in the morning as well, and nurses took the information to record in their charts.
It’s interesting to see the change from Older Adult, as we are truly moving into our bread and butter, working with chronically ill mental health patients. It’s definitely an exciting endeavour that is sure to keep me on my toes, and will ultimately gauge my desire to work in a fast-paced acute environment. Our next weeks will consist of conducting MSEs, and preparing dozens of medication cards in preparation of administering medications ourselves. With our five courses on going and lots of group projects this semester, proper time appreciation is of the utmost importance so that we don’t get overwhelmed with the workload.
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