Work Experience 12

1. Work Experience 12 Placement power point assignment Shea Sanderson

2. Where • Lynn Valley Care Centre • 1070 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver, BC V7J 1Z8 Phone: (604) 988-4181 • (North Shore Private Hospital/Lynn Valley Lodge)

3. Hours • 6 visits • 3 or 4 hour shifts • Every Thursday

4. Description • Intermediate care - levels 1, 2 & 3, extended care • 139 funded beds, plus 3 private pay (respite beds) • an Intermediate and Extended Care Facility approved by the Continuing Care Division of the Ministry of Health of British Columbia for providing care for eligible residents of British Columbia in general and the North Shore Region in particular • The Facility's Mission is to maintain and enhance the health and well-being of the Residents and Patients in a safe environment. • Competitors: all other care homes and seniors residencies on the north shore • Administrator, Director of Care, Assistant Director of Care, Dietitian, Director of Support Services, Director of Activities, Information and Tour, General Inquiries, Nurses, Care Aids…

5. Duties/Responsibilities • Self Starter • Independence • Helping out at Tea Time • Chatting with residents • Moving them in their wheelchairs or assisting them with simple tasks • Keeping them distracted from pains and worries Not Permitted • Feeding the Residents • Lifting them • Helping them to the washroom • Closing the door when I’m in a residents room • Taking residents outside

6. New Skills Obtained • Improved my patience • Concentrated my focus on listening • Discovered ways to evade certain topics, talk about positive things instead • Self evaluate and ameliorate independently without guidance or critique

7. My Best Day • It was my 3rd or 4th visit at the Care Centre • One of my favorite residents, Merriam • She has Alzheimer's, and repeated herself often • Dressed in a hot pink dress and pearls and didn’t know why • Described being a Mormon, what it was like living during the war and falling in love

8. My Worst Day • Reported to the nurse’s station as usual, sat down with a few residents to chat • The PA system started to alarm • The nurses all rushed away and I was told to stay at the station and help anyone who needed • Mr. Simms, a resident I knew and made puzzles with had had heart failure and died • I did a lot of reflection that day on myself and my work experience here

9. Finish the Sentence: • I am proud of myself because: • I could improve on: • The person I admired the most was:

10. Changes in Myself • This work experience most definitely changed my views on this type of work • It didn’t make me not like it, but I had to rethink it all • Seeing nurses being rude, ignoring the residents and talking down to them • I became more reserved; put less of myself into my work because I would get attached and it would become personal instead of a work relationship • Nurses seemed emotionless and I don’t want to be that

11. If I had to do this again… • Really good question • I want to say I wouldn’t choose the same placement • But I learned a lot about myself and what I want to do in the future concerning my career • I want to try something new so wouldn’t want to return to the exact same care center

12. Type of Education Required • College/Technical Training and sometimes University required in Nursing, and Personal Care Attendants • Mostly the nurses are distributing pills, changing bed pans, giving baths and assisting the residents get around Pay Range • Personal Care Attendant: 20$ an hour, annual earnings of $18,000 to $42,000 • Nurse: $40,000 to $85,000 a year