PHC welcomes over 1,500 nursing students annually. We look forward to having you join us in providing excellent patient and family centred care. 

• Registered Nurses (RN’s)
• Registered Psychiatric Nurses (RPN’s)
• Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN’s)
• Residential Care Aides (RCA’s)
• Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN’s) studying in a Canadian Program
• Specialty Education

Organizing Placements

In order for us to do our best to accommodate all of the nursing placement requests we receive and ensure you have an amazing experience here at PHC, we ask that you leave all organization to your school coordinator. 

Please do not try to make arrangements for your own placement directly with a PHC employee as it can create confusion, complications, delay acceptance and potentially reduce your chances of getting the placement you seek. This also applies to instructors and school coordinators enquiring on behalf of their students. 

Please follow the procedures that are currently in place:

• All placements, including observation requests are to be organized in advance through HSPnet.
• Out-of-province schools may submit a request using the HSPnet Request Form. 
• Students that are required to find placements on their own, may contact the Student Placement Coordinator for available opportunities.
• Any follow-up of outstanding requests may be directed through the School Coordinator to the PHC Student Placement Coordinator.
• Only after a request has been confirmed, may the unit / manager / preceptor be contacted to make arrangements for start / orientation dates. Instructors are responsible for making these arrangements on behalf of their students for group placements.

HSPnet Request Form

Preparing for Placement

Ensure you are adequately prepared before arriving on site.

All Students

• Review the Orientation Page and complete everything outlined that is applicable to you.
• Refer to the Computer Training page to learn about access and training for PHC's patient information system.
• All students and instructors must receive glucometer training before arriving on site for placement. Training is provided by the school as the glucometers are used province wide. Please contact your school coordinator for more information including the password. If you are on placement visiting from out of province, your preceptor will be able to train you. Please contact the Student Placement Coordinator for the password. 
• For each practice placement, students must have their own User ID to use the Automated Dispensing Machines (Omnicell). Training to use these machines will be provided by your instructor/preceptor. We also have a 10-minute training video available on YouTube.
  • Students will be sent their Omnicell user ID close to the start of their clinical placement. If you have not received your user ID within the first week, please contact the Student Placement Coordinator (email studentplacements@providencehealth.bc.ca). 
  • Omnicell user IDs issued by VCH do not work on PHC Omnicell cabinets.
  • User IDs will be active only for the duration of the clinical placement. 
• Review Photo ID tab below to determine if you will be provided PHC ID. 

Nurse Practitioners

• Review the Orientation Page and complete everything outlined that is applicable to you.
• Refer to the Computer Training page to learn about access and training for PHC's patient informations system.
• You may also require a dictation ID while on placement; please confirm with your supervisor if you need this access. In order to receive access, contact Transcription Services via 604-806-9696 or email transcriptionalerts2@vch.ca to request your dictation ID. 

 

 

PHC Photo ID

School identification must be worn on the left upper chest and be visible at all times while on placement at PHC. For undergrad placements, only instructors requiring access to locked units will be granted PHC identification and will require a manager or Operations Leader's approval. CNS's, NP's and MN's, please confirm with your supervisor if you need ID. If ID is required, refer to the Photo ID page directions on how to obtain ID. 

For students requiring access to locked units, the units will have generic temporary passes for their use. These passes are available on a sign-out basis. Please note:  units may charge a deposit for these passes to recover replacement costs should the cards be lost or damaged.

For those will be on medical units or in the emergency department at St. Paul's Hospital, please see below for information specific to you. 

SPH Medicine Units

In order to enhance patient safety, the medical units at SPH including 7A/B and 8D Medical Short Stay units now have a magnetic locking door system. 

There is an intercom camera system located outside of the 7A/B unit doors for visitors to contact the nursing stations in order to access the units. Students and instructors will need to use this intercom until they are provided temporary passes.

Obtaining Temporary Passes

Clinical Instructors may obtain temporary passes for their students from Rowena Ng, Administrative Assistant. Please contact her to make arrangements 604-682-2344 ext. 63233. Please note:  a deposit may be charged for each card.

The passes must be returned at the end of the placement. If an instructor is carrying on with another group, they must assign the passes to the new students by signing them out again. 

The passes will be assigned based on gender so that the students may access the locker rooms. They also provide access to the bike locker, available in the parking lot of SPH.  

Emergency Department

Clniical Instructors and nursing specialty students doing placements at PHC will be provided temporary passes. 

 

OR Observation

All requests for observation visits of the Operating Room must be submitted through HSPnet. Following confirmation, instructors are to contact the Nurse Educator to make arrangements for their group of students. Please submit requests at least two weeks prior to the visit and be specific with dates.

Due to patient acuity and logistics, opportunities to view some surgeries especially cardiac surgery, may be limited.

Orientation

All students must complete a one hour orientation/tour before their scheduled placement in the OR. The OR Educator and Instructor will coordinate the date and time.

To get the most out of your observation, if you are provided details about the type of surgery you will be observing, it is recommended you read up on the procedure. 

Prepare for Observation

• Eat a meal prior to your arrival as some procedures will take several hours to complete.
• Jewellry including rings, necklaces, earrings, watches, etc is not to be worn and mobile/ electronic devices are not to be brought into the OR. Please do not bring these with you.
• Wear comfortable shoes (with socks) and your ID badge. You will change into OR scrubs, bouffant head cover and mask.
• No outdoor clothing (ie. long sleeve shirts) is allowed to be visibly showing under your scrubs.
• Always wash your hands before and after leaving the OR theatres and change your mask. 

OR Dress Code

Arrival to OR

Unless told otherwise, report to the OR reception desk at the following times:

Mount Saint Joseph Hospital

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 0730 hrs
• Wednesday – 0830 hrs

​St. Paul’s Hospital

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 0730 hrs
• Wednesday – 0800 hrs

Please ask the Unit Coordinator to page the educator to let them know you are here for your OR observational experience. The educator or delegate will come meet you and bring you into the OR. 

Educators

SPH -  Carla Graham CGraham2@providencehealth.bc.ca

MSJ - Thelma Velasco, tvelasco@providencehealth.bc.ca  

Information for Nursing Instructors

Computer Sytems Training and Access

SCM or CST Cerner training is required for all students on their first placement at PHC, but may vary depending on their role here at PHC and what information you will need to access in the patient records.

Please visit our Computer Training page to learn about access and training for students. Instructors will be contacted about training in the same manner as students (see the FAQ section in the CST Information for Students site)..

Glucometer Access 

All students should have received glucometer training from their school before arriving on site for thier placement. Please contact your school coordinator for more information including the password. Out-of-province students can receive glucometer training from their preceptor (if training is needed) and should contact the Student Placement Coordinator for the password for the glucometers.

Omnicell - Automated Dispensing Cabinets

For each practice placement, students must have their own User ID to use the Automated Dispensing Cabinets (Omnicell). Instructors for student groups should ensure that your students are trained to use these machines prior to staring their placement. Preceptorship students will receive training from their preceptor and can review our 10-minute training video available on YouTube. If additional material is required, please contact the Student Placement Coordinator.

Please note:  VCH access codes cannot be used on PHC Omnicell cabinets. PHC-specific user IDs and passcodes must be obtained. 

Instructors of nursing groups will be sent Omnicell user IDs for their students close to the start of the clinical placement. Preceptorship students will receive their Omnicell user ID directly. If you have not received the user IDs within the first week, please contact the Student Placement Coordinator (email studentplacements@providencehealth.bc.ca).

User IDs will be active only for the duration of the clinical placement. 

Alaris Pump

All students who will be administering anything via the Alaris pump are required to complete the education module: PHC / VCH Alaris Infusion Pump Learning Module available on Learning Hub. After completing this module, students need to complete the self-assessment checklist available on paper here (for PCA’s and syringe modules only) or in a LearningHub module: Alaris® Pump Module Training Competency Checklist

PHC Photo ID

For students requiring access to locked units, the units will have generic generic/temporary passes available for their use. These passes are available on a sign-out basis. Please note:  units may charge a deposit for these passes to recover replacement costs should the cards be lost or damaged.

Instructors requiring access to locked units can also sign out a generic pass. Those who are at PHC every term can be granted PHC identification, depending on the department where access is needed. Please contact the Student Placement Coordinator for further information.

Automated Unit Dose Strips (AUD)

AUDs are in use at some PHC sites. Information about this medication delivery system along with practice guidelines can be found on the PHC Nursing intranet site as well as below:

• Education Summary
• FAQ #1
• FAQ #2
• FAQ #3