As a clinical nurse mentor working on the surgical inpatient unit at Peace Arch Hospital (PAH), my typical day mirrors what the nursing staff have going on at any moment. While I’m on shift, I like to think of my role as a guaranteed built-in buddy and clinical soundboard for all your thoughts and all the other things in-between. I get to mentor nursing staff through many different clinical situations which keeps the job exciting. It’s nice to flow from one task to another and it keeps every shift interesting knowing that every day will be different. I’ll be bouncing between different clinical skills and assessments, all the while focusing on the psychological safety of the nursing staff. This is especially rewarding when I get to celebrate each of their accomplishments, from their first intravenous (IV) start to managing complex wounds, which has fostered a fun culture on the unit.

Working at a PAH has taught me how to be resourceful and creative when troubleshooting different things on the medical-surgical unit. You get to be the knowledgeable resource, and training this muscle every day has become a highlight. I consider the surgical inpatient unit at PAH to be a nice cove amid a busy acute care environment because of the close-knit nature of our team. This is [one of the benefits] of working in a smaller acute care hospital because getting to know everyone while having dedicated time to debrief with the nurses makes the days fly by. That, coupled with ocean beach views from the unit and the same glimpses during walks around the neighbourhood for breaks makes for a good balance during a long shift. I can confidently say I’ve enjoyed my eight years and counting here so far!