Rod Spruston

Post graduate psychiatric nurse (09/28/1976 – 06/06/1977)

worked on an all female admitting and assessment floor that provided planning and assessment for female clients with psychotic and behavioural disorders from Interior BC. Individuals were short and long term admissions depending on the longevity of symptoms.

Last Employer: Riverview Hospital

Responsibilities: admission history; conferring with home referral sources; maintaining communication with families; ensuring prescribed lab work completed as necessary; administering prescribed medications and procedures and monitoring efficacy re: mental status; ensuring residents attended therapeutic groups; engaging in team discussion and planning re: resident care; discharge planning.

Accomplishments: In view of my position as a post graduate psychiatric nurse I was able to consolidate much of the theory to which I had been exposed in the classroom and in practicums. I was also exposed to situations that honed my listening and observational skills. As in any real environment when one is a staff nurse there was also a resolve to lessen the distance between myself and my assigned clients in order to develop trust without crossing compromising boundaries. I was also accepted to enter the post graduate Access Program at BCIT to study for the registered nursing diploma.

medical -surgical staff nurse (01/04/1978 – 08/06/1979)

Provided medical and post surgical intervention to a broad range of individuals with varying medical conditions and orthopedic surgery

Last Employer: Burnaby Hospital/Lionsgate Hospital

Responsibilities: Admission procedures, presurgical procedures, wound care, instituting post - surgical procedures, procedural assessment, I/V insertion and administration, medication assessment, , use of various technologies ex. I/V pumps, respiratory equipment, orthopedic equipment, applying traction setups, activation, physical assessment, care planning and supervision, discharge planning

Accomplishments: Consolidation of medical surgical theory and knowledge from BCIT RN program; understanding that functional assessment is part of a wholistic assessment, learning various medical surgical procedures; further attendance to the psychological needs of clients

Community Mental Health Nurse (08/09/1979 – 08/30/1990)

Service as a mental health nurse on the Kitsilano MH Team, at the Venture community short stay unit and after -hours crisis assessment team, the Westside MH Team and the Broadway MH Team. Intake assessment, planning, triaging referrals, team work with community multi-service group providing psychiatric care in multiple community settings with an emphasis on maintaining client independence and when necessary recognizing the necessity for assisted residential care; liaising with community service groups; planning and directing social groups and co-leading addictions groups for disenfranchised younger clients

Last Employer: Greater Vancouver Mental Health Service

Responsibilities: As noted above with the addition of community care planning for individuals utilizing various community resources for employment, financial leisure and immigration; family liaison when accessible; home/office visits for medication administration; regular client reviews with psychiatrists; participant on community committees; participant on employer committees such as file audit and medication review; hospital discharge planning input; transportation to doctors appointments or arranging same as necessary; BCIT psychiatric nursing program preceptor; providing community informational workshops for community agencies when requested.

Accomplishments: Managing a large community mental health caseload of over 100 clients; being a preceptor and enhancing my own skill set; enhancing abilities to be creative and innovative with client care; taking advantage of ongoing educational opportunities through GVMHS and other agencies.

0n-call staff nurse - Vernon Jubilee Hospital (09/06/1990 – 05/06/1994)

Implementation of 14 years of an accrued knowledge base and skill set transported from previous positions in hospital and community psychiatric settings in Vancouver.

Last Employer: Vernon Jubilee Hospital

Responsibilities: admission and discharge planning; medication assessment and administration; confer with GP and psychiatrist on regular basis re: prescribed procedures and medications; group educational learning sessions for patients on psychiatry re: management of mental disorders and medication use; administration of medications; family meetings; data collection re: history given large volume of transient admissions to psychiatry; liaison with community agencies providing discharge support; crisis intervention technique as necessary for out of control patients

Accomplishments: Refresher regarding hospital based skills and requirements within a hospital setting. Provided a lever for return to community mental health service

Community mental health nurse - Vernon ACSS Team (12/16/1993 – 11/05/2008)

Implementation of knowledge base accrued while working in Vancouver and then at Vernon Jubilee Hospital on the psychiatric and extended care floors.

Last Employer: Ministry of Health, North Okanagan Helath Region and the Interior Health Authority

Contact Person: Diana Gawne, manager MH Vernon - 250 -549 - 5737

Responsibilities: Served as a nursing member of the Adult Community Support Team working with individuals both newly diagnosed and with tertiary diagnoses of mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, chronic depression and mixed personality disorders. As a mental health nurse provided: home visitation for assessment and medication administration; data collection as many clients were transient; liaison with psychiatrists both in the hospital and community; liaison with financial, housing and employment agencies; referrals to supported day programming; educational sessions to support staff and clients; liaised with drug company representatives; location monitoring for clients receiving clozapine and educational resources for this medication; establishment of self management groups for depressive and anxiety disorders; managed a case load of up to 90 clients with a range of mental disorders; liaison to mental health care homes and education to staff; preceptorship for registered nursing students in 3rd and 4th years at UBC.

Accomplishments: Availed myself of the many educational opportunities offered to expand my knowledge and skill set concerning psychosocial needs of client base; engaged in a management training program via the IHA and completed same; believe that I had an impact on the lives of many of the clients for which service was provided allowing them to be more successful in their own accomplishments.

Establishment: British Columbia Institute of Technology

Degree: Diploma - Psychiatric Nursing

Education Period: 09/07/1974 - 07/05/1976

Speciality: Psychiatric nursing

Average Grade: B

Establishment: British Columbia Institute of Technology

Degree: Diploma - Registered Nursing

Education Period: 06/06/1977 - 05/07/1978

Speciality: Registered nurse

Average Grade: B