 Name:
Monica Barranco

 How long have your been an LPN?:
 1 year and 4months

 Your city or town of residency:
 Burnaby

 Your city or town of occupation:
 Burnaby and New Westminster

 Facility and department?
I work in two places: at Courtyard Terrace (Assisted Living) where I’m part of the management team. And as casual at Royal Columbian Hospital (Acute Care) where I work in different floors (medical, surgical, orthopedics, and cardiology).
 
 Full time, part time, or casual?
Recently obtained a full time position at Courtyard Terrace and I’m casual at Royal Columbian Hospital

 How long at current position:
I’ve been working in Assisted Living for 1 year as LPN, and have been newly promoted to the Care Manager position. And at RCH I’ve been working 1 year as an LPN.

1) What is your role in your job and what are some typical duties?
My role in Assisted Living is as a leader in planning, directing, developing, and managing the care department. Part of my typical duties is to support the staff to facilitate and promote quality of care to the tenants. In the other hand, at RCH my role is to provide direct patient care, where my typical duties are to observe patients carefully and report any changes or unusual conditions to the physician, provide basic bed-side care which includes bathing patients; applying dressings; taking vital signs; inserting urinary catheters; and administering medications. 

2) Have you had to do any additional education in order to do what you are doing?
 No.

3) What are your usual hours of work and do you work overtime?
At Courtyard Terrace my hours of work are from 8am to 6pm four days a week (Sunday thru Wednesday). And the hours at RCH vary depending on the shifts available, it could go from 4 hours shift to a 12 hours shift. And yes, I work overtime.

4) What made you apply for this job?
Right after I finished school I was only interested to work in the acute care environment, but a friend of mine asked me to work in assisted living just as a trial, to see if I would like to work there. A few months later I knew I liked it and it felt like a good balance: working in a fast pace environment which allows me to practice and keep up to date my nursing skills, and to work in a more relaxed environment that allows me to create longer relationships and get to know the tenants (residents) better.

5) What makes your job unique from others?
For seniors it most be very difficult to watch things change over time. Unfortunately the changes they go thru are more losses than gains (mobility, vision, diet changes, the loss of friends, etc.). What it makes my job unique from others is the opportunity to provide that little extra help that will make their lives a bit easier, and encouraging them to participate in activities that will keep them out of isolation, which is something very common out in the community.

In general, I see nursing as a chance to serve others, which makes this job unique from others.

6) Are you part of an interdisciplinary team?  If so, what other professions do you work and consult with?
At both places I consult with the Occupational Therapist, the Physiotherapist, the Psychiatric Nurse, Doctors, and RNs (Home Care Nurses).