‘My first shift at the hospital was eye-opening…’
Lac La Biche posting encourages nursing student to pursue rural career
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By Kirsty Algar
For my final practicum with the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta, I was fortunate to be placed at the William J. Cadzow Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre in Lac La Biche, Alberta.
My decision to select a rural preceptorship placement was influenced by my desire to experience every aspect of nursing, and my lack of attachment to any specialty. Initially, I had no idea what to anticipate; I had never been to Lac La Biche, nor anywhere else in Northern Alberta. I quickly found comfort in small town life. The town culture was similar to where I grew up, and I was able to have many pleasant conversations with the locals, who were consistently very welcoming.
My first shift at the hospital was eye-opening, as I was able to see the wide array of patient cases and the diversity of care that the hospital provides.
The acute care unit hosts patients from all spectrums. This experience allowed me to provide a variety of nursing care for patients who were post-surgery, awaiting long-term care, experiencing highly acute medical conditions, and labouring and postpartum mothers and infants, as well as pediatric, psychiatric, and even patients receiving palliative care.
In a smaller hospital such as the Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre, it is easy to get to know every member of the staff, making appropriate communication and collaboration easier, which helps to facilitate continuity of care for patients and the community.
On the same shift, I would care for a patient with a bowel obstruction requiring a nasogastric tube insertion [inserting a tube through the nose to gain access to the stomach] another admitted for diabetic ketoacidosis [a serious complication of diabetes that causes a buildup of acids in your blood], a patient undergoing alcohol withdrawal, a long-term care patient requiring full care, and a postpartum mother and infant. The opportunities that I was offered were diverse, and I was able practise to full scope, far beyond my expectations.
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Compared to the units on which I had been placed in the city, I was able to see the particular importance of teamwork in rural health-care settings and the need for communication. Occasional shortages of human and material resources in rural settings mean that nursing staff must be supportive of one another and use creativity to provide accurate and effective nursing care, often referred to by the nurses as “MacGyvering.”
Trust and communication amongst staff from other disciplines was crucial, and I was able to develop professional relationships with physicians, medical students, pharmacists, lab technicians, dieticians, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and even food and environmental services workers.
In a smaller hospital such as the Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre, it is easy to get to know every member of the staff, making appropriate communication and collaboration easier, which helps to facilitate continuity of care for patients and the community.
During my time there, I quickly integrated into the team, in part due to the wonderful support provided by my preceptor (a health professional who teaches). I was lucky to be paired with the best preceptor (Kevin Vo) I could have imagined who was consistently willing to answer my many questions pertaining to nursing and life in Lac La Biche. He was my constant role model, always providing support to myself and other staff, and routinely sought out external experiences outside of my assigned patient load, never ceasing to ensure that I had the best preceptorship experience possible. Seeing the value of teamwork firsthand made me realize that this was what I had been missing for most of my undergraduate degree, and that I was looking for a similar experience upon graduation.
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Choosing a rural preceptorship was the best thing that I could have done for myself not only as a future nurse, but as a person. Even during the midst of a global pandemic, I was provided with the chance to go somewhere new, meet new people, and get a taste of what it is like to work as a nurse in the most supportive environment. I finally feel I have found my place in nursing, and in a field where I truly fit in.
I was able to grow into the nursing role while also discovering my personal needs and goals for the future. I realized that I love working in rural environments and the variability associated with rural health care, and I look forward to continuing my journey as a generalist in my new position as a graduate nurse.
I am grateful to the Faculty of Nursing for providing me with this opportunity, and of course, the staff, and my preceptor at the Lac La Biche Healthcare Centre, who facilitated this wonderful experience that will guide me through my future nursing career.
Kirsty Algar graduated from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Nursing in April 2021. RhPAP is proud to have provided accommodations for Ms. Algar during her stay in Lac La Biche. For more information on RhPAP Accommodations click here.