By Grace Sharpe
Grace is a fourth-year nursing student at Toronto Metropolitan University. She currently works as a clinical extern on the pediatric acute care unit at Michael Garron Hospital. This is her perspective.
As a clinical nursing extern on the pediatric acute care unit, I have had the privilege of caring for some of Michael Garron Hospital’s (MGH) littlest patients. Over the last year, I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from an incredibly dedicated and specialized paediatric nursing team. Through both teaching and from personal experience working on the unit, I have learned how to provide high-quality care while also supporting families as they support their loved ones through recovery.
Paediatric acute care includes a diverse patient age range, from birth to 17 years of age. The approach to and delivery of care can differ significantly from patient to patient, as can our ways of supporting and connecting with them. At times, connection can mean swaddling the littlest of patients and singing them lullaby. Other times, it can mean using glittery stickers and a colourful animal stethoscope to make patients more comfortable during an assessment. With older teenaged patients, sometimes all they need is a supportive listening ear. Connecting with patients of all ages is critical on this unit. My experience in further developing this skill and applying it in my nursing practice has become a great joy.
One area of work that I was most challenged by during my externship was how to best support adolescents facing a mental health diagnosis. Mental health often correlates with physical health. Finding an avenue to support patients when they were not feeling well mentally or physically could often be challenging. Through my experience, I have had the opportunity to work with and support adolescents living with anorexia and major depressive disorders. Being able to support youth as they transitioned from illness towards improved health was an extremely rewarding experience.
Another unique challenge in paediatrics is learning how to navigate pediatric patient care while simultaneously supporting parents and guardians. Building a therapeutic relationship with parents can be difficult. Factors such as stress, fatigue, and anxiety can influence a parent’s ability to accept and manage their child’s diagnosis. It is extremely difficult for parents to see their children unwell, thus, it is critical for us as care providers to ensure that parents and guardians are well-supported so they in turn can better support their loved ones through recovery.
Working in paediatric acute care has been an incredible experience – one that allowed me to further my passions for paediatric nursing and mental health and better prepare me for my future in healthcare. This experience has reaffirmed my goal to become a nurse practitioner and specialize in pediatric care or adolescent mental health later in my career.
I am so grateful to both MGH and the phenomenal G7 nursing team for their exceptional teaching and support during this chapter of my education.