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By Natalie De Ciantis
Natalie De Ciantis is a fourth year nursing student from Ryerson University who is working as a clinical nurse extern in the inpatient mental health unit at Michael Garron Hospital. Natalie recently started working with the patient experience team to help connect patients and families using virtual technology and has demonstrated her commitment to practicing patient-centered care through her efforts to improve patients' experiences whilst receiving care in hospital.
Working as a clinical nurse extern in the inpatient mental health unit at Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) has given me the opportunity to collaborate with clinical and administrative staff in pursuit of providing exceptional care to the patients served by this organization. With the many changes put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic such as visitor restrictions and limited opportunities for patients to leave the unit, my role has largely become centered around attending to the psychosocial needs of these patients, including facilitating social interactions between them and their loved ones.
In times of heightened uncertainty, limited social engagement may place patients at greater risk of experiencing negative health outcomes. The lack of human connection, communication, in-person visits and social support networks can all increase the risk for exacerbation of mental illness. In an effort to facilitate social interaction and combat isolation due to pandemic restrictions, MGH’s patient experience team recently began offering patients and their relatives an opportunity to connect virtually through the Zoom platform. I worked with the team to utilize the hospital’s shared iPads and facilitate video calls between patients and family and friends and saw the immediate benefits.
With this initiative, families and friends that have been feeling disconnected from their loved ones have been able to connect as regularly as desired to check in and see how patients are doing and to show their love and support for those in hospital. I have seen this reach far beyond the local community, as patients with family and friends all across the world have been able to engage with one another.
The patients that have utilized this service have expressed much appreciation and gratitude for us helping to facilitate these connections. Many of the patients have been noticeably more joyous and full of glee after chatting with their relatives and have shared that these interactions have lifted their spirits and made them feel happier. Knowing the vital role that strong social supports play in one’s ability to cope with stressful situations reinforces the need for patients, particularly those in the inpatient mental health unit, to have access to technology which allows for social engagement with friends and families.
Although this pandemic has been challenging for all, the silver lining has been that it has inspired many creative solutions and changed the way in which healthcare is delivered. It has become clear that utilizing video call technology to connect patients with their loved ones is a vital practice which will likely continue to be used much beyond this unprecedented time. It is also apparent that the implementation of ‘virtual visits’ is an excellent way to bridge the barrier between long distances and busy schedules, making visiting relatives in the hospital much more accessible.
This progressive initiative has allowed me to bring patients together with their loved ones in a way that may improve their overall experience at MGH. As a nursing student, implementing interventions for the improvement of psychosocial well-being has been a phenomenal learning experience and has allowed me to explore the art of nursing beyond what is learned in the classroom. I look forward to continuing this initiative throughout the rest of my externship and implementing new creative solutions to provide even more opportunities for social engagement between our patients and the community.
