Orientation and First Weeks
Orientation began several weeks ahead of my start date. As with all new Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) hires, I had to complete online coursework on the Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum and confidentiality training before staring my new position.
Day 1 on the job was spent meeting my team (four other co-op students and several members of the VCH People Safety family) and learning the science behind fit testing and N95 respirators. Did you know that the “95” means the respirator is at least 95% effective against particles 0.3 microns in size? Also, the “N” signifies that the respirator does not protect against gases and vapours!
The rest of my co-op team’s first weeks on the job were more hands on. We got to try on all the different models of N95s, learn the process of fit testing, and begin fit testing each other. Before we knew it, we were running clinics for healthcare workers at Vancouver General Hospital, Richmond Hospital, Lions Gate Hospital, UBC Hospital and numerous community sites.
Day to Day
My primary job as an Occupational Health and Safety Assistant at VCH was to fit test healthcare workers who are likely to be exposed to airborne precaution spaces. N95 respirator fit testing reduces workers' risk of inhaling airborne contaminants and disease by ensuring that the respirator seals correctly on their face. In addition to fit testing, my team was tasked with electronic record-keeping, monitoring a fit test team email inbox, coordinating fit test clinics at different VCH hospitals and community sites, and general monthly progress reports related to respiratory protection.
Per WorkSafeBC regulations, fit test records are valid for one year. As a result, staff must be fit tested annually. My team strove to raise fit test compliance numbers in all applicable healthcare departments, especially in high-risk units including the ICU, Respiratory Therapy, and Emergency.
Learning and Adaptation
Over my 8 months at VCH, I have gotten the incredible chance to learn more about all sorts of healthcare jobs and explore dozens of hospital units. I have met many staff who have informed me about new jobs and subsectors within healthcare. One health educator I spoke to strongly encouraged my fellow students and I to pursue a career in health law, health computer science, or health informatics since she saw these fields as rapidly growing in the next few years.
Within my People Safety department, I have had the wonderful opportunity to shadow some of the healthcare professionals with whom I work. I have followed around a Violence Prevention Specialist, a Safety Advisor, and an Occupational Hygienist. Every professional has given me great insight into the possibilities of working in Occupational Health and Safety as well as the path they took to get there.
This job has been very team-oriented which has been a change from my previous work experience. I have learned that team dynamics make a significant impact on the workplace environment. I have concluded that positivity, gratitude, and effective communication are central to a happy team. I am deeply thankful that my fellow co-op students, supervisors, and overall department have encouraged team building, empathy, and genuine kindness for each other.
Accomplishments and Challenges
One of my steeper learning curves at this job has been acquiring the skill to run a fit testing clinic solo. My time management, problem solving, and customer service skills were put to the test on a few occasions. However, with time, I became increasingly proficient at managing the clinic with little to no hiccups.
Another big challenge was improving the communication between the fit test team and the various hospital departments. In particular, my co-op team and I had several incidences where we were bumped from a room in which we had set up our clinic due to miscommunications. My team eventually figured out the best people to speak to in each hospital unit to avoid these annoying situations. In addition, the co-op team came up with progressively effective means of promoting our fit test clinics and informing staff of their expired record.