Jessica Criselle Quibuyen, Registered Nurse

“[In my role], I am constantly learning and developing,” says Jessica. “I provide care for a wide patient population and the number of different surgeries that are completed for these patients is endless. Urology, plastics, orthopedics, bowel surgeries, gynecology – you name it! I have seen it all.”

Jessica initially completed her final term in nursing school as a preceptor student in the inpatient ward at Lions Gate Hospital. “I was motivated to stay on this unit as I found the team to be very supportive,” she says. “Every single person on the unit – including the nurses, unit clerks, health care aides, educators, and patient care coordinators – all genuinely care about each other’s well-being.”

She tells us that every single day on the ward is different than the last and she is exposed to many different surgeries, health conditions, patients, and families each day. “Because of this, I am able to learn and grow professionally as a nurse at a rapid pace.”

Jessica walks us thru a typical workday. “When I first come onto the floor, I take a look and see what my patient assignment will be for the day and receive a report from the previous nurse. Once I have completed my research on each of my patients and have gathered enough information to safely care for them, the pace picks up.”

Jessica begins by assessing her patients, obtaining their vital signs, checking blood sugars, and distributing medications (oral, intravenously, intramuscularly, and subcutaneously – depending on what is ordered for each).

After her patients finish their breakfast, she discharges patients who are safe to go home and have been cleared by their physician. Each discharge requires a ton of patient education.

“As a nurse, I must answer any question the patient may have regarding the surgery they have received, review their follow-up appointments, review and educate on their prescriptions and how to take the medications, as well as educate patients on the signs and symptoms of infection and when they should seek further medical attention.”

It is a constant revolving door on the unit. “Once a patient is discharged, another patient from either the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit or Emergency Department is already on the list to occupy the empty room, thus I prepare to receive another admission,” she tells us. “Throughout the remainder of the day, I make sure to chart my assessments for each patient and continue to distribute medications, perform dressing changes, perform nursing interventions, and provide personal assistance to patients who are unable to perform daily tasks by themselves.”

Jessica says that one of the perks of bedside nursing is that she gets to work directly with the patients. “I get to meet them when they are first admitted onto the ward and watch them heal and progress until the day of their discharge,” she tells us.

She recalls a particular patient she cared for in the past. “When he was first admitted, he needed the assistance of five nurses just to move him in bed and he could barely open his eyes or speak due to his declining condition at this time. When he finally got discharged from the unit a few months later, he was walking independently and joking around with the staff – it was beautiful to see the fruit of our labour.”

Jessica speaks candidly about being a new grad. “Honestly, it can be a very uncomfortable and scary experience transitioning from a student into a new grad nursing role,” she says. “I wanted to work somewhere that made me feel supported during that phase of my career, especially since I have always been very timid, anxious, and quiet growing up. Now that I am two years into my career, I can say that working as a registered nurse on the inpatient ward has helped me develop into a confident and outgoing person.”

At VCH, our values are We Care for Everyone, We Are Always Learning, and We Strive for Better Results. Due to the high acuity and rapid patient turnover rate experienced in the general surgery/ortho unit, the environment is very fast-paced. “With the chaos of the unit, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the number of tasks that need to be completed throughout the shift,” says Jessica. “But no matter how busy each person is, we work as a team and try our best to help each other. As a unit, we go through hardships together. We are a family.”

Fun fact: Jessica is a big foodie! “On my days off, I love trying new places to eat and exploring different cultures’ food.”

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