Brief description of the typical work day for an intern at this training site |
A typical work day at Western State Hospital would include completing intake assessments on patients newly admitted to the hospital, participating in individual or group supervision, attending didactics as offered, conducting individual therapy for patients staying past 72 hours, conducting testing as needed and appropriate, and working on "background projects" such as blog articles and individual case studies.
During the COVID-19 state of emergency, assessment, testing, and therapy services may be conducted in person, or depending on circumstance, via telephone and telehealth. Didactics and supervision are via online platforms such as Zoom, and case studies have been refocused to patients with full records in the electronic health record. During periods of surge, at the discretion of the internship director, interns may be directed to work from home or from their office within the hospital, though this may change at the direction of our Cabinet. Kentucky currently has a mask requirement for hospital settings. In-hospital work requires mask and eye protection when not in private office, and may require more PPE depending on circumstance. Interns will have the opportunity to fit-test for proper n95 assignment, and when pandemic conditions allow for safe on-unit work, interns will be offered this opportunity and provided with appropriate PPE. For the duration of the pandemic state of emergency in Kentucky, interns will not be compelled into face to face care.
We continue a hybrid model of care, where interns will at times be in person and at times be virtual, depending on the health status of patients being served, and of interns, as well as the general risk level of the hospital and local area with respect to various pandemic/endemic contagious diseases.
Please be advised that at this time, proof of COVID-19 vaccination, and all relevant boosters recommended for healthcare workers, will be REQUIRED to work at Western State Hospital in any capacity, with no testing opt-out, beginning October 1, 2021. All approved vaccinations are readily available at no cost, locally. Depending on situation and availability, vaccination for COVID-19 and other common infectious diseases may also be available through WSH employee health. Additional paid eave will be provided per policy, for expected range of reactions to COVID-19 vaccination. Currently, vaccinated employees also receive additional paid leave for COVID-19 illness, and for quarantine periods if work-from-home is not an option at that time.
|