NURSING

Utah State Hospital welcomes nursing students who are in a qualified nursing program for LPN and RN licensure. This is the ideal clinical site to learn about and grow to appreciate psychiatric mental health nursing. Our facility provides learning opportunities with pediatric, adult and forensic populations.

RNs play a key role at Utah State Hospital since they are the charge nurse for their shifts. RN duties include patient assessments, critical thinking, and clinical decision making skills to coordinate and implement all patient care needs for the unit they are working on during their shift. While working with, mentoring and supervising Psychiatric Technicians and LPN on shifts, RNs promote a team effort to oversee patient care. RNs are a critical member of the unit's multidisciplinary treatment team.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR LPN AND UNDERGRADUATE RN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH ROTATIONS

1. Students must be enrolled with a qualified nursing program that has a contract with the Utah State Hospital for clinical placements.

2. Clinical faculty for the nursing program coordinate all clinical mental health rotations with Melinda NiiOkai, BSN, RN. Contact information is email: mlewis@utah.gov; phone: 801-344-4262

3. Students must coordinate with their clinical faculty for when clinical rotations occur and complete required paperwork (e.g. HIPAA forms).

QUALIFICATIONS FOR CAPSTONE CLINICAL PLACEMENTS

1. Students must be enrolled with a qualified nursing program that has a contract with the Utah State Hospital for clinical placements. Students are in the semester of their undergraduate nursing program that requires a capstone experience.

2. Clinical faculty for the nursing program coordinate all capstone experiences with AlRae Snyder, APRN. Contact information is email: asnyder@utah.gov; phone: 801-344-4238

3. Since capstone students are more engaged in patient care than mental health rotation students they must attend parts of the hospital's New Employee Orientation prior to meeting their assigned mentor for doing required clinical hours.

4. Students must complete required paperwork (e,g, HIPAA forms, electronic access forms).

5. Students must be emotionally, mentally and physically able to train and learn from their mentor the role of the RN in the multidisciplinary treatment team.