Zuzana Gabco
New Westminster,Canada
Summary
Registered Psychiatric Nurse with 16+ years of expertise in patient care, leadership, staff supervision, and related operations.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Forensics Hospital
01.2025 - Current
- Perform in-depth psychiatric and physical examinations on extremely complex patients, such as mental state exams, risk assessments (for aggression, self-harm, and absconding), and cognitive function and adaptive skills assessments. This requires obtaining information from multiple sources, including legal documents, relatives, and other healthcare providers.
- Establish and maintain strong therapeutic relationships with patients, frequently over time, while acknowledging the impact of trauma, stigma, and the forensic setting. This demands sophisticated communication and interpersonal skills.
- Administer and monitor psychiatric drugs, including complicated polypharmacy, as well as other prescription therapies, keeping an eye out for therapeutic effects and adverse reactions. Educate patients about their drugs.
- Provide skilled care for severe and chronic mental illness symptoms (e.g., psychosis, mood disorders, anxiety disorders), substance abuse, and co-occurring developmental disabilities.
- Implement and monitor specific behavioral support plans, de-escalation approaches, and crisis intervention procedures for patients who may demonstrate difficult or aggressive behaviours. This requires a thorough understanding of triggers and proactive interventions.
- Specialized Psychiatric and Forensic Nursing Care
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Provincial Assessment Centre
01.2023 - Current
- Conduct thorough physical, psychological, social, and spiritual assessments of patients/clients to identify health needs and formulate nursing diagnoses. This can include specialized assessments depending on the center (e.g., psychiatric, oncology, pediatric, women's health).
- Develop, implement, and evaluate individualized, evidence-based nursing care plans in collaboration with the patient/client, family, and the interdisciplinary team.
- Safely and accurately administer medications, treatments, and therapies as prescribed, monitoring for effects and adverse reactions. This often includes complex medications or infusions in specialized settings.
- Continuously monitor patient/client status, vital signs, symptoms, and responses to interventions. Adjust care plans as needed and report significant changes to the medical team.
- Maintain accurate, comprehensive, and timely electronic and/or paper records of all assessments, interventions, observations, and communications per BCCNM (British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives) standards and facility policies.
- Provide health education and teaching to patients/clients and their families regarding their condition, treatment plans, medications, self-management strategies, and health promotion.
- Work collaboratively as an integral member of the interdisciplinary health care team (including physicians, specialists, allied health professionals like physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers, dietitians, pharmacists, etc.) to ensure coordinated and holistic care.
- Initiate and facilitate comprehensive discharge planning, connecting patients/clients with appropriate community resources and support services to ensure continuity of care.
- Comprehensive Patient Assessment
- Care Planning and Implementation
- Medication Administration
- Monitoring and Evaluation
- Documentation
- Patient/Client and Family Education
- Collaboration and Interdisciplinary Teamwork
- Discharge Planning
Registered Psychiatric Nurse – Charge Nurse
Royal City Manor
01.2022 - 01.2023
- Assign resident care responsibilities to Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and Health Care Aides (HCAs), ensuring appropriate skill mix and workload distribution.
- Provide guidance and support to staff regarding resident care plans, complex situations, and adherence to policies and procedures.
- Monitor the quality of care delivered by all nursing staff on the unit during the shift.
- Oversee the overall resident care for the shift, ensuring continuity and effectiveness.
- Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team (physicians, therapists, social workers, dietitians, etc.) to develop, implement, and evaluate individualized care plans.
- Facilitate and participate in resident care conferences.
- Address changes in residents' conditions and ensure appropriate interventions and documentation.
- Oversee the ordering, safekeeping, and administration of medications and narcotics in compliance with all regulatory requirements and facility policies.
- Supervise resident self-medication assessments and audits where applicable.
- Clinical Leadership and Oversight
- Supervise and Delegate Care
- Coordinate Resident Care
- Medication Management
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Royal Columbian Hospital
01.2020 - 01.2022
- Receive equipment and report
- Physical assessment of all 5 acute patients, medication administration, evaluation of medication effectiveness, discussing effectiveness or a lack thereof with physicians and/or psychiatrists, followed up by necessary interventions.
- Charting every hour if in the seclusion room; otherwise, charting every two hours for each patient under my care.
- Psychiatric High Acuity – MHSU
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Surrey Memorial Hospital
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Receive equipment and report
- Physical assessment of all 5 acute patients, medication administration, evaluation of medication effectiveness, discussing effectiveness or a lack thereof with physicians and/or psychiatrists, followed up by necessary interventions.
- Charting following patients’ ‘level’ and situation. Level 1 patients, every hour if in the seclusion room; otherwise, charting would occur every two hours for each patient under my care.
- One-to-one discussions throughout the shift to assess mental status at regular and spontaneous intervals.
- Placing individuals into seclusion (with the help of the entire team) if they posed a threat to themselves or others, following the agency’s seclusion protocol.
- Psychiatric High Acuity Unit & Psych ER – Surrey Memorial Hospital
- IPU duties
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Connolly/Cottonwood/Cypress Lodges
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Supervised up to 6 staff on a 24-bed adult unit of a psychiatric facility, specializing in rehabilitation and recovery.
- Provided direct quality care to patients including daily monitoring, recording, and evaluating psychiatric medical conditions of up to 24 patients per day.
- Lead and trained newly staff registered nurses on unit routine, hospital/rehab protocol, and direct patient care, and duties within the unit.
- Provided teaching and instruction to visiting RN and RPN students.
- Responded to numerous volatile situations and violent outbreaks, earning the respect of physicians and coworkers for calm, level-headed and quick thinking to restore the safety and security of patients and staff.
- Developed and implemented treatment plans for patients with broad range of mental health issues.
- Ensured that doctors’ orders were effectively carried out, including testing, medical procedures, and consultations and stat orders for restraints.
- Temp & On-Call
Education
Bachelor of Nursing -
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Langley, BC01.2025
Bachelor of Science - Psychiatric Nursing
Douglas College
New Westminster, BC01.2020
Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing - Regional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing
Stenberg College
Surrey, BC01.2017
Bachelor of General Studies - Minor Criminology
Simon Fraser University
Burnaby, BC01.1999
Skills
- Dementia care
- Suicide risk assessment
- Patient observation
- Compassionate caregiving
Languages
English
Certification
First Aid, BLS, PVPC (ATR), WHMIS, BCCNM
Timeline
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Forensics Hospital
01.2025 - Current
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Provincial Assessment Centre
01.2023 - Current
Registered Psychiatric Nurse – Charge Nurse
Royal City Manor
01.2022 - 01.2023
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Royal Columbian Hospital
01.2020 - 01.2022
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Surrey Memorial Hospital
01.2019 - 01.2022
Registered Psychiatric Nurse
Connolly/Cottonwood/Cypress Lodges
01.2017 - 01.2019
Bachelor of Science - Psychiatric Nursing
Douglas College
Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing - Regional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing
Stenberg College
Bachelor of General Studies - Minor Criminology
Simon Fraser University
Bachelor of Nursing -
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Hobbies and Interests
Activities include photography, writing, workouts, watching movies, and cooking.
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