Posted • Last updated
Closed
Commitment: Short-term
Connection method: Virtual
Open to Vancouver Island Region
Last updated
Volunteer Opportunity
Forensic Services supports survivors of interpersonal and sexual abuse, supporting them on what could be the worst days of their lives. We are seeking patient partners to help us revise our Survivor Education Booklet. This will be given out upon discharge from our services and we need to ensure the information inside is culturally relevant, helpful, and provides tools for the survivor to access.
Lead Organization/Department
Island Health, Trauma & Forensic Services
Aim
We are asking patient partners to review the booklet and send feedback. This can be virtually, electronically, or in person. We value our partners’ specific expertise and their support for us to give survivors a comprehensive and support package of materials. We are looking for those who can give us their lens as survivors, loves ones of survivors, ensuring our work is culturally and gender inclusive. We aim to ensure our work is gender-inclusive, is culturally-inclusive, and relevant for our Indigenous partners.
Level of Engagement
This opportunity is at the level of collaborate on the spectrum of engagement. The promise to you is that the health care partner will work together with you to formulate solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.
Eligibility
• Open to patient partners from: Island Health region
• Comfort telling you/your loves one’s story after accessing health care for interpersonal violence or sexual assault
• Able to access the booklet electronically or via paper, and to add suggestions/thoughts/ideas in the same format
• Please note risks may include retriggering for survivors who partner with us. We can connect individually for anonymity if required, and can navigate resources to support should this occur.
• Please note:
– This opportunity is not open to staff members or patient partners who are currently employed by this health authority.
– As connection and relationship building is important, we may like to meet with short listed patient partners as part of our selection process in an informal interview between the patient partner and the health care partner.
– Applicants must have previously attended a PVN orientation session and completed the Patient Partner Commitments form. If you have not attended an orientation session but you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Charmaine Niebergall directly to see if accommodations may be possible.
– As required by the October 14, 2021 Public Health Order released by the Provincial Health Officer, proof of vaccination is required to access any in-person meetings at a health care site. Proof of vaccination can be provided by way of a Vaccination Passport or Vaccination card, along with government issued photo ID. For patient partnership activities that are virtual only (via Zoom, video conference, phone, etc.), proof of vaccination is not required.
Logistics
• Number of vacancies: 4
• Date/Time:
– Meetings to begin in May.
– Project can be done electronically, or one-on-one, whichever gives our partners the most comfort.
– It should take approx. 2 hours to read the document and add feedback, and an hour for use to follow up on that feedback and ask questions.
• Location: virtually (by Zoom or MS Teams), electronically (by email) or in-person
• Commitment: approximately 3 hours
Reimbursement
No out-of-pocket expenses are anticipated for this engagement opportunity. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria but have concerns about your ability to participate, please contact Charmaine Niebergall cniebergall@bcpsqc.ca to see if support options are available. We are always seeking to better understand and reduce barriers to participation.
Background
Survivors of interpersonal violence and sexual assault seek health care in a time of crisis, when it may be difficult to process what is happening. Forensic Services is proud to provide this care, using specially trained Forensic Nurses. However, a lot of information is discussed during the visit: immediate medical needs, injuries sustained, options for collecting forensic evidence for possible presentation in court, pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection prevention. All of this information is often overwhelming.
Forensic Services has a very outdated Survivor Education Booklet. It is our ethical and professional responsibility to update this work, and help survivors understand the information they were given. We have collaborated with Forensic experts, but need support from patient partners to complete the work. This work will also go through Clinical Learning & Knowledge Services to check appropriateness for literacy, and will be translated.
Risks may include retriggering for survivors who partner with this. We can connect individually for anonymity if required, and can navigate resources to support should this occur. The care setting is Emergency Departments or Clinics that care for survivors, such as the Victoria Sexual Assault Clinic.
