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Faces of CMHA WW: Lorraine Silvani, Nurse Clinician, Adult Intensive Services

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CMHA WW Nurse Lorraine Silvani sits at a desk in an office

I think this job is very challenging and we are privileged to work with clients on a personal level. Hopefully, I have made a positive impact in the people’s lives I have served.

1. What is involved in your role?

As a nurse in our Adult Psychiatry Team, I support people by calling them in between psychiatry appointments when they have had medication adjustments. This allows for a timely response if additional or more urgent interventions are required. I check in on their symptoms and coping skills when they call in to us. We give injections of long-acting antipsychotics. We also meet with the Here 24/7 team to discuss crisis triage clients and prioritize their care. As a nurse on the Adult Intensive Service (AIS) team, which is based on the flexible assertive community treatment (FACT) model, I work closely with support coordinators, occupational therapists, a peer navigator, mental health clinicians, psychiatry, and our manager to provide the most holistic care possible.

2. What brought you to CMHA?

I originally worked at CMHC (Community Mental Health Clinic) back in the day for several years and left to join the ACT team in Fergus. But I came back to CMHA WW which had changed from CMHC to Trellis and then to join a much larger CMHA during my time away. I worked in Kitchener and Cambridge on the FACT team there, and now in Guelph which is close to home, so I walk to work some days. I think CMHA WW is very good at looking after the whole community, we have an abundance of resources and hard-working dedicated staff that do make a difference in the health of our communities.

Just be aware if you decide to resign, you may return one day to work here again!

How do you support people at CMHA in your role?

Being available to our clients and the psychiatrist to determine specific needs and the most appropriate action to be taken. Also being available to the AIS team to help with the clients, whether it is talking about their meds, connecting with their family doctor, or being an extra hand on the team.

4. What are you proud of during your time at CMHA?

I think this job is very challenging and we are privileged to work with clients on a personal level. Hopefully, I have made a positive impact in the people’s lives I have served.

5. What would you like people to know about Nursing & AIS?

Working as a nurse is never boring, every day is different with our AIS team. Interacting with the team makes it possible to do the best for our clients as well as a satisfying work experience for us. Some days can be frustrating and exhausting, but at the end of the day there are definitely many rewarding times.

 

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