** We plan to take one 1st year student this year in our inpatient program. 

Adult Inpatient Unit Intern Description

This program is primarily reserved for first year students, however, a second-year student interested in acute services may interview for a second-year placement.  Students will work closely with a preceptor and field instructor on one of the three in-patient teams.  The Intern will have weekly supervision with the practicum instructor and group supervision with other first year students placed at the Harbor outpatient programs.  The student will attend rounds and facilitate groups and family meetings with the in-patient social worker. The inpatient setting is an intense, fast paced environment with high numbers of daily admissions and discharges.  This position is in the hospital in the locked psychiatric inpatient area.  It is a DMH position but works collaboratively with DHS staff in a DHS setting, the psychiatric area of the hospital.

Population Served

Harbor treats severely and persistently mentally ill adult patients who have been placed on involuntary and voluntary holds.  Many do not have insurance, have little or no income and are homeless or in a transitional period.

Patients range in age from 18 to older adult.  We now have an Adolescent Psychiatric Emergency Department, so we treat 13-17 as well.

Patients are placed on a hold from a variety of different agencies including outpatient clinics, police, and mobile response teams.

Patient stays vary in length.  Adolescents are with us briefly, but adults could be in the hospital less than 72 hours or for a few months.

Caseload

During the academic year, the student will likely carry approximately half the case load of the 14-bed psychiatric unit and complete 2 to 3 intakes and discharges each day.

The student will be asked to present patients at group supervision 2-3 times during the school year.

They will participate in patient rounds as appropriate.

A Good Candidate for this Position

A student should have an interest in working with severely and persistently mentally ill patients in a highly acute setting with a multi-disciplinary team.  The team includes doctors, nurses, social workers and occupational therapists.

The student should have an interest in working with the patients’ families and community resources in an attempt to reduce the need for future hospitalizations.