Centra Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Program Internship

During the summer of 2016, I took part in an internship with the Centra Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Program at Virginia Baptist Hospital. I directly worked with the acute inpatient care unit, known as KRISE 6. Patients who come to this unit, upon voluntary or court-ordered admission, are between the ages of five and eighteen; they are typically in a crisis situation and need a safe environment for stabilization. They stay an average of five days. The census is constantly changing on the unit due to new admissions and frequent discharges. During the 240 hours of my internship, I learned about treatment plans, various types of therapies, and general unit procedures. I also interacted with countless patients and took part in their treatment exercises. This internship gave me insight into some of the challenges associated with mental health services and gave me further guidance for my career path