Information for Students - Forensic Psychiatric Services

The following information is intended to assist students coming to Forensic Psychiatric Hospital (FPH) for an approved educational practicum to become oriented to the site prior to arrival.

Students planning to attend a practicum at one of the six Forensic Regional Clinics, located in Surrey, Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kamloops and Prince George, should contact their on-site practicum supervisor prior to the start of the placement to obtain site-specific orientation information.

Directional Map

Identification

Students coming to Forensic Psychiatric Hospital for practicums of less than 3 months duration are required to wear a school-issued name badge or identification card at all times during their placement.

Students on practicums for 3 months or longer will be issued an FPH identification badge.  Speak to your on-site practicum supervisor upon arrival at the Forensic Hospital to arrange a time to have your photo ID created.

Facility Information

FPH is comprised of several buildings situated on a large campus. There is ample free parking on site, but please be sure to park only in designated public parking areas. Violators will be towed.

Bicycle racks are available for use near larger buildings.

BC Transit (Translink) buses run through the Riverview Hospital grounds and stop near the intersection of Lougheed Highway and Colony Farm Road (about 1 km from Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, which is located at the south end of Colony Farm Road). You can visit the Translink Tripplanning Website to plan the best way to travel to the Hospital.  Enter "Riverview Hospital" as your destination.  When you arrive at Riverview, get off the bus at the stop nearest the traffic lights at Lougheed Highway and Colony Farm Road (see site map above) and then proceed on foot to FPH.

Food Services

The Forensic Psychiatric Hospital has an on-site cafeteria, but hours of service are limited.  Students attending practica on afternoon shifts may therefore wish to bring their own lunch. All buildings have staff rooms, most of which are equipped with fridges and microwave ovens.

A variety of restaurants are available at Coquitlam Centre, located approximately 5 km from Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, or at other locations in the Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam area.

Lockers & Showers

Unfortunately, lockers for students are very limited and not available in all areas at the Forensic Hospital. However, students may store belongings in locked staff rooms in each building. Your on-site practicum supervisor can provide additional information about how and where to safely store your items. All students are strongly advised not to bring expensive clothing, jewelery or other items with them on practicum.

Shower facilities are available on site. Speak to your on-site practicum supervisor about the nearest location to your assigned work area.

Computer Systems Access

Students will be granted access to Forensic Psychiatric Hospital and/or Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) computer systems as required to meet learning goals and objectives.

Learning needs that may involve access to computer systems should be discussed between your school placement coordinator/faculty member and your on-site practicum supervisor at the time your placement is confirmed. Your on-site practicum supervisor will then make all the necessary arrangements to request a user account for you, as well as access to any computer application programs you will need to use.

Students granted access to FPH/PHSA computer systems may only use computing services for purposes related to their practicum. In addition, you must abide by all organizational policies regarding computer use, and must pay particular attention to ensure that the confidentiality of patient information is maintained at all times. Speak to your on-site supervisor for more detailed information.

Telephone & Cell Phone Use

Telephones at FPH are intended for business use, except in emergency situations. There are several payphones available on the Hospital grounds for personal calls.

With the exception of the on-site Laboratory, there are few areas at FPH where cell phones cannot be used, however, please check with your on-site practicum supervisor to see if there is any sensitive equipment in your assigned work area prior to making a cell phone call.

Under no circumstances may students use cell phone cameras to record images of Forensic Psychiatric Hospital patients, client information or other documents.


For more information about how to arrange a practice education placement, or other student placement opportunities within the Provincial Health Authority, please visit the PHSA Student Practice Education Web Page.