Emergency

On-site information for student practice

Learn information to help you navigate on-site during your student placement with a Vancouver Coastal Health team.

Photo identification (ID)

Instructors and students are expected to wear their school identification, preferably ID with a photo.

Access cards

VCH does not provide photo identification (ID) cards to students, so if you are a student, you will not automatically receive an access cards for locked units. 

If you are completing their practicum in a restricted-access unit that requires an access card, the site manager needs to obtain generic swipe cards for you to use while on site. It is recommended for students or school instructors to ask if there are available generic cards on sites with locked units in advance of the placement start date.

If there are no generic swipe cards at the site, the site managers are to access this intranet link to request generic cards for students.

Professional image

As a student, you are expected to follow the same appearance guidelines of our staff.  Professional Image Guidelines

Parking, transit and cycling information for students

Supporting healthy commute to work options for students.

  • Parking at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH)

    Parking

    VGH Parkade

    • The parkade is an automated pay-by-license-plate site. Students can use a special code or permit to receive a reduced rate for parking on-site. Please contact your school placing coordinator to receive the code.

    Diamond Health Care Centre Parkade

    Important: Please note that parking at VGH is very limited, and students are strongly advised to take transit, where possible, using their Compass cards that their institution issues.

     

  • Parking at Lions Gate Hospital (LGH)

    Students can use a special code to receive a reduced rate for parking on-site. Please contact your school placing coordinator to receive the code.

    If the placing agency does not already have the code to share with their students, it can be obtained from the receiving coordinator.

    Please note that parking at LGH is very limited, and students are strongly advised to take transit, where possible, using their Compass cards that their institution issues.

  • Parking at Richmond Hospital (RH)

    Students are required to register their license plates for parking at Richmond Hospital. The school instructor will need to email Parking Administration two weeks prior to the practicum start date: lmcparking@fraserhealth.ca to obtain and submit the registration form.

  • Cycling to VCH sites

    Cycling is often the fastest way of getting around for trips of under 5km - especially in more urban areas of Greater Vancouver. It is also an enjoyable way to travel.

    Most VCH sites have secure cycling facilities and you can find more information through our intranet page at:https://one.vch.ca/working-here/employee-supports/commuting/bike-to-work (VCH Intranet access required). Access to the facilities is granted through an online application process and is gained using your hospital ID as swipe card access.

    if you don’t have intranet access, you can email commuting@vch.ca with any specific questions you might have

    VGH Cycling Centre

    VGH is pleased to house an award-winning indoor Cycling Centre for bike commuters for VCH staff and students. The Centre has showers, towels and lockers with access 24 hours a day. You can find more information, and the membership application at VGH Cycling Centre.

    Bike training for commuters

    'On-Road' bike training for nervous riders is available through the Vancouver Area Cycling Coalition (VACC). This is a one day course and is free.  Call (604) 734-1385 for more details.

    Bikes on transit

    You can take your bike on SkyTrain, except in the peak direction during weekday rush hours, 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. 

    Cost: There is no additional charge to take your bike on SkyTrain, SeaBus or the bus. The West Coast Express has an additional charge of $1/day or $15/month.

    Capacity for bikes varies across modes and is on a first-come, first-served basis.Cyclists can load and unload at all regular stops across the system. Transit Attendants and Security staff may restrict the passage of bicycles at any time when loading conditions make it unsafe.

    Lock and ride

    Bike lockers are a great option for regular commuters.  The lockers are available to rent for $30 for a three-month period, plus a refundable key deposit.

    Bike rentals

    For rental information please call C-Media at (604) 924-1076 or visit the C-Media website.

  • Taking transit to VCH sites

    Transit trip planners

    Park and Ride

    Translink offers an interactive map with the Park and Ride lots within Metro Vancouver. You can park your car at one of the safe and convenient Park and Ride locations and then use transit to get to your destination.

Room bookings for student practice

VCH Student Practice does not process room booking requests and has no access to the VCH room inventory.

If you require a room for your student group or other student practice-related meetings on-site, please consider the following alternatives first:

  • virtual meetings
  • PSI on-campus rooms and designated meeting spaces 

If you urgently require a meeting room at a VCH facility and none of the above options work for you, please contact the administrative staff on the unit where your students are placed.