free time while volunteering? :/

[bluesails]

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The clinic I currently work for has me doing different shifts depending on the day of the week. I have two weeks left to go, but it seems that activity at the clinic is slowing down more and more. We're in a pretty middle-of-nowhere part of a third world country and primarily cater to wildlife and strays, so the caseload isn't very constant day to day.

On some days I'm left with an hour or more of time doing nothing - sitting "on call" while the vet or tech inputs records or attends appointments. So far I've been using this free time to work on some computerized projects for the organization that funds the clinic - creating websites, updating their volunteer program information online, making brochures for the public, etc. - but I'm bound to finish soon and I feel really guilty about some of the hours I'll be putting down when I'm doing nothing.

At first I felt that these times were still part of my shift and therefore I should put down the hours of my defined shift as decided in my program, but as time goes by I feel guiltier about doing this. Should I start to count only the hours I'm actually working with animals or veterinarians? (Especially when I finish all the computer stuff?) :/

 

[kermit123]

The clinic I currently work for has me doing different shifts depending on the day of the week. I have two weeks left to go, but it seems that activity at the clinic is slowing down more and more. We're in a pretty middle-of-nowhere part of a third world country and primarily cater to wildlife and strays, so the caseload isn't very constant day to day.

On some days I'm left with an hour or more of time doing nothing - sitting "on call" while the vet or tech inputs records or attends appointments. So far I've been using this free time to work on some computerized projects for the organization that funds the clinic - creating websites, updating their volunteer program information online, making brochures for the public, etc. - but I'm bound to finish soon and I feel really guilty about some of the hours I'll be putting down when I'm doing nothing.

At first I felt that these times were still part of my shift and therefore I should put down the hours of my defined shift as decided in my program, but as time goes by I feel guiltier about doing this. Should I start to count only the hours I'm actually working with animals or veterinarians? (Especially when I finish all the computer stuff?) :/

I say count it - you've volunteered this time and made yourself available to them, and your hours should reflect that sacrifice.

 

[Vet_Squared80]

Should I start to count only the hours I'm actually working with animals or veterinarians? (Especially when I finish all the computer stuff?) :/

Absolutely not! I agree with the pp - you volunteered your time, and you are making use of it. It would be different if you sat around doing nothing or playing computer games or something, but you are doing work that needs to be done for them, and that definitely counts!

 

[NittanyKitty]

I'd definitely count all of your time! And that's kind of the nature of the veterinary beast. I worked for a suburban-edging-on-rural practice for six years with one year as a full-time tech. Some days you could barely wolf down a lunch and were there one or two hours past closing time. Others, you were sitting around waiting for something to happen. I wouldn't devalue the time you've spent at the clinic simply because every day wasn't jam-packed with activity.

 

[StartingoverVet]

No job is active every minute of every day. Should people start deducting their bathroom breaks? I think not.

Every hour you are in the clinic you are exposed to the profession. Even watching people input records exposes you to some aspect of the job (however repetitive).

I found down time invaluable in getting a chance to talk to the vets and/or vet techs to receive a little more insight into some of their past experiences.

At the end, I started "reading" the veterinary books in the library about a relevant topic. Not saying I learned much, but it was exposure, and that is what counts.

No reason to feel "guilty" about anything. You are in no way being misleading in your time. Everyone's experience varies.

 

[jmo1012]

slow days are part of the job. a lot of ER work is very hit or miss. i did a lot of sitting around waiting for anything to happen. its still experience, just in a different way!

 

[sunnex3]

seriously. i've worked as an ICU/ER tech for a while now, and some days we'll maybe see 3 incoming patients. other days (such as on sundays when no reg vets are open) we'll see like 30 in one day, with only 2 doctors on staff (1 regular 1 intern) and only 3 techs. it can get pretty crazy, but even the days when it's not, i still consider that experience.

 

[Tegan05]

Find the library! All vet clinics should have textbooks and other interesting things laying around. My clinic also has some cool magazine and journal subscriptions.

Whenever things were slow, and especially during lunch, I would plop myself down in a chair and start reading. If I had a question and one of the vets was free, I'd ask them about it and start a conversation and learn lots of new things.

 

[sunnex3]

i like to read 5 minute vet consult and plumbs when there's free time...especially plumbs, it can be helpful and interesting to learn about all the various medications that we administer to the patients!