Valuable clinical experience?

[neuromaria9]

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So I just started volunteering at the hospital ER. I've been waiting for a while and I like volunteering but I also want it to be valuable. I had training and was told I have to clean the rooms after patients are discharged, put blankets in the blanket warmers, make sure there are blood pressure cuffs and other necessary equipment in the room. I also bring family members water and stuff if they want. Today, I went into a patient room because the doctor said some patients wanted water and got to talk to a patient and brought her a water bottle. I just started here so I'm not sure how it'll be in the long run but my goal is to get a volunteer experience I love and that is also valuable.

 

[Tenk]

Volunteering in the ER is what got me interested in EM. Anytime you help out like that trust me, it makes a difference for the team.

 

[DingoPingo]

Volunteers are a valuable part of the care team. Bringing that patient the water bottle and talking to him/her probably was very kind and can bring a lot of comfort to the patient!

 

[neature]

It sounds like you're on the right track to make it a valuable experience for both you and the patients you visit! I volunteer in the ER at 3 hospitals as well and have found that you can make it a valuable experience if you want to. You definitely get out what you put in. My suggestion when starting is just to be friendly and don't be afraid to initiate conversations with staff and get to know them because they will recognize your willingness to help and ask you to do more tasks. We have a couple of volunteers who literally bring a chair from the volunteer office and sit in the ER reading throughout their entire shift. Most volunteer shifts are flexible, so you can definitely make it a valuable experience that you enjoy! Good luck, it sounds like you're off to a good start.


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[neuromaria9]

The doctors in the ER have scribes that work with them and hopefully I can be a part of that later in my UG years.

 

[neuromaria9]

I've done 9 hours so far, and it's been pretty good! There are times when I've had nothing to do so I just sit in the waiting area but I'm afraid of getting in trouble or being useless. Everyone is pretty kind to me though and constantly thank me. This week though, I felt pretty sick during my shift and I was scared of passing out so one of the custodian ladies gave me a soda and then I heard her talking in Spanish (I'm hispanic but she doesn't know) about how I'm stupid and how the doctors should make me pay for the soda? The only rude people I've encountered are the custodians and the med student scribes.

 

[neature]

I've done 9 hours so far, and it's been pretty good! There are times when I've had nothing to do so I just sit in the waiting area but I'm afraid of getting in trouble or being useless. Everyone is pretty kind to me though and constantly thank me. This week though, I felt pretty sick during my shift and I was scared of passing out so one of the custodian ladies gave me a soda and then I heard her talking in Spanish (I'm hispanic but she doesn't know) about how I'm stupid and how the doctors should make me pay for the soda? The only rude people I've encountered are the custodians and the med student scribes.

I wouldn't be worried about getting in trouble or feeling useless while volunteering. It's pretty common that volunteers don't have a ton to do during their shift. I would suggest just checking in with the HUC and asking if there is anything else they need help with. The more you volunteer, the more things you will discover that you can help out with too.

And wow sounds like that custodian wasn't very nice. Usually the staff get friendlier once they get to know you and see you around more often. Once they do, they might even ask you to do more exciting things🙂


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[Doctor-S]

I've done 9 hours so far, and it's been pretty good! There are times when I've had nothing to do so I just sit in the waiting area but I'm afraid of getting in trouble or being useless. Everyone is pretty kind to me though and constantly thank me. This week though, I felt pretty sick during my shift and I was scared of passing out so one of the custodian ladies gave me a soda and then I heard her talking in Spanish (I'm hispanic but she doesn't know) about how I'm stupid and how the doctors should make me pay for the soda? The only rude people I've encountered are the custodians and the med student scribes.

No worries ... the world is filled with considerate people, as well as inconsiderate people. You are to be commended for being an enthusiastic ER volunteer.

When you feel as if you don't have anything to do, you can always ask for something to do. Many times, people need help with administrative things, such as filing documents. The life of a volunteer in an ER is not always memorialized by non-stop red lights, sirens, and action-packed code blues. At times, it can be boringly routine ... or wildly busy.

You're doing fine ... and I agree with @Tenk ... every time you help (or offer to help), you're helping the ER team by being a volunteer with a positive attitude - good work, @neuromaria9.

 

[FutureOncologist]

I have been on both sides. As an ED volunteer and as a med student doing rotations in the ED. I can tell you that you make a difference. We medical students and physicians have a lot of patients and a lot of stuff to do. I don't know about others, but I hated asking a nurse, whom is very busy himself or herself, to fetch the patient a soda/water bottle. S/he does it, but it's a waste of time for a medical staff to really do that all the time. A volunteer really cuts out all of that and makes the ED run so much smoother...

When I was in UG, it made me connections with other physicians to allow me to shadow them, either when I volunteered or on my own time. You can also use it to shadow the nurses if you'd like, to reaffirm on your application that being a physician, not a nurse, is what you want to do. You also get to see a lot of cool things. I saw my first ever code blue while volunteering in a small level III ED. If you stick with it long enough and keep a positive relationship with the ED, it will benefit you far more than just changing linens all the time.

 

[neuromaria9]

No worries ... the world is filled with considerate people, as well as inconsiderate people. You are to be commended for being an enthusiastic ER volunteer.

When you feel as if you don't have anything to do, you can always ask for something to do. Many times, people need help with administrative things, such as filing documents. The life of a volunteer in an ER is not always memorialized by non-stop red lights, sirens, and action-packed code blues. At times, it can be boringly routine ... or wildly busy.

You're doing fine ... and I agree with @Tenk ... every time you help (or offer to help), you're helping the ER team by being a volunteer with a positive attitude - good work, @neuromaria9.

I will try that next time I go! And thank you so much! My goal here is to get a meaningful experience that makes me happy. I don't want it to just be something that I cross off a list.

 

[neuromaria9]

I have been on both sides. As an ED volunteer and as a med student doing rotations in the ED. I can tell you that you make a difference. We medical students and physicians have a lot of patients and a lot of stuff to do. I don't know about others, but I hated asking a nurse, whom is very busy himself or herself, to fetch the patient a soda/water bottle. S/he does it, but it's a waste of time for a medical staff to really do that all the time. A volunteer really cuts out all of that and makes the ED run so much smoother...

When I was in UG, it made me connections with other physicians to allow me to shadow them, either when I volunteered or on my own time. You can also use it to shadow the nurses if you'd like, to reaffirm on your application that being a physician, not a nurse, is what you want to do. You also get to see a lot of cool things. I saw my first ever code blue while volunteering in a small level III ED. If you stick with it long enough and keep a positive relationship with the ED, it will benefit you far more than just changing linens all the time.

Thank you! My plan is to stay there for my 4 UG years. I can also volunteer in multiple areas of the hospital while staying in the ED so that's something I'll look into.

 

[toutou]

Your definition of valuable might be different than mine. Either way, if you're in any helping role I'm sure it makes a different. I didn't volunteer in a hospital etc. One of my experience was hospice volunteering where I accompany those who are actively dying. Being there for people at their most vulnerable state like that was pretty rewarding and valuable. Maybe you can look into something like that. It's not glamorous like ER etc but the warm support you can give to the patient and family is much more valuable than you think.