Volunteer in Emergency Department

[DjKanobi]

Hello all my pre-med peeps. I am going to start volunteering in the emergency department soon and would like to know what I can expect in terms of duties and types of things I will experience. It is a trauma 1 level hospital and is always extremely busy. I am sure a great number of people out there have, or is still holding this type of position and any stories or tips will be most appreciated.

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[TheRealMD]

Why did you volunteer if you didn't know what you were going to be doing? Call the hospital volunteer office. It's the easiest way to find out!

 

[DjKanobi]

Wow that was really helpful RealMD.

Maybe I was a little unclear about what I am after. I want some insight into things I can expect while volunteering...the type of things that aren't listed in the orientation manual. The only person I have had contact with is the volunteer coordinator and he doesn't really have a comprehensive understanding of what goes on in the ER. I learned a lot from the reading material, but I am sure there are things that aren't listed in the many booklets I received.

Just little tips and suggestions is all I am after...or really cool stories

 

[gary5]

First, realize that everyone there has a job to do, and that you have no medical skills. So, you may end up standing around a lot. Or maybe they'll have some standard tasks for you, like transporting patients. So, you need to initiate. Find a friendly resident and ask them if you can tag along with them. If they say yes, then here will be your opportunities to do things. Maybe you'll hand them instruments when they're doing minor procedures, etc. I had a resident let me put a few stitches into someone's scalp. The laceration went through to the skull and I nearly passed out looking at it. And he had me stick this syringe into the wound and flush it out with an antiseptic, so all this stuff was coming out of the gash. Well, anyway, it was a cool brief opportunity. You should see some cool things and maybe do some stuff too. Be friendly, be enthusiastic, and be politely assertive.

 

[Parfee]

First, realize that everyone there has a job to do, and that you have no medical skills. So, you may end up standing around a lot. Or maybe they'll have some standard tasks for you, like transporting patients. So, you need to initiate. Find a friendly resident and ask them if you can tag along with them. If they say yes, then here will be your opportunities to do things. Maybe you'll hand them instruments when they're doing minor procedures, etc. I had a resident let me put a few stitches into someone's scalp. The laceration went through to the skull and I nearly passed out looking at it. And he had me stick this syringe into the wound and flush it out with an antiseptic, so all this stuff was coming out of the gash. Well, anyway, it was a cool brief opportunity. You should see some cool things and maybe do some stuff too. Be friendly, be enthusiastic, and be politely assertive.

Just to add to this, it might be different with the hospital policy. Where I volunteer at, we are not supposed to do anything "invasive". But the PA's let me put on the cast and irrigate wounds and stuff. However, do expect to have lots of down time though. Since it's ER, most ppl would be busy and might not have time to pay attention to you and teach you stuff.

 

[Mbekweni]

Hello all my pre-med peeps. I am going to start volunteering in the emergency department soon and would like to know what I can expect in terms of duties and types of things I will experience. It is a trauma 1 level hospital and is always extremely busy. I am sure a great number of people out there have, or is still holding this type of position and any stories or tips will be most appreciated.

If you get an EMT certification (not that difficult) you can become an ED Technician. This way you can legally do a little bit more with patients. I did my EMT-B training at an ER and really enjoyed it. Basically, don't expect to do anything invasive. I watched procedures such as casting, putting in IVs, and stood in the corner of the trauma room when patients came in. Technically I could have done basic life support if needed- but the general rule is to always defer to someone with more training and experience in emergency situations- and those people are always there in the hospital, so don't expect to be doing anything dramatic.

My active activities included setting up monitors on non-critical patients (BP, resp, O2 sat etc), taking vitals (signed off by nurse in charge though), and "catching" when taking blood etc. I also took out IVs, hung out with patients, got them water and crackers (again after checking with nurse in charge). Little stuff- but very fun. I was basically assigned to one nurse and helped them out throughout the day. Also a bit frustrating as I was constantly reminded of the limitations...but that's why I'm on to medical school. I think you'll enjoy the ER work though- it's a quick way to see a lot of things and see if medicine is right for you.

Also, a quick fun story, as I've known some people whose ED Tech experiences weren't as nurturing. One friend (now a resident) did a lot of the above stuff, but her main role at a busy hospital was to put dead patients into body bags and take them to the morgue. In her first week a doctor and nurse played a joke on her, and after the patient was bagged, light off and door closed they moved the body and one got into the bag and started making lots of noise. My friend as a new ED Tech almost passed out when she thought the body had come back to life! The ED has a very different social atmosphere than other clinical areas. Some love it, others don't.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Little stuff- but very fun

God to be that easily amused again......

 

[Mbekweni]

God to be that easily amused again......

Ok, so not FUN, but it beat moving dead bodies around all day.

 

[DropkickMurphy]

Ok, so not FUN, but it beat moving dead bodies around all day.

Did you work in a morgue or something?

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Just to add to this, it might be different with the hospital policy. Where I volunteer at, we are not supposed to do anything "invasive". But the PA's let me put on the cast and irrigate wounds and stuff. However, do expect to have lots of down time though. Since it's ER, most ppl would be busy and might not have time to pay attention to you and teach you stuff.

Or your hospital policy may be rabid about HIPAA and won't let you anywhere near procedures or not allow you to shadow residents/attending at all, like at my level 1 trauma ED that I volunteer at.

 

[drlisa0318]

Sigh....when will premeds learn that the purpose of volunteering has nothing to do with shadowing or gaining medical experience/exposure? The purpose of volunteering is to help others, to give back to the community with no desire for personal gain. If, in the process of volunteering in a medical setting, you are able to gain some medical experience/exposure, then that's just icing on the cake, but it should by no means be your reason for being there.

Just for a moment, put yourself in the patient's place. You're stuck there on a bed, uncomfortable, possibly alone, no TV, no books or magazines, no one to talk with. The waiting can seem interminable. Now, imagine someone coming in, smiling, asking if there's anything they can do for you. Imagine how relieved you'd feel knowing you haven't been forgotten, how grateful you'd feel knowing someone cared enough even to ask.

Don't underestimate the power of a friendly smile or the importance of a willing ear. Once, when I asked a patient (who was alone) what I could do for her, she just grabbed my arm and said, "Please, just stay here and talk with me!" Another patient, who also was alone, was stuck on a backboard. All she could do was stare at the ceiling tiles. I stayed with her for 1 1/2 hours until she was released.

You'll be surprised at how many wonderful people you can meet in the ED. There are so many I've met that still stand out: a retired 86-yr old priest (very funny and a shameless flatterer), a jockey (still in his racing silks) who'd been injured in a race, a woman who was so much like my late mother-in-law that they could have been twins (except my MIL was Italian and the woman I met was black).

In my volunteering in the ED, I've never once been bored and never had any "down" time, not even on those days when I've not been able to observe any procedures or traumas.

Please don't be one of those "volunteers" that a nurse in PICU once complained to me about: the ones that basically just sit and gather dust.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Sigh....when will premeds learn that the purpose of volunteering has nothing to do with shadowing or gaining medical experience/exposure? The purpose of volunteering is to help others, to give back to the community with no desire for personal gain. If, in the process of volunteering in a medical setting, you are able to gain some medical experience/exposure, then that's just icing on the cake, but it should by no means be your reason for being there.

Exactly! Anything related to viewing procedures or doing anything outside my scope of duties as a volunteer (stocking, cleaning beds, running errands, helping patients with non-medical stuff, reuniting family with patients, etc) has always been secondary. However, I see techs (who are premeds and employees) and outside observerships (premed version) getting to see/assist with procedures, as well as other pre-med ER volunteers that are able to find opportunities where the attendings/residents are more than happy to enrich pre-meds. I guess your experience will vary greatly depending on where you volunteer.

 

[ryandote]

I had a resident let me put a few stitches into someone's scalp. The laceration went through to the skull and I nearly passed out looking at it. And he had me stick this syringe into the wound and flush it out with an antiseptic, so all this stuff was coming out of the gash.

But the PA's let me put on the cast and irrigate wounds and stuff. However, do expect to have lots of down time though. Since it's ER, most ppl would be busy and might not have time to pay attention to you and teach you stuff.

Wow. (And that is a "That's crazy that the hospital/doctor would expose themself to that type of liability" wow.) You guys are lucky.

My ED experience was pretty sterile. Pleasant, but sterile. Since I stayed up on stocking, cleaning, bed-making, and gurney-pushing pretty well - I was available to watch most of the procedures I wanted to.

If you are trying to prepare, realize that the honest-to-goodness job description probably is not much more than you see in the pamphlet. If you build relationships, you'll probably get to see alot. If you pick the correct HIPPA/JCAHO-non-compliant hospital, you may even get to touch somebody sometime.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Sigh....when will premeds learn that the purpose of volunteering has nothing to do with shadowing or gaining medical experience/exposure? The purpose of volunteering is to help others, to give back to the community with no desire for personal gain. If, in the process of volunteering in a medical setting, you are able to gain some medical experience/exposure, then that's just icing on the cake, but it should by no means be your reason for being there...

Took the words right out of my mouth. Thanks. That saved me a lot of typing.

The hospital pays people to do the medicine, you're there to sit with the patients and comfort them. Volunteering is a lot different from shadowing or working in healthcare. If you want to sit in the doc's back pocket ask one if you could shadow him/her, but when you're in your volunteering uniform you have another job to do.

 

[DjKanobi]

Thank you for posting your stories and thoughts everyone. I definately have a better understanding of what my role is and what I can expect.

Mbekweni, that sounds like a really good idea. I think I will seriously look into the emt option. Also what a funny story...I hope the people I work with will be as amusing.

DrLisa, thanks for your comment. I will definately keep what you said in mind and keep patients my first priority. I absolutely have no intentions of collecting dust while participating in this program and I think if I have any down time, which seems to be common, I will interact with the patients as much as possible.

 

[mdm2fly]

Hello all my pre-med peeps. I am going to start volunteering in the emergency department soon and would like to know what I can expect in terms of duties and types of things I will experience. It is a trauma 1 level hospital and is always extremely busy. I am sure a great number of people out there have, or is still holding this type of position and any stories or tips will be most appreciated.

hmmm...looking for something to write in your PS? Why not just volunteer and find out?

 

[DjKanobi]

wow why the distrust mdm2fly? lol. I haven't been scheduled for my volunteer orientation and was just looking for some info to be prepared. Also just wanted to hear some cool stories. hahaha I would never hijack someone elses experiences...what are you crazy?