What sort of volunteer experience would this be considered...

[IonClaws]

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Hi,

So I'm volunteering at an Assisted Living Community, working with marginalized elderly over the summer and all the time before my next application (June 1st, 2012).

There are some nurses who work there, and also a dementia unit. However, everything I do seems to be non-clinical (helping out and encouraging the elderly to play games, listening to life stories, generally keeping them company). I do enjoy my work with them thus far.

Would it be considered a clinical experience because it's with a facility that assists those with some medical issues, or is it more non-clinical, community-service oriented?

Thanks!

 

[sector9]

I believe that this would be non-clinical for two reasons
1. The people there are usually considered residents, not patients
2. It doesn't sound like there are people around who can write prescriptions

Still a great EC though

 

[StudyShy]

Hi,

So I'm volunteering at an Assisted Living Community, working with marginalized elderly over the summer and all the time before my next application (June 1st, 2012).

There are some nurses who work there, and also a dementia unit. However, everything I do seems to be non-clinical (helping out and encouraging the elderly to play games, listening to life stories, generally keeping them company). I do enjoy my work with them thus far.

Would it be considered a clinical experience because it's with a facility that assists those with some medical issues, or is it more non-clinical, community-service oriented?

Thanks!

Can you smell them? I would say clinical.

 

[Doctor246853]

Can you smell them? I would say clinical.

I think this is an exception to the rule. The only way the op might smell the "resident" not patient, is if the patient poops on himself and the op smells it at the nursing station from down the hall. (it happens in places like that kinda often) I think its a nice ec but not clinical experience, thats kinda stretching it.

 

[StudyShy]

I think this is an exception to the rule. The only way the op might smell the "resident" not patient, is if the patient poops on himself and the op smells it at the nursing station from down the hall. (it happens in places like that kinda often) I think its a nice ec but not clinical experience, thats kinda stretching it.

People at nursing homes are also called residents, but a lot "residents" are clearly more like patients at some places (i.e., some ECFs have vents and such). This job seems very similar to what someone would do on the psych unit or in a pediatric playroom. An ER volunteer often has less patient/resident contact than this. Futhermore, since there are nurses that work in this facility and the fact that it has a specific dementia unit, I would tend lean more toward clinical volunteering.

 

[jm192]

I'd go non-clinical. Assisted living is often more along the lines of healthy people that simply aren't able to to do all of the tasks they need to do on their own---or maybe they have trouble getting up and down. But, they are often in no immediate health risk.

Stilllooksgood

 

[NightGod]

I'd go non-clinical. Assisted living is often more along the lines of healthy people that simply aren't able to to do all of the tasks they need to do on their own---or maybe they have trouble getting up and down. But, they are often in no immediate health risk.

Stilllooksgood

This. Mostly because assisted living places tend to have very few medical cases-generally the nurses are around to handle minor aches and pains and make sure meds get taken on time. If they had serious medical issues, they would be in a nursing home or hospital. This is roughly the equivalent of volunteering at an adult day camp. The only difference is the people you are interacting with are walking down to see you from their room rather than driving in/getting dropped off in the morning.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

What's so medical about your experience...that the people you talk with are old?

I'd go with non-clin-comm-serv, not that the actual classification matters all that much. Be honest about your role, be descriptive, but also feel free to draw parallels and explain what you have learned and how it can relate to "blah blah whatever..." in healthcare.