Yet another "Does this count as clinical" question

[asdeg123]

Hey everybody, I just wanted to get your opinion on an opportunity I have.

It would be volunteering as a rape counselor / medical advocate. The way it works is that you are on call for a 12 hour shift, and when someone presents to the emergency room and says that they were sexually assaulted (There are about 2000 cases that get called in to the organization, so you will usually see at least one patient a shift), you would go to that hospital and help them through the process and make sure that they are okay and get them set up for anything they need.
I.e guide them both through the traumatic experience, and the hospital system to try and make the experience less traumatic overall and make sure they know what options are available for them like PEP, emergency contraception, getting them in contact with mental health services, and being in the room to help them feel safe while the rape kit is administered, etc.

So I’m just wondering if you guys think this would be a good clinical experience or if it would be considered non-clinical.

Thanks everybody!

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[Catalystik]

Hey everybody, I just wanted to get your opinion on an opportunity I have.

It would be volunteering as a rape counselor / medical advocate. The way it works is that you are on call for a 12 hour shift, and when someone presents to the emergency room and says that they were sexually assaulted (There are about 2000 cases that get called in to the organization, so you will usually see at least one patient a shift), you would go to that hospital and help them through the process and make sure that they are okay and get them set up for anything they need.
I.e guide them both through the traumatic experience, and the hospital system to try and make the experience less traumatic overall and make sure they know what options are available for them like PEP, emergency contraception, getting them in contact with mental health services, and being in the room to help them feel safe while the rape kit is administered, etc.

So I’m just wondering if you guys think this would be a good clinical experience or if it would be considered non-clinical.

Thanks everybody!

This is an excellent clinical activity.

 

[asdeg123]

This is an excellent clinical activity.

Thanks for the response! I have three questions though if you don't mind, normally the organization works in person, but because of the pandemic they moved to phone responses, they will be returning to in person as soon as they are able, but in the meantime would you say that it is still clinical? If no, is it important to separate the activities between the in person and the phone version?

And finally, since this is "on call" work, how do you recommend inputting hours? Should I only put hours where I am actively working with patients, or is it okay to put down all the hours I am on call?

Again thanks so much, and have a great night!

 

[LizzyM]

Given that the activities take place in a hospital and the person is there to be examined by a clinician, I'd also say it meets my definition of a patient.

So much telemedicine goes on that being close enough to smell patients isn't even the definition of some physicians' day in these times fo we'll set that aside for now, particularly given that you are engaged in conversation, not just shoveling towels into a warmer (not that there is anything wrong with that).

As for the time, I'd say only log the hours you are helping someone. On call hours when you are sleeping or doing homework or chilling shouldn't count, IMHO. List the start and end date of the online sessions and have a separate start and end date for the in person sessions and explain in the text box.

 

[Goro]

I agree with my learned colleagues