My First Day In Life

Through the many trips that my family has taken to the hospital due to various reasons, I have become fond of the hospital and its many wonders. After all the things that the medical field has done for me and my family, I decided to contribute to my local hospital to volunteer and help out those who pay visits to the hospital. Through my exposure to various clinical populations, I want to improve my ability to serve others in this capacity that can guide me towards the medical profession in the future.

As I grew, so too did my passion to learn all that I could about the profession and medicine. When I entered college I ecstatically enrolled in my first pre-nursing classes. I was more eager and inspired than ever before. One particular day stands out in my memory of my first year in college. Everyone, at some point or another, has one of those days. Life had caught up to me and I was feeling rather down. At lunch, I headed to the farthest corner of the lunchroom, wishing more than anything to be left alone. Then, what do I know? A young man comes sauntering up to my table and asks to join me. I wanted to ask him to leave, but instead, I smiled and replied with a quiet, “Of course”. We began to chat about ourselves and before I knew it, the clouds above me began to drift away. Kindness turned out to be exactly what I needed. After we said our goodbyes, I felt renewed and hopeful again all because of the unknowing kindness of a stranger. It's

I was sitting in the back of the taxi in Ukraine. The car moved and I began to see the one I love fade into the gray night fog. I will never forget the feeling I had during that moment. Like something was being ripped from my heart - a moment of great despair as I leave both my family and my country.

Interacting with patients at St. Rose Sienna Hospital fulfills my sense of purpose; helping others. Coming across patients ranging from labor contractions to gunshots trains me to stay calm when they are frightened and apprehensive. I am often tasked with the training of new volunteers. Over time, I have been able to build friendships with peers and staff. My main responsibility is discharging inpatients. I do my best to communicate effectively by engaging them in conversation. I spend 15 minutes learning about life stories, current complications, and future plans. I am the last impression a

After my first year at Skyline College, I ventured out to find ways I can volunteer in my community, in hopes to find interest in a field I would like to study one day. When I first started volunteering at Mills Peninsula Hospital, I thought it would be like those medical drama shows such as House, or Grey's Anatomy. Where I would meet the real life versions of Dr. House and Meredith Grey and get to be shadowed by them and learn the ins and outs of hospital and the secrets of medicine. However, when I first stepped into Mills Peninsula, I knew meeting Dr. House and Meredith Grey were very unlikely. Right when I entered the hospital I see the rushes of turquoise colored scrubs passing by me, hearing the clanks of the walking sticks from the elderly, and often times the squeaks from the wheels of the wheelchair. Yet, through these passing moments, there was always that lingering of emotions evoked in the air; moments passing between a mother and her newborn baby, the anxious faces of families pacing back and forth, and the

Back when I was not sure, I aimed to find out more about what healthcare means for people today by volunteering. It was through this at the Orlando Regional Medical Center that I began to understand. I witnessed firsthand the kindness and empathy medicine requires of its practitioners. Consoling and guiding patients were my primary responsibilities, along with restocking supplies, helping transfer patients, and guiding visitors to their loved ones. I learned to work with people recovering from surgery, terminal patients, and many others only wanting company; I listened to them, wished them a happy birthday, or simply sat with them while they told me about their lives, their struggles, or how they met their spouses. A human connection was essential.

Working as a Patient Care Technician has taught me that hospitals are a special kind of library. The halls are not lined with books, but are still lined with stories. Every patient I encounter has a unique story; some are triumphant, and others heart wrenching. Nonetheless, there is something meaningful to be learned from each one. What I love most about my job is that my care becomes part of their story. Sometimes all I can offer to my terminal cancer patients is a warm blanket in the middle of the night. Seeing a patient’s eyes glisten and mouth widen in appreciation of something that you have done is rewarding. Knowing that I have eased even one story makes the less glamorous aspects of my job worthwhile. Through this experience I have encountered many stories with different plots, characters, and settings. Every time I walk in the hospital I am overcome with excitement at the prospect of learning a new story where the characters are tangible. It is a privilege to be a part of someone’s story, even if all we can offer is an act of kindness. One thing is certain,the stories I have encountered will always remain on my

For the past three years, I have been volunteering in the Day Surgery and Emergency Departments at the Greater Niagara General Hospital. In this role, it is my responsibility to improve patient care and be the first person to approach a patient, even before the nurses. I also help to comfort the families of patients during emergencies, and keep them as calm as possible. I have come to enjoy this role immensely; instead of being home, I volunteer on Christmas Day, as I know that I can be a rather lonely time for most patients. Being able to help people, whether it is fetching them water or being a shoulder to cry on- is incredibly rewarding.

Even though they may only see me as someone who is there to support them, they influence me to better myself just as much. When I am volunteering at my local hospital’s emergency department, many patients thank me for my kindness, comfort, and dedication for volunteering. Both the patients and the nurses appreciate what I do for them. However, they never had realized that it was their words of encouragement inspired me to continue to pursue my dream career. They ignited my passion to become a doctor.

Even at the hospital gift shop, I find myself experiencing all sorts of adventures. Before volunteering I had never worked so closely with adults. At the gift shop I learned how to do simple things like make small talk. I’ve since learned that this seemingly trivial skill is essential to making connections in any workplace. Over the years, the gift shop manager, Teresa, and I have become quick friends. After my first volunteer session, she recommended me for a leadership position at the hospital volunteer center.

Hospitals are a great way for a medical student to serve the community as well as gain valuable experience in their future field. For this reason, I have spent around forty hours from the end of the summer up until now volunteering at HonorHealth hospital. I volunteered as a transporter, what this means is that I move equipment, medical documents and lab samples around the hospital. I also help discharge patients by pushing them in a wheelchair to their car. Through this experience I was able to make life easier on people who were vulnerable and trying to recover as well as the busy staff member who treated them. I had many interactions with people and by from this I have a better understanding of impact my service had. I will be discussing: How psychology can explain social interaction, how outside factors can influence a person 's sense of self, how behaviors and situations can help you understand a person, the importance of communication as well as focus, and the environment shapes the organization.

This past summer, the summer of 2016, I got a volunteer opportunity at the Johns Hopkins Hospital at the Simulation Department. I volunteered every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm for seven weeks. The Simulation Department is a medical training facility that has a goal to improve the safety within the patient care. Therefore, there is a lot of doctors and medical students that would come for training and testing. My job in this department was to set up the rooms for the special classes, run errands, and communicate with the other workers. In addition, I helped by putting the various hospital equipment’s in the storage room. In this experience, I have learned a lot about how to help people in certain situations, how to help

I volunteer at the hospital weekly and have witnessed the intrinsic rewards of being a nurse and the admirable traits they possess. Real life experiences with patients broadened my desire to pursue a career in nursing and that it is in my nature to assist others in needs, both emotionally and physically. I interacted with the patients in the nursing facility and asset the nurses by answering call lights, room visits and delivering meals to patients. The connections I build with patients during their stay reminds me how much nursing means as I also recalled a past memory of my mother. Volunteering at the hospital continues to remind me to be the one to provide the quality care through my dedication, compassion, and sensitivity towards the wellbeing

As a patient care volunteer at Chandler Regional Hospital’s surgical/orthopedics department, one particular patient exemplified the difference one state of mind can make. I had been doing my weekly room check-ins when I met Mary, a patient who had knee surgery following a car accident she had been in. When I asked what she needed, she requested a glass of water and a warm blanket for her husband. I was struck by how attentive she was towards his needs considering she had just been in surgery a day earlier. She later shared that her husband was in fact undergoing cancer therapy.

Followed my typical routine, I drove to the hospital ready for the 4 to 6 pm volunteer shift. As the sliding door opened automatically, scent of antiseptic and a blast of cool air welcomed me. In the surgery waiting room, a TV was playing quietly in the corner and families were anxiously waiting for the doctors’ news. As I put on my volunteer uniform, family members started approaching me for questions. At the beginning I was shy, inexperienced and nervous, need to frequently consult the senior staff for advice, but quickly I was able to initiate conversations with the families, and comfort them in anxiety situations.