Unwell Patient Assistant

“The contribution of volunteers results in an increase in the quality of perceived care in hospital settings (even with simple hand holding, information giving, and other non-medical services). These may be non-clinical and non-union tasks, but they provide a warm, human dimension during a difficult time for the patients and their families” (Handy, 2004, pp. 31-32). “Volunteers assist patients with prompt responses to their non-medical needs and reduce the anxieties of being vulnerable and alone-a common and significant occurrence. As hospitals grow larger and become more specialized and technologically sophisticated, the effective use of volunteers is vital in maintaining a human and personal touch” (Handy, 2004, p. 35).

“Dedicated to enhancing professional and personal growth for allied health professionals, American Medical Technologists (AMT) awards the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) credential to qualifying individuals.

I had my moments of success and happiness when I was able to help someone along and see how appreciative they were. There were also times that were saddening and uncomfortable. When visiting rooms, I did encounter people who were losing grip on their mental and physical abilities. I felt a heaviness because even though they were taken care of, there wasn’t that could be done to make them better. It was inspiring seeing nurses and family members continuing to care for them and keep dignity.

My community service work at County Hospital is to care for the rudimentary needs of each patient. My goals are to provide inspiration during the healing process, teach kindness and compassion, and discover my own abilities for empathy. "Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I'll try again to tomorrow (Mary Anne Radmacher)." My hope as a volunteer is to help each patient find that voice, find that courage to go forward.

Medication assistant treatment also known as (MAT) is when a person has presented with an opioid addiction and have challenges stopping and/or abstaining from opioid use and they are prescribed either Methadone, Suboxone, or Vivitrol. Those who are in support for MAT is that this a better alternative to having individuals addicted to illicit substances. The other side to MAT is that this is way to keep individuals addicted to drugs, legally. I do not support MAT treatment as a form of long term treatment and not as the solution for opioid addiction. Serving as an Addiction Counselor and working with individuals who are addicted to opioids, I encounter many individuals who are or at one point utilized

Within this case study I am going to use two of the Chapelhow et al. (2005) enablers to discuss and reflect on the care of a patient I have been involved with on placement over a period of 5 weeks. ‘Enablers are the essential and underpinning skills that come together to provide expert professional practice’ (Chapelhow, C et al. 2005, p.2). These include; assessment, communication, documentation, risk, professional decision making and managing uncertainty. The enablers work together to provide a holistic approach to the care of patients in health care settings. I am going to focus on and discuss two of the enablers, linking them both together, which will be assessment and communication as I believe these two enablers can be related most to my patient.

Seeking position as Medical Support Assistant to perform administrative support duties and to aid in the promotion of patient care within the Veterans Health Administration, Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Jacksonville, NC. To support, coordinate and organize veterans’ administrative and clerical information and to provide guidance to ensure each patient receives timely scheduling and

Answering the phone: PM&RS has 3 Medical Support Assistants assigned to our department. The MSA’s answer all incoming calls to the department, schedule appointments for patients, receive consults and contact the patient to schedule the appointment with the PM&RS provider. PM&RS MSA’s do not have voicemail on their phones.

Another memorable experience while volunteering was when I was requested to accompany an anxious senior patient. As I was listening to her

In this assignment I am going to deliberate the care of a patient that I have looked after when working in placement on a hospital ward .I will use the Chapelhow framework to discuss two of the perspectives in relation to the patients care needs. In the Chapelhow framework there are six perspectives that are used to help reflect and discuss patient care. These six perspectives are assessment, communication, documentation, risk management, professional decision making and managing uncertainty(Chapelhow, 2005).The two perspectives I am going to use in this assignment are assessment and communication.

I began volunteering at the Hospital for Special Surgery, to get an overview of what is is like to work at a hospital. Volunteering at a hospital was an eye opening experience, because I got to encounter how physicians, and medical staff communicate, and listen to their patients. These two skills are essential to understand patient needs, and therefore make the right decisions in diagnosing diseases. My role at the hospital was to provide snacks, beverages, and aid kits to patients, families, and medical staff. I have witnessed families that stayed up long nights, because they had loved ones undergo surgery. Any person that has a loved one undergo surgery becomes worried and scared, because of the uncertainty that lies ahead. However, the imperative skills that I have learned and exceeded on was my communication skills. Communicating with these families, and patients was exceedingly important, because you have to place yourself in their shoes to understand the situation they are in. I met young patients, as young as 5 years old, that were in the hospital for days recovering from surgery, or undergoing

As a child, I loved going to work with my mother during my days off from school. She worked at a nursing home, and I was amazed by all of the health care employees I was surrounded by every day. I watched, in admiration, as the nurses gave the elderly their medications, while the nursing assistants made sure they were comfortable and healthy, and while the doctors checked in from time to time to give routine check-ups. As soon as I turned 12 and was old enough to start volunteering at this nursing home, I signed up to do so with excitement pouring out of me. To this very day, I am still active in volunteering at the same nursing home that prompted me to pursue a career in medicine in the first place.

Looking at this scenario as a patient point of view, the medical assistant should have done a couple things differently. One of the examples would be not to bite off the tip of her glove. The MA doesn’t know what could have been on that glove, plus it was already touching the patient where there was open skin. Instead of biting of the tip of the finger the MA should have properly removed the gloves. That goes to another unprofessional thing, if the MA saw that the ladies veins were hard to find, she should have prepared them before applying the gloves and cleaning the arm. If she still wasn’t able to get them to be noticeable, maybe try to see if someone else could come help. Another unprofessional thing would be using her bare hands to try

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

I have been volunteering at the University of Maryland Medical Center since the summer of my freshman year. As a volunteer at the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit at the hospital, I am committed to provide excellence in service, work independently and efficiently, and exhibit patient interaction skills. Ever since I have started volunteering at the hospital, I have learned to become more patient and understanding toward the people who I interact with, and consequently, I have become a more sympathetic and compassionate person.