Volunteering At The Mary Manning Walsh Nursing Home Essay

Witnessing the patience, strength, and compassionate attributions that nurses convey within their care was remarkable. Having the opportunity to make a positive difference in the life of another human being was a very overwhelming and humbling experience for me. Therefore, these encounters set the foundation towards my pursuit of a nursing career.

Three years ago, I had the pleasure of spending quality time with senior citizens in my local community at Sunrise Assisted Living. During my visits I read aloud to residents, listened to their life experiences, baked cookies and played board games with the residents.

Working with the nurse who cared for my ailing grand-aunt, was a life changing experience. I would assist with bathing, grooming and toileting as well as reading to my aunt a couple of her favorite mystery novels. Evening though my grand-aunt 's condition was irreversible, I felt at peace because her nurse made sure she was comfortable and her needs were met. The compassion, empathy, work ethics and support the nurse provided for my family and grand-aunt during this difficult time resonated with me, the nurse inspired me in so many ways and even encouraged me to pursue a profession in nursing.

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.

During my first couple of weeks, completing my hours for school was what my main goal is. I came. I did what I had to do. I went home and just slept it off. As weeks passed by, I then realized what volunteering was all about. Like nursing, volunteering is being selfless and compassionate. It is open-heartedly giving your time and effort to help those in need without asking for anything in return. The driver’s assistant shift was physically demanding, but seeing smiles on people’s faces when we arrive at every agency we deliver to pays off every back pain and tiredness. I have learned that big or small, my simple actions can have an effect on people. This experience has also been an eye-opener for me. Living in Canada, it is surprising to discover that a lot of people live in streets or cannot buy their own food. I have understood more how unique and important a nurse’s role is and how in a way can we impact and change one’s life. This experience helped me realize how I want my future nursing practice to be. I want to be that nurse who listens and provides comfort, who makes sure her patients are comfortable and well-taken care of, and whose motivation is not the pay or the title, but who has a strong desire and willingness to help. By volunteerism, I felt needed in society. Not only did it boost my self-esteem, but it has also helped me realize what I am

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 have had the pleasure of being a part of Big Brothers and Big Sisters program. Spending my time as a role model for my “little sister” has made a huge difference in not only her life, but also my own. Seeing her progress academically and behaviorally is very uplifting and gives me motivation to work with other at-risk youth. The organization plays a huge part in my decision to become a school social worker. I intend to remain a volunteer with the organization through adulthood. Along with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, I also spend time volunteering at Renaissance Care Center, a nursing home in Canton, IL. Renaissance Care Center has provided me the experience of working with the elderly as well as people with developmental disabilities. I truly enjoy my time spent volunteering with each age group, and will successfully apply my experiences to my future work. I am now completing my practicum at Heartland Healthcare Center. I have been able to apply my knowledge to the workforce, and have been reminded daily that social work is the job for me. It will be hard to leave the facility upon graduation, and have been asked to come back as a volunteer or activity assistant. Either way, I know I will be coming back to visit the residents and

As I prepare to begin my adult life after high school graduation, I plan to continue my education at California State University, Long Beach and hope to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Spending my four years of high school in the AIMS program at Jordan has influenced me to continue to pursue higher education. Getting the best education possible will allow me to be able to give back to my community by providing affordable and valuable care to everyone. I was given me the opportunity to volunteer at the Long Beach Veteran Affairs hospital and in the Long Beach Bike Uptown program. These experiences have made me realize how important it is to help others and that every little action a person does affects others. I would like to become

I ambitiously decided that I would brighten the lives of the elderly by volunteering at a rest home, but discovered that the elderly were being neglected, shoved aside and forgotten. As I stepped into the home a pungent odor penetrated my nostrils, causing an instantaneous gagging reflex. The place was abounded with neglected and subdued inhabitants, yearning for attention. Anybody that passed them caused a sudden outburst of ranting. The negligence and disregard the home displayed appalled me, but helped me to realize that I wanted to make a difference and change the condition people live in.

Volunteering at Memorial Hermann transformed my life by teaching me lessons through small moments. One such instant occurred when I went to wheel an old lady visiting her husband. The lady and I conversed for many minutes about college, my future plans, and life in general. When we reached the lobby, the lady wished me luck in all my future endeavors. Coincidentally, I wheeled the lady several times after that and each time she would remember

My project relates to the course objectives twelve and seven this is because it talks about inclusion, in which all types of diversity are respected, appreciated, and valued in America. As well as the vital role of the people in creating and maintaining a society through voluntarism and civic engagement, a role that can complement and replace the role of the government ensuring the well-being of society. Civic engagement involves “working to form a distinction at intervals the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of information, skills, values and motivation to form that distinction. It suggests that promoting the quality of life throughout a community, through every political and non-political process” (Erlich, 2000). Civic engagement includes every paid and unpaid style of political policy, environmentalism, and community and repair. Volunteering is one kind of civic engagement. Many of the nation’s volunteer’s group are youngsters. 59 percent of teenagers in the U.S. are recorded for their participation in youth volunteer. Most youth volunteers do so out of selflessness and by wanting to make a difference throughout other individual’s lives.

When I was a Junior in Methuen High School, I was enrolled in community service program in which I have to go to hospitals or nursing homes and take the old patients to other room, bathroom, or to their cars during the time they get discharged. During that time period I noticed that there were many old patients who didn’t had any family members who came to either visit them or take them home. The only people who were helping them were either volunteers like me or the nurses. So when it was time to decide that what career I am going to pursue, I decided to be a nurse and give the old people a family experience with my required duties and responsibilities.

The chosen candidate to be interviewed for this assignment was Joyce White, the Director of Volunteer Services at Mayo Clinic, Florida Campus. She has held that position for eleven years and has thoroughly enjoyed her experience there so far. Before her position as the Director of Volunteer services, she was what was called a Charge Nurse. Today the position is called Team Lead of Nursing Units. Before that she was a stay at home mom and directed volunteer work at a church through the years as it grew. Joyce White studied at Florida State College at Jacksonville and at Jacksonville University for her bachelor’s and her master’s degree.

The cultural experience that I decided to participate in was volunteering at a nursing home. Hospice centers focus on the care of chronically or terminally ill patients. Volunteering at such a center would require training and certification and a clean bill of health. Nursing homes require similar training for some forms of volunteer service, however there are other options available that still allow direct interaction with residents. I chose to volunteer at the LakePoint Nursing and Rehabilitation Center that is located in my hometown. My goal was to directly engage with the residents there so that I could better understand their experiences and overcome my feelings of discomfort.

An engaging extracurricular activity that I am involved in is volunteering at the hospital. From my time there, I have worked at both the front desk and the nursing floors. When I began volunteering I could not fathom precisely what the scope of the job would be. I came to realize that it ranged from doing clerical work to having conversations with patients and trying to make them feel better. Similar to a workplace environment, I constantly learned new skills. When I worked at the front desk, I would take phone calls, direct visitors, deliver flowers, and anything else the receptionist needed help with. While on the nursing floor, however, I would give water or blankets to patients, and help the nurses by bringing machines or medicines from