volunteer more often

I’ve been letting the time I spend physically volunteering in the departments slip away. I want to get back in the game, so to speak. It’s only 4 hours a month. How did that become so hard to do? It shouldn’t be, and I’m going to make it a point to get back in there.

Since the last time I made an entry, I have been in Labor & Delivery (where I got to observe vaginal and cesarean deliveries) and the Neonatal ICU. I’m still in the NICU right now. The babies are so cute!! Even though they’re more fragile, I’m getting a lot more interaction with them than I was with the babies in the Newborn Nursery. I get to feed them, and hold them…it’s awesome! And I’ve learned a lot since being in here. Before I got to the unit I thought I would only be able to watch the babies through the isolettes (incubators) because they were all supposed to be fragile and even breathing the same air as them would make them sicker than they were. But not all of the babies are in isolettes! Some are out in cribs, and they can be held and fed and changed by me if the nurse wants me to do it. Last week there was a frikkin’ huge 9 pound baby in there! I was thinkin,’ what the heck is a little sumo baby doing in the NICU??? But she did need to be there. It still made me scratch my head. And I had to feed her, and she was voracious!! It’s actually pretty cool how babies catch on. I get to thinking, how, are being in fluid for 9 months, do you come out of the womb and know you are supposed to be suckin’ on a nipple? Babies are definitely smart, though. There’s one little baby I feel particularly attached to because I was in the Operating Room at his delivery, and 1 month later he is still in the NICU! It’s our 1 month anniversary. I still haven’t figured out what’s wrong with him.

As for volunteering itself, it still has its ups and downs. Ups when the nurses are nice, and when it’s busy and there are things for you to do, and downs when you really need those extra hours to yourself for other purposes (in my case, for our leadership team…there is so much to do!!) I am trying to get it all in, but it is difficult. But I’ll be in this program for a while, so I better suck it up. =)

First off, my first rotation in the hospital is ending next week (woo!), and I will be moving onto the ER and Postpartum. BABIES!!! I love babies! I hope I can gain the nurse’s trust so that I can help them feed and wash the babies. ER is hopefully going to be amazing, too. It’s a pretty intricate system that they have at the hospital, so I felt a little intimidated when we took the grand tour. I’m going to try to get great shifts, like Friday or Saturday nights. It’s a trauma hospital, so hopefully I can see a lot of cool things in there. I’m doing 8 hours a week total so far, with the potential to pick up more in Postpartum. But I’ll also be taking classes and working and maybe even taking on more responsibility in my volunteering program by being a part of Leadership, so I hope I can balance it all. I’m up for the challenge, at least.

So I’ve been at the hospital for about a month, and while it’s had its ups and downs, I’m sure that it will pay off in the end whether or not I decide to pursue healthcare or not. The nurses haven’t always been the nicest or most helpful, and at times it gets so boring due to there being “nothing to do,” but I’ve gotten to interact with patients, I’m learning the different departments in the hospital, and some of my questions are being answered. If asked would I go back to my previous volunteer experience, I would say, helllllll no. This is so much better, even though I have cried tears and felt tons of frustration. The pros outweigh the cons. I’ve even taken on extra shifts to see what the different shifts are like. I know which ones I won’t be taking again. =(

On another note, I have completed all of my domestic violence training, and I am going to be working with the little kids in the crisis shelter. I wanted little kids because I love kids, and I want them to feel safe and supported. Plus, they’re so real, realer than most adults I’ve interacted with, even myself. A little scared, because they are tough critics, and what if they don’t like me? But I’m excited nonetheless.

wasn’t what I was hoping it would be, but was wayyyyy better than the last volunteer job I had! I got to interact with the patients, talk with the staff, be on an actual hospital floor rather than in a volunteer office typing things up. It was a bit slow, but I’m hoping that today was just an off day. If not, at least there’s next rotation. I would give the day a 6 out of 10…there’s definitely room for improvement.

on my list that is actually happening!

I am all cleared for my volunteer work in the hospital: I got my badge, my uniform, my drug test, my background check, and my training all turned in and completed. In two days is my first official day “on the job.” I am excited, but a bit scared, as I am going to meet the nurses, and help take care of people. I hope they like me.

I’ve also been accepted for another volunteer opportunity working with victims of domestic violence. Training for that starts tomorrow.

I’m just busy, Busy, BUSY!!! =)

is done and I am sooooooo excited about the volunteer position! All of my immunizations are in, my background check is done, I’m going for a drug test tomorrow…all I have to do is pass the volunteer exam and I am on my way!!! This is such a great program, and I am so glad that we “found each other.”

One more week and one more exam and I am through the hoops and ready to work with the people! I just hope my enthusiasm stays this high forever.

I am SO excited, I can’t even begin to explain! This volunteer program I am joining is FABULOUS. I am going to get to help wash and feed babies, watch live surgeries, work in the ER…anything and EVERYTHING! I still have to wait awhile to officially start, but it is SO worth the wait! I even went to get my CPR training today…passed with flying colors! Now I just have to figure out how I am going to break the news to my current volunteer program. They shouldn’t be too lost without me, though…they have plenty of suckers to push their papers. I want to make a REAL difference!! And I WILL!!!!!! =)

I have an interview for a volunteer position in a really great program that provides clinical exposure in the hospital. Although this would be helpful for med school, there’s the possibility of working with babies in Labor and Delivery. My heart MELTS at the thought! If I don’t get the position, then I will look into another hospital volunteering position that would allow me to do a radio show with kids (I absolutely adore kids, and I used to be a DJ, so it’d be a match made in heaven for me!) Wish me luck!

need to get outside of myself for a minute. I cry about this and that (trivial things, really) when there are others out there going through SO much worse. I currently volunteer in a hospital, but I’m not making the kind of difference that I was hoping for. I don’t even get patient contact! I push the department papers. So I am looking into other opportunities that will really allow me to connect with others and hopefully provide them an ear and a friendly smile if nothing else.