Although I
initially started this 'blog' to track my EPQ, I thought it could be helpful to
also document my work experience and volunteering from now on. It could also be
beneficial and interesting to you, if you're looking at pursuing a medical
career.
This Thursday I
finally started volunteering as a ward helper at an Orthopedic (bone
specialist) hospital in my city.I wanted to apply here
because there are loads of physios working there, as well as specialized units
for rehabilitation such as hydrotherapy. Although I might not get to work there
during my time as a ward helper, I get the opportunity to speak to loads of
physiotherapists, as well as loads of other healthcare professionals. Also, a
lot of the patients receive physiotherapy so I get the chance to chat to them
and maybe find out more about how they've been helped by the physios. I think a
good tip when looking for work experience or volunteering would be to try and specialize somewhere relevant to what you want to go into. I know this can be
difficult and any experience in a health care setting is relevant, but it's
already helped me to learn more about physiotherapy and different sectors of
it. Despite this, when I did some work experience at a much bigger hospital,
with the Cardiology rehab team, I didn't expect to see much physio, and was
shocked to learn what a massive role it plays.
This particular
hospital I volunteer at, is relatively small, compared to others in my city.
The volunteer co-coordinator said after a few weeks the staff will most likely
get used to our faces and know our names and things, which really
comforted me as I was a bit worried and nervous when beginning. After only one
hour on the ward I felt like a useful addition to the team, which was really
rewarding. This would be another tip I have for anyone struggling to get
experience, I think people forget about the local healthcare settings, and only
apply to the main hospitals etc. This makes your chance of getting experience
slimmer because they have more applicants, so maybe research a few smaller ones
like I did.
Finally, that is the main reason I'm giving up my time, its genuinely rewarding. I know I'm only
making tea and cleaning bed side tables, but engaging in conversation for a few
minutes and knowing that you have maybe improved someone's day slightly, is
great!
This brings me
on to what I'm actually doing there. As I'm sixteen, I'm able to go around the
small wards and offer tea and coffee to patients, just before their meal time.
Then I offer to clean their table and make some space for their meal. In order
to do this I have to clean my hands, wear gloves, aprons and follow all the
safety rules of the hospital. I think its great to get used to doing these
things, so it becomes more normal in the future and I'm used to it.
I'm hoping to get a little faster and more efficient, especially
in cleaning my hands and things because it can seem a little fiddly. Although
I'm already quite good at chatting to anyone, I really want to get better at
seeming more relaxed and welcoming in conversation, as some patients asked me to
repeat what I said. I think sometimes I talk too fast and quietly which is
something I need to work on.
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