Wednesday, March 25, 2009
I worked from 8:30am to 3:30pm for a total of 7 hours.
Total hours so far: 31hrs 40min
It was the usual day of working at the Volunteer Office and the Child Center. I did the usual deliveries, patient visiting, and stocking up magazines and newspapers in the waiting rooms. Went about the hospital, from floor to floor, getting around the hospital just like any other day. Besides that, one of my fellow volunteers was awarded the HEARTS award for his diligence and great attitude. He has been working there for about a year now, and he definitely deserved the recognition. At the Child Center, it was great spending time with the usual group of kids I am with (the FROGS!). They are so adorable and they are now recognizing me. They all want to play with me or sit next to me and tell me every little thing they have to say. This past day, one of the girls had a doctor's appointment and she got a bunch of stickers and she just had to show me all of them. Another girl gave me a sticker to put on my ID badge. I just love working with them. The other volunteers and I have fun trying to understand what some of them say or just talking about how cute they are.
Well, for my project, I haven't really been sure as to what I could do. The Volunteer Office is quite established, and they already have a organizing/rating/ranking system for Music, Books, and Movies. However, for the Child Center, I think my idea of creating an album with their pictures would be perfect. I don't think they have any "yearbook" or anything, but creating a little something for them to look through afterwards would be great. Some of the kids are going off to Kindergarten or moving up from FROGS to DOLPHINS. Making this album would be a cute little memento for them to see themselves IN ACTION. To plan this out though, I would have to first discuss it with my Supervisor there. I might even need to get parent permission, but once I start taking the pictures, I can get the album created, and even put some of the student artwork in there. It can be their own little yearbook, showing them playing in the playground, participating in activities, maybe even naptime or story-time. It would be just great for them to see how their day goes by, and every child loves looking at pictures.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Week #4
Monday, March 16, 2009
I worked from 8:30 am to 3:30pm for a total of 7 hours.
Total hours so far: 24hrs 40min
This week I was lucky that I got to volunteer on a Monday instead of a Wednesday. Besides my usual newspaper delivery, patient visiting, (Oh!, And I got to deliver a gift to a couple who just had a baby! She was so cute!), and other various things, I got to be a part of something pretty fun. At the Volunteer Office, around a holiday, the volunteers participate in an activity called Holiday Hugs. It was created by a former volunteer who thought it would good for volunteers to go around visiting patients on holidays and giving them treats and goodies, maybe some toys and trinkets. The volunteers would visit each floor, dressed according to the holiday. Since the next day was St. Patrick's day, obviously everything was green. There were leprechaun hats and pins that said "I am fluent in Blarney!" and other fun Irish things. Unfortunately, I didn't get to participate in the actual Holiday Hugs, but I set up for it, making sure everything would be ready for the other volunteers to visit the patients.
Afterwards, I spent the usual time with the kids, playing with them, eating lunch, naptime, etc. During naptime, I had to get this little girl to sleep. She's about 2 1/2 and the cutest thing in the world. She was really restless, so I told her I would do this trick for her, but she had to lie on her stomach. On her back, I started doing the little rhyme, "Dot, dot. Line, line. Spider's crawling up your spine. Crack an egg, on your head. Let it drool all over your bed. Cool breeze. Tight squeeze, Now you got the shiveries." She liked it so much that everytime I stopped she would tell me to do it again. Eventually she fell asleep, and now I have a little trick to get the litte munchkins to sleep during naptime.
Overall, I am enjoying my WLE. It's a great way to get to know UCSF and some workings of a hospital. I love the kids I am with. I've started to think about what exactly my WLE project will be. Maybe it can be some addition to the Holiday Hugs, or an art project with the kids. It's kind of tricky seeing how there's already so much there.
I worked from 8:30 am to 3:30pm for a total of 7 hours.
Total hours so far: 24hrs 40min
This week I was lucky that I got to volunteer on a Monday instead of a Wednesday. Besides my usual newspaper delivery, patient visiting, (Oh!, And I got to deliver a gift to a couple who just had a baby! She was so cute!), and other various things, I got to be a part of something pretty fun. At the Volunteer Office, around a holiday, the volunteers participate in an activity called Holiday Hugs. It was created by a former volunteer who thought it would good for volunteers to go around visiting patients on holidays and giving them treats and goodies, maybe some toys and trinkets. The volunteers would visit each floor, dressed according to the holiday. Since the next day was St. Patrick's day, obviously everything was green. There were leprechaun hats and pins that said "I am fluent in Blarney!" and other fun Irish things. Unfortunately, I didn't get to participate in the actual Holiday Hugs, but I set up for it, making sure everything would be ready for the other volunteers to visit the patients.
Afterwards, I spent the usual time with the kids, playing with them, eating lunch, naptime, etc. During naptime, I had to get this little girl to sleep. She's about 2 1/2 and the cutest thing in the world. She was really restless, so I told her I would do this trick for her, but she had to lie on her stomach. On her back, I started doing the little rhyme, "Dot, dot. Line, line. Spider's crawling up your spine. Crack an egg, on your head. Let it drool all over your bed. Cool breeze. Tight squeeze, Now you got the shiveries." She liked it so much that everytime I stopped she would tell me to do it again. Eventually she fell asleep, and now I have a little trick to get the litte munchkins to sleep during naptime.
Overall, I am enjoying my WLE. It's a great way to get to know UCSF and some workings of a hospital. I love the kids I am with. I've started to think about what exactly my WLE project will be. Maybe it can be some addition to the Holiday Hugs, or an art project with the kids. It's kind of tricky seeing how there's already so much there.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Week #3
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
I worked from 8:30am to 3:30pm for a total of 7 hours.
Total hours so far: 17 hrs 40 min
The first thing I did in the morning for the Volunteer Office was deliver the morning newspaper to the patients. Some patients were very appreciative, and a couple even asked to be added to the list. After going up to all the floors, I went down to the office and worked on labels for invitations that would be sent out for a Day of Remembrance for patients that had passed away. I then delivered a gift to a patient in ICU. I finished the day with patient visiting, telling newly admitted patients and their families about the services UCSF provides. At the Child Life Center, I worked again with my group of kids, the FROGS. The children are so adorable, and since it was not raining, most of them were playing outside. I helped out with lunch, naptime, and then played with them outside in the sandbox, sea-saw, and other activities.
At the Volunteer Office, I thought it was very, well, thoughtful of UCSF to have a Day of Remembrance for patients. It really opened my eyes, because I always knew that people do pass away and don't make it, but it really hit me that there are a lot of people that have passed away. It just reminds me that at a hospital there are losses. It was unusual because the delivery I had made was for the family of someone that had passed away. It's heartwrenching to see that. The doctors were emotionless, and I think that's just a demeanor they put out there after years of experience and learning to accept the fact that not everything can be a success. It was really sad though, because it made me realize just how hard it is to be a doctor. Besides the years of studying, the long and exhausting hours, there is an emotional strain as well. It just really struck me.
Well, on a happier note, at the Child Center, the kids are starting to recognize me. They all want me to sit next to them, for ME to open their things, to play with them, to sit next to their beds during naptime. They are all so adorable, and they all have fun. Some of the children are extremely bright too, and the way they speak it doesn't seem like they're so young. They all have fun though. During naptime, there were these two girls I was with and they would not go to sleep, It ended up with them putting their blankets and pillows on me, almost putting me to sleep. It was a good day with them, and I learned a lot at the Volunteer Office.
I worked from 8:30am to 3:30pm for a total of 7 hours.
Total hours so far: 17 hrs 40 min
The first thing I did in the morning for the Volunteer Office was deliver the morning newspaper to the patients. Some patients were very appreciative, and a couple even asked to be added to the list. After going up to all the floors, I went down to the office and worked on labels for invitations that would be sent out for a Day of Remembrance for patients that had passed away. I then delivered a gift to a patient in ICU. I finished the day with patient visiting, telling newly admitted patients and their families about the services UCSF provides. At the Child Life Center, I worked again with my group of kids, the FROGS. The children are so adorable, and since it was not raining, most of them were playing outside. I helped out with lunch, naptime, and then played with them outside in the sandbox, sea-saw, and other activities.
At the Volunteer Office, I thought it was very, well, thoughtful of UCSF to have a Day of Remembrance for patients. It really opened my eyes, because I always knew that people do pass away and don't make it, but it really hit me that there are a lot of people that have passed away. It just reminds me that at a hospital there are losses. It was unusual because the delivery I had made was for the family of someone that had passed away. It's heartwrenching to see that. The doctors were emotionless, and I think that's just a demeanor they put out there after years of experience and learning to accept the fact that not everything can be a success. It was really sad though, because it made me realize just how hard it is to be a doctor. Besides the years of studying, the long and exhausting hours, there is an emotional strain as well. It just really struck me.
Well, on a happier note, at the Child Center, the kids are starting to recognize me. They all want me to sit next to them, for ME to open their things, to play with them, to sit next to their beds during naptime. They are all so adorable, and they all have fun. Some of the children are extremely bright too, and the way they speak it doesn't seem like they're so young. They all have fun though. During naptime, there were these two girls I was with and they would not go to sleep, It ended up with them putting their blankets and pillows on me, almost putting me to sleep. It was a good day with them, and I learned a lot at the Volunteer Office.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Week #2
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
I worked from 8:20am to 2:45pm for a total of 6 hours and 25 minutes.
Total hours so far: 10 hrs 40 min
Today was the first day I worked at both the Volunteer Services Office and the Child Study Center. At the Volunteer Office I got to experience a little of all the aspects of working there. I first delivered newspapers in the morning to patients and then helped deliver Patient Services Cards to newly admitted patients. I got to visit every floor of the hospital, getting a tour of the hospital and how it works. Most of the time is spent delivering or getting patient requests for DVDs, videos, books, magazines, or laptops. It's a lot of moving around, but you really get to interact with the patients and even chat with some doctors and nurses. My second day at the Child Center was spent with the kids, sitting with them during lunch, trying to get some of them to sleep during nap time, playing with them in the playground. Some of the kids are now familiar with me, and it's so cute seeing them grabbing my hand and asking me to play with them. I've also gotten to know a couple of the other volunteers and staff members, getting more comfortable with the Center.
I didn't realize how busy the Volunteer Office is. They have many patients requesting all kinds of services, and they need volunteers to go around delivering everything. There's a lot of patient interaction and a lot of moving around. Everytime I went back to the office after finishing a job, there was another thing to be delivered. Some of the patients weren't receptive of visitors, but others were very welcoming, and some even told their stories about what happened during their surgery, or their diagnoses, and so many other things.
In regards to the Child Center, it's been a lot of fun being with the kids. There are a lot of volunteers there, and the children are great. Some of the volunteers have been there longer, and it helps to hear from them about the kids. Most of the volunteers are around my age, and some are in their first few weeks too, so we keep each other company. Overall, I really love my WLE, and it's a lot of fun working in the Volunteer Office and Child Center.
I worked from 8:20am to 2:45pm for a total of 6 hours and 25 minutes.
Total hours so far: 10 hrs 40 min
Today was the first day I worked at both the Volunteer Services Office and the Child Study Center. At the Volunteer Office I got to experience a little of all the aspects of working there. I first delivered newspapers in the morning to patients and then helped deliver Patient Services Cards to newly admitted patients. I got to visit every floor of the hospital, getting a tour of the hospital and how it works. Most of the time is spent delivering or getting patient requests for DVDs, videos, books, magazines, or laptops. It's a lot of moving around, but you really get to interact with the patients and even chat with some doctors and nurses. My second day at the Child Center was spent with the kids, sitting with them during lunch, trying to get some of them to sleep during nap time, playing with them in the playground. Some of the kids are now familiar with me, and it's so cute seeing them grabbing my hand and asking me to play with them. I've also gotten to know a couple of the other volunteers and staff members, getting more comfortable with the Center.
I didn't realize how busy the Volunteer Office is. They have many patients requesting all kinds of services, and they need volunteers to go around delivering everything. There's a lot of patient interaction and a lot of moving around. Everytime I went back to the office after finishing a job, there was another thing to be delivered. Some of the patients weren't receptive of visitors, but others were very welcoming, and some even told their stories about what happened during their surgery, or their diagnoses, and so many other things.
In regards to the Child Center, it's been a lot of fun being with the kids. There are a lot of volunteers there, and the children are great. Some of the volunteers have been there longer, and it helps to hear from them about the kids. Most of the volunteers are around my age, and some are in their first few weeks too, so we keep each other company. Overall, I really love my WLE, and it's a lot of fun working in the Volunteer Office and Child Center.
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