When I first stepped through the doors of the clinic on my first day working as a volunteer, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had a general sense of what I would be doing, calling patients and hospitals to schedule appointments, but I had little idea of all that this would entail. Over the course of my first rotation, I gained an understanding for my role and the impact I had on the patients at crossroad. Scheduling appointments and dealing with hospitals can often be a tedious and stressful process and being able to take some of that load off the backs of the patients is very rewarding. Whether it be because we save patients from being on hold for half an hour or because we help them through the scheduling process, the people I speak to are often grateful that we can assist them in these ways. Before my time at Crossroad, I had a limited understanding of the inner workings of the healthcare system, but through my work in the health clinic, I have been able to observe how the system works, and I understand the importance of teamwork and communication. Between the patients, the doctors at Crossroad, the hospitals, and us the volunteers, we all must be able to communicate with each other to achieve the desired outcome. It is not always a smooth process, but I have learned how to work through obstacles and overcome certain situations to do what is in the best interest of the patients. I know from firsthand experience, that for incoming volunteers, the program seems a little daunting especially if you have never worked in a setting like this before, but the people around you will help you learn and before you know it you will be helping the next group of volunteers.
No comments:
Post a Comment