Volunteering

There is a lot of volunteering that goes unnoticed, from a principal
who ensures that relevant information gets to the students to even a
fellow neighbor who gives food to the homeless. Volunteering is
important because it benefits people in need and allows you to give
back to your community. Overall, I’ve completed approximately 150
hours, mostly containing within the medical field. Considering that
my senior year is coming to an end, I strive to push forward with
volunteering.

Volunteering at a hospital has an immense responsibility. While
volunteering at Halifax Health Medical Center, I spent most of my
time in the Orthopedic department, which consisted of passing out
drinks and snacks to the patients, making sure each nurse station was
set up and helping nurses with errands. The biggest challenge that I
faced was trying to make sure each patient felt as comfortable as
possible while they were in unease. This was a challenge since I had
to be extremely careful to watch for signs that said “NPO” on a
patient’s door, “nothing by mouth,” and others that indicate
whether the patient can or cannot have certain items.

Some of the patients do not have the pleasure of having family
members to come visit them in recovery. Therefore, I take it upon
myself to go into their rooms (at the appropriate times) and have a
simple conversation with them to help take their mind off their
agony. Having integrity and a desire to learn about and support the
patients is apart of my commitment to the hospital. Nothing else is
more rewarding to me than when the patient smiles and thanks me for
chatting with them. One of the patients that I took care of was an
older man named George; he gave me advice after praying for me and
told me “I should keep doing what I am doing and you will reach
your goals.” I learned that a little bit goes a long way and that
you don’t need to have a lot of money in order to help make a
difference in someone’s life.

Giving back to the community has contributed to the concept of
“forward-looking” in the field of medicine, allowing the
community and I to help people in need. With that in mind, I seek to
increase the determination within healthcare facilities around the
world. When people suspect they might have encountered a health
concern, it is typical for the issue to escalate due to their simple
phobia of hospitals. Showing patients how hospitals are only there to
benefit them by giving them the most utmost care. By this, we can
ensure that the patient will put their faith in the doctor’s hands.
If I get to have the pleasure to come back to see my effects on
current society, I believe my impact would have a tremendous aid on
how efficient volunteers benefit others and the medical field itself.