Yesterday’s training went really well!
Late yesterday afternoon, I attended an orientation and training at the Munroe Regional Medical Center (MRMC) with the hope of learning all about volunteer opportunities within the hospital.
I was inspired to look into volunteering at MRMC by one of the Livestrong group participants at my gym. He is a volunteer at the hospital and when I heard him talking about his experience, I asked him a few questions after one of our meetings and was immediately intrigued.
As I learned yesterday, there are so many volunteer positions available at the hospital. I filled out an application and indicated certain preferences, including whether I wanted a sedentary or active volunteer position and whether or not I wanted to work directly with people and/or patients.
I then met with an interviewer who asked me a series of questions and helped guide me to certain areas where she thought I might be a good fit. I was interested in central transport (escorting people to/from where they need to go), working in the hospital gift shop, assisting nurses and patient visitation.
I ended up signing on for patient visitation! As it was explained to me, those volunteering within patient visitation are mainly responsible for greeting patients once they are settled in their rooms and taking them through basics (like how to operate the remote, request a newspaper, etc.) and answering any questions. I will have to go through a four to six week training and pass a final evaluation, but I’m excited to get started!
Before the orientation was over, we sat through about two hours of training as we learned all about HIPAA, suicide prevention, infection prevention, MRMC’s values and mission and more. (During my first day of on-site training, I am required to bring back my answers to an at-home test that touches on all of these things as well.)
I really appreciated such a thorough and in-depth training and orientation and I’m looking forward to volunteering!
Breakfast
Breakfast this morning was a throwback overnight oats recipe.
Peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough overnight oats! It’s a favorite of mine and I need to make it more often. So good!
I topped my oats with a handful of chipotle maple almonds since I didn’t have any peanuts on hand and thought it was delicious.
Plans for the day include workin’ and teachin’!
Have a great Thursday!
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you had me at cookie dough. making that tomorrow for breakfast!
Hope you love it!
How amazing that you’re volunteering! One of my best friends volunteered at a hospital and she said it was one of the most rewarding experiences.
Volunteering at a hospital must be really nice!! I mean volunteering at all is always nice, you met new people and the satisfactions is amazing! Looking forward to hear about your experience!
During high school I volunteered at a local hospital and loved it. I worked with patients and then in medical billing. In college I started volunteering with hospice and fell in love. Sitting with patients and hearing life stories was really life changing. I hope to one day work in hospice. Good luck, I know you will love it!
What a wonderful thing to do! I look forward to hearing more about it.
And those overnight cookie dough oats look delicious!
Wow, you’re so awesome!!! That seems like its going to be an amazing experience!
Plus, those overnight oats >>>>>>
🙂
Volunteering is so rewarding. My dog is a licensed Pet Therapy Dog, so we go to hospitals, living facilities and even schools to visit and brighten someone’s day. It has been SUCH a rewarding experience and I love that we can visit, chat and bring a smile to someone. It is amazing the impact one hour a week can have.
I can’t say enough about hospital volunteering. I’ve volunteered in five different locations, including oncology inpatient units, a huge ER, and a leading pediatric hospital (which to this date is my favorite!). It is so incredibly rewarding and constantly interesting. I highly recommend working with Child Life at a children’s hospital- everyone thinks this is depressing, but it’s so fun! The kids are adorable and child life is literally all about play and fun. I hope you have a great experience!!!!
I asked about that! Apparently they are only accepting high school student volunteers in that area right now. I’m so happy to hear you’ve had such wonderful volunteering experiences!
I love volunteering! My internship provides a lot of opportunities to work in community gardens, and it has been so much fun!
Good for you, Julie! How are you doing on the squeamish front? I remember you saying you have trouble even walking into a hospital. (And I remember this because I am the exact same way. I can barely stand a dentist’s office. It’s terrible.)
I work as a dietitian at a hospital in Tampa and I love the idea of greeting patients bedside. I think it would really help enhance the overall patient experience and help make them feel welcome and comfortable. Good for you, girl!
Btw – Love the idea of chipotle maple almonds on top of oats!
This is so cool!! I wish I had a big enough hospital near me so I could do this!! I would love to escort people around, or work in the gift shop!
PB Cooke Dough overnight oats!? That sounds like the most amazing breakfast! I may be trying this VERY soon!
That sounds like a great opportunity! And that’s nice that they have so many volunteer positions available, I know that’s not the case here in Chicago – probably because there are so many people and students!
I still need to make those overnight oats! Cookie dough for breakfast sounds right up my alley 😉
I’m glad you enjoyed the training, it sounds like an amazing opportunity. Also, I am sooo excited for Leslie’s wedding recap. I was wondering if you could also do a post on her honeymoon? PS. I got engaged on Leslie and Ross’ wedding day. Now it’s a really special day for me too.
That’s so great to hear you’re volunteering! I volunteered for a bit in college at a battered women’s shelter, and it was so rewarding.
Wow, good for you for wanting to volunteer! I’m a registered nurse and have worked in many hospitals and I have to say that the volunteers save us! We love all of our volunteers and all the patients love being greeted by friendly faces 🙂
Volunteering always brings such a sense of accomplishment and you can be proud of time spent truly doing something worth your time!
I have yet to make that oatmeal but it’s totally saved and happening ASAP.
Your new volunteer position sounds like an awesome opportunity!
I haven’t had your peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough oats in forever, and they’re a favorite of mine too. I forgot about them… They’re happening again soon, I’ll tell ya that! 😉
Hope you like them (again)! And good luck with the move!! Xo
That’s so wonderful! I’ve thought about volunteering at a hospital ever since I went to chemo with my mom when she had breast cancer. I think you will do so great at patient visitation. 🙂
That is such a wonderful thing to do 🙂 You will a lovely, warming face for the patients to see 🙂
You are so wonderful for volunteering! As a nursing student, I have immediately learned the value of having volunteers available to help keep the patient’s company if they don’t have family or friends around. I wish as a student they gave us that much instruction on basic needs of patient’s! They will ask me things like where can I get this or that and I have no idea until I go searching!
Good for you for giving back. I volunteered at a hospital long ago and it was very rewarding. It sounds like the volunteer training at MRMC is quite thorough, so perhaps you will learn a lot of valuable skills you can put to use in the gym as well!
My husband and I are looking in to doing some volunteering … although I don’t know how he would handle a hospital setting- ha! That is great what you are doing and you will bring a huge smile to all patients you greet!
i love that you seem very active in your community! volunteering is such a great thing to do. speaking of which, i really need to look into some local volunteer opportunities 🙂
yum, overnight oats are the best. i love adding cashews to my oats, but peanuts or almonds would be delicious, as well!
That is a very unique combo of flavors I would never have thought of- cookie dough and chipotle almonds. So outside the box, but it sounds delicious!
It’s one thing to want to volunteer and another thing entirely to follow through- it is so inspiring that you actually got connected and are going for it. That hospital program sounds so thorough and friendly too. I never thought of volunteering at a hospital…
What a great experience! I used to volunteer with child life in a hospital and miss it so much. How do you find volunteer opportunities? Are you still involved with Junior League? I am struggling to find volunteer opportunities in my new town, and really miss it!
I volunteer at a hospital and initially my position was ok; it was overstaffed so I felt like I didn’t have much to do. Then I switched positions, and now I enjoy it much more. Do you still volunteer for Meals on Wheels?
So glad you found a better position! I stopped working with Meals on Wheels at the end of the year. I had some scheduling conflicts with my route and also felt like it wasn’t the best fit for me. I wanted to interact with people more, so I’m hoping this will be a good volunteer opportunity!
What a wonderful thing to do! Volunteering feels so good–to share love & support for others in need.
Hospital volunteering sounds fun!
Do you still do meals on wheels?
Also pls bring back book club! Maybe summer? 🙂
That’s awesome! What a great way to give back! I volunteered at a hospital in college- what an amazing experience. I met and worked with so many great people!
Peanut butter? Oatmeal? And cookie dough? That has my name all over it! I cannot wait to try this. I’m craving it already. I swear I could eat oatmeal any time of the day.
where do these delicious almonds come from?
it’s so great that you live in an area that has great volunteer opportunities. i fell like in la, organizations only want volunteers who can do the job full time, it’s really sad.
That sweet and salty combo sounds delish!!!
Such a lovely, selfless thing to do. After my wedding in the Summer I would like to find somewhere that I can volunteer at regularly. I work as a teacher so have a long period off over the Summer holidays each year which I could use more productively.
You MUST ask if yo can bring Sadie in … she is such a loving dog she would provide excellent therapy!
I volunteered 700 hours last year …. no wonder my house is a mess!
I work in a hospital and we rely heavily on our volunteers. It’s an important thing to do and I’m sure the hospital you’re volunteering at is very grateful. Thank you!
I work in a hospital, specifically ER, and I have to say that we DEFINITELY need more volunteers, so that you for considering doing this. Sometimes we just don’t have the extra time to stock rooms, show patient’s around, or get them where they need to go. So thank you.
I volunteered at a hospital, which then turned into a job, which then turned into me now going back for my Masters in Social Work. It’s such a cool experience and you learn SO much SO fast because hospitals are open 24/7 and every specialty is represented.
Enjoy the experience- highs and lows!
That sounds like an amazing opportunity! I’ve been looking into volunteer opportunities lately as well- I really don’t think there’s any better feeling than doing something for others, no strings attached. Have fun & good luck with all the training!
What a COOL opportunity 🙂 Love that you’re helpign out in the community — I work with the homeless here in Denver and the work is tough but so gratifying.
Awww that sounds like a really awesome volunteer position, Julie! I’m trying to get back into more volunteering but my bebe has me quite busy, lol. Thank you for the inspiration, though! I’m always happy to see bloggers promote that kind of lifestyle. <3
I volunteered at my local hospital for a few months in the PACU/ Recovery unit. (Our orientation was 7 hours, haha!) But all I can say is that environment was not for me. I had 2 really gross experiences though 😛 Which really did me in!
What a great place to volunteer! My grandmother has been in the hospital since mid February, and I know she appreciates every kind face that comes her way!
good for you for volunteering! I’m a nurse, and have seen the great benefits of volunteers in the hospital. It means so much the patients, as well as the staff. Nobody wants to be a patient at the hospital, so when you are, you deserve extra attention and volunteers are a special touch to make patients feel more comfortable. Volunteering is an honorable action.
My husband works at MRMC! It’s a great hospital. That’s awesome that you will be doing volunteer work there. I’d love to do some too once my kiddos are in school. Love your blog! 🙂
That’s so awesome you’re volunteering! I keep thinking of volunteering but can’t get my lazy bum to figure it out. I always wanted to volunteer at an animal shelter but I think I’d come home depressed every day because I wouldn’t be able to take home all the animals… Good on you:)
As a PR professional working in DC I have had the *pleasure* 😉 of working on some government health care clients, including some work involving HIPAA. It can be boring stuff, but it’s actually pretty important! Good for you for volunteering!