Fourth Week

Unable to make it this past Wednesday morning when I usually volunteer, I went to San Jose to volunteer from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. yesterday. The clinic is much different in the lunch and afternoon hours compared to the early morning rush.

I was assigned to triage and vitals again, but they showed me the new way they were doing things. In order to increase efficiency, they were doing triage and vitals out front in the reception area, running medical records to the back, and then calling the patient back. Before, they would do triage and vitals in a prep room, send the patient back out to the waiting area, and then call them back in for their appointment.

Since it was a slower afternoon, they let me take over for a receptionist/EMT who was temporarily taking on the responsibility, and I did the triage paperwork and vitals for each patient that came in myself. I learned about their computer system and looking up patient information, asking about medications, medical history, and problems, and picked up a few more useful phrases of medically-related Spanish.

Usually working in the back in the exam rooms, it was a nice change to work out front in the reception area getting to know everyone there. I love the people at San Jose. They are all incredibly kind, helpful, and funny. It contrasts so drastically with the high-stress and colder environment of a hospital clinic. That was a pleasantly surprising observation.

I will not be able to volunteer next week since I am going to New York and Boston for Spring Break. I leave Saturday morning and come back Thursday night. I spend Friday in Houston but then leave Saturday morning for Salt Lake City for the American Chemical Society national conference. I'm excited!