1) What were your goals? Did you meet these goals?
My goals was to have more knowledge about the functionment of hospitals. I wanted to have the ability to interact with the patients to become a better communicator. I wanted to learn about the typical challenges that doctors are facing. I also wanted to utilize my imagination to generate new ideas.
I didn't exactly learned much about how doctors interact with patients, but from my observations, I learned about many other things. The things that goes around hospitals. I also developed and practiced many skills such as interpersonal, communication, organization skills and many more that will help me in the future.
2) what are the most important things you've learned?
The most important things I learned is that hospitals are very serious places, especially when it comes to safety, infection control, isolation and the patient confidential. I learned a lot about why certain things are not allowed in hospitals. For example before you work in a hospital, you need to be examinated by a doctor and take the vaccines needed. You have to wear a uniform with your ID. Sandals are not allowed just in case of infection. I learned how Saint Vincent do mission with respect, intergrety, compassion and exellence. In the office I learned how to prepare the materials before I start the work so that everything will be neat and organized.
3) In what ways have you grown as a student / adult?
Since I started the internship I see myself into a whole different level. I mostly grew as an adult because I became more professional. I practiced the time management skills and I productively work for my accomplishments. I became more self-directed and I take control of my responsibilities.
4) What highlights of your internship experiences.
Working in a hospital was really a cool thing for me because I met divers people, including patients and mostly all sort of professionals who are involved in health care. I also learned about many things which I never thought of or expected.
5) Describe a memorable moment or experience.
My memorable moments was when we was having the volunteers awards and our last day at internship. At the volunteer awards we had a big party for all the volunteers and we been congraduated by a sort of awards. The last day we were leaving was a happy and also a sad day because we all were crying. Our mentor was so pleased abou our work and behavior. She gave us a benevolent card that we will always remember.
6 ) what challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?
The challenges I faced was that the nurses didn't really assisted us on our services. I tried to have more of a assertive voice. In the patient transportation we didn't have much work to do because we could seat for an hour if we don't have patients to transport. So to solve these problems we try be be more familiar with the nurses and ask questions. We always asked them if they need help. We pushed our selfs to be more self-directed and be more assertive. We also talked to our mentor about the transportation department and she replaced us in her office.
7) what advices will you give to the future interns?
I advice I have for future interns is to be very observant and ask a lot of questions when they don't understand something because that's how they become self-directed. Always challenge their self and try their best even when something is hard to accomplish.
8) what will you miss about your internship?
I will miss everybody who I worked with because all the people I meet were so nice and they have a lot of sympathy. I will mostly miss my favorite patient. Since we came in the hospital he was so nice to us. He always welcomed us in his room with a happy smile on his face. He had a lot of funny stories that always used to make us laugh. Sometimes we played a french game with him and sometimes we play logics related to academic subjects. I will miss the way he always tried to convince us to take some of his food. I will also miss Nicky, Sister Patricia and Dan.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Mentor Interview
1) What is your full name?
My full name is Patricia Cusack.
2) Where are you from ( city, state, country )?
I am originally from the state of Pennsylvania in Pitchburk.
3 ) Where did you go to college? For how long? Do you plan to go back to school?
I actually went to three colleges. THe first college I went to was Dominican University in Columbus Ohio for three years.The second college I went to was Xavier University.The third college I went to was Columbia University in New York. I don't plan to go back to school because I have the highest degree there is to have.
4) What was your major in college and what kind of degree did you earn? Did you attend graduate scholl for an advanced degree? If yes, what degree and where?
My major was working in the education field. I earned my undergraduate degree in Dominican University in Ohio.
My first master degree in xavier University. My second master in Columbia University and my doctoral degree inColumbia University also.
5) Why did you choose your professionel field?
I chose this professionel field because I thought that I can make a difference in the field of education for professionels.
6) what got you involved in this field of work? What inspired you to do it?
I got involved in tis field of work because I wanted to make heath care stronger by bringing my education backround to health care.
7) Why did you choose this particular job at this particular company?
I chose this particular job at this paricular company because I wanted to work in a Catholic hospital. Saint Vincent is a Catholic hospital.
8) How long have you worked here?
I been woking at Saint Vincent's since 1995. In another word, I been working here for 14 years.
9) What is your job title?
My job title is Director of volunteer services.
10) What do your duties include? Or what kinds of work does your job involve?
The kinds of work that is involve in my job is administration, directing the entire department. I direct over hundreds of volunteers.
11) what are some of the challenges you have faced working here?
The challenges is that I don't have a big enough staff. I need more space for my department and my volunteers.
12) What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is have the opportunity to meet all different kind of people who are so generous and heling the patients.
13) What is something you would like to change about your job?
If I would change something I wish that I can have a full time record paper.
14) Did you worked somewhere else before this job? Where? For how long? How was that similar/ different?
In Columbia Ohio I was an assistant super attendent of schools. Over all the principals, I was in charge of them. The similarity is that I do administration now from what I was doing before. The difference is that before I was in charge of people who were employed, but now I deal with volunteers.
My full name is Patricia Cusack.
2) Where are you from ( city, state, country )?
I am originally from the state of Pennsylvania in Pitchburk.
3 ) Where did you go to college? For how long? Do you plan to go back to school?
I actually went to three colleges. THe first college I went to was Dominican University in Columbus Ohio for three years.The second college I went to was Xavier University.The third college I went to was Columbia University in New York. I don't plan to go back to school because I have the highest degree there is to have.
4) What was your major in college and what kind of degree did you earn? Did you attend graduate scholl for an advanced degree? If yes, what degree and where?
My major was working in the education field. I earned my undergraduate degree in Dominican University in Ohio.
My first master degree in xavier University. My second master in Columbia University and my doctoral degree inColumbia University also.
5) Why did you choose your professionel field?
I chose this professionel field because I thought that I can make a difference in the field of education for professionels.
6) what got you involved in this field of work? What inspired you to do it?
I got involved in tis field of work because I wanted to make heath care stronger by bringing my education backround to health care.
7) Why did you choose this particular job at this particular company?
I chose this particular job at this paricular company because I wanted to work in a Catholic hospital. Saint Vincent is a Catholic hospital.
8) How long have you worked here?
I been woking at Saint Vincent's since 1995. In another word, I been working here for 14 years.
9) What is your job title?
My job title is Director of volunteer services.
10) What do your duties include? Or what kinds of work does your job involve?
The kinds of work that is involve in my job is administration, directing the entire department. I direct over hundreds of volunteers.
11) what are some of the challenges you have faced working here?
The challenges is that I don't have a big enough staff. I need more space for my department and my volunteers.
12) What is the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is have the opportunity to meet all different kind of people who are so generous and heling the patients.
13) What is something you would like to change about your job?
If I would change something I wish that I can have a full time record paper.
14) Did you worked somewhere else before this job? Where? For how long? How was that similar/ different?
In Columbia Ohio I was an assistant super attendent of schools. Over all the principals, I was in charge of them. The similarity is that I do administration now from what I was doing before. The difference is that before I was in charge of people who were employed, but now I deal with volunteers.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Midpoint Reflection- Weeks 8/9 - Due Thursday April 30
Midpoint Reflection - Weeks 8/9- DUE Thursday April 30th
Midpoint Reflection Questions
You are now more than half way through your internship.
Assignment:
Use the following questions to guide you in creating a post reflecting on and analyzing your internship experience up to this point.
* What new skills have you learned that apply to the workplace? Which of these are transferable skills?
The new skills i have learned that apply to the wokplace is my interpersonal skills meaning the way help the patients in their needs. I keep company to the patients and I make sure they fell comfortable talking with me. I also developed and i am utilizin my communication skills because i verbaly communicate withe the patients and I ask my mentor questions about how thw work sould be done. Asking questions is very good because it don't make you a ignorant person. I aslo gained organization skills because to do an office work you need to be very organized and prepare all the materials before you start the work. Both of these skills are transferable skills.
* What kind of relationship do you have with your mentor and co-workers? How have yo grown as aresult of interactng with professionels adults? What kind of communication ( verbal- non verbal skills ) have you gained?
My mentor, my co- workers and I have a very good relationship. Everyboy who I work with is very nice people. Someyimes my mentor make jokes just to make us laugh. As a result of interacting with professional, I start talking more. Professionaly and try use use as much sofisticated vocabulary words to show my level of education. I also ask more questions as I get more use to the people who I am working with. I mostly use verbal communication skillsa to inyeract with them.
*What challenges at the internship have you faced that you have overcome and how did you overcome them?
I hardly didn't have many challenges. The only thing that was bothering me was when we use to seat for like two hours without doing anything. It wasn't our fault because when there is no patient going back home, we don't get to have any patients to transport to the lobby. It is just like when you have a store and you don't get custemers to buye the thing that you selling. So you cannot do anything about it. We over come them by our mentor's help because she made us now work in her office.
*What challenges have you faced in school as a result of the altered schedule and how are you handling them?
In school, I didn't faced any challenges even though I go to school and work at internship at the same time. In school. I. Stay focus in class, I try my best to learn new things everyday, I do all my homewoks, I manage my time and I love my schoo because evrybody is so nice.
*What goals are you working to accomplish during the remaining five weeks of the internship?
For the remaining five weeks I my many goals that I already start to gain. I learn better how the hospitals function and that is the knowledge I wanted gain. The goals I want is to know I to use the materials to help patients get a better health. I want to practice like the real nurses. I which to use my imagination base of my knowledge of. What goes aroud of hospitals to develop new ideas.
*What new things have you learned about New York City?
I learned that New York City is a perfect place that have lot of opportunities for eveyone. Everything is availabe in here. The is mich freedom but to get what you want you have to work hard. New york is also a plae where the American Dream can be realized. Don't think that its just a dream, you have to believe on it to make it happen.
You are now more than half way through your internship.
Assignment:
Use the following questions to guide you in creating a post reflecting on and analyzing your internship experience up to this point.
- How has the internship been the same as and/or different than your expectations?
- What is similar and different about the culture of the school environment versus the workplace environment?
* What new skills have you learned that apply to the workplace? Which of these are transferable skills?
The new skills i have learned that apply to the wokplace is my interpersonal skills meaning the way help the patients in their needs. I keep company to the patients and I make sure they fell comfortable talking with me. I also developed and i am utilizin my communication skills because i verbaly communicate withe the patients and I ask my mentor questions about how thw work sould be done. Asking questions is very good because it don't make you a ignorant person. I aslo gained organization skills because to do an office work you need to be very organized and prepare all the materials before you start the work. Both of these skills are transferable skills.
* What kind of relationship do you have with your mentor and co-workers? How have yo grown as aresult of interactng with professionels adults? What kind of communication ( verbal- non verbal skills ) have you gained?
My mentor, my co- workers and I have a very good relationship. Everyboy who I work with is very nice people. Someyimes my mentor make jokes just to make us laugh. As a result of interacting with professional, I start talking more. Professionaly and try use use as much sofisticated vocabulary words to show my level of education. I also ask more questions as I get more use to the people who I am working with. I mostly use verbal communication skillsa to inyeract with them.
*What challenges at the internship have you faced that you have overcome and how did you overcome them?
I hardly didn't have many challenges. The only thing that was bothering me was when we use to seat for like two hours without doing anything. It wasn't our fault because when there is no patient going back home, we don't get to have any patients to transport to the lobby. It is just like when you have a store and you don't get custemers to buye the thing that you selling. So you cannot do anything about it. We over come them by our mentor's help because she made us now work in her office.
*What challenges have you faced in school as a result of the altered schedule and how are you handling them?
In school, I didn't faced any challenges even though I go to school and work at internship at the same time. In school. I. Stay focus in class, I try my best to learn new things everyday, I do all my homewoks, I manage my time and I love my schoo because evrybody is so nice.
*What goals are you working to accomplish during the remaining five weeks of the internship?
For the remaining five weeks I my many goals that I already start to gain. I learn better how the hospitals function and that is the knowledge I wanted gain. The goals I want is to know I to use the materials to help patients get a better health. I want to practice like the real nurses. I which to use my imagination base of my knowledge of. What goes aroud of hospitals to develop new ideas.
*What new things have you learned about New York City?
I learned that New York City is a perfect place that have lot of opportunities for eveyone. Everything is availabe in here. The is mich freedom but to get what you want you have to work hard. New york is also a plae where the American Dream can be realized. Don't think that its just a dream, you have to believe on it to make it happen.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
week 7 - Second Vocabulary Installment
Word: inventory
Meaning: a company's merchandise
Context: My mentor told me to check the inventory to investigate if the company brought the same furnitures they ordered.
Word: illness
Meaning: disease
Context: My mentor told me a hospital is a place where many illnesses get treated.
Word: manifestation
Meaning: demonstration, expression without words
Context: Whole working in the nursing floor, from my observations, I notice that certain allergies can result different manifestation on people.
Word: cluster
Meaning: a grouping of a number of similar things
Context: All the volunteers at Saints Vincent's are classified in a cluster department.
Word: liaison
Meaning: a channel for communication between groups.
Context: During the volunteers award ceremony, I heard my mentor giving praise at a very role model volunteer by telling her that she has been in a wonderful liaison for the hospital.
Word: monitoring
Meaning: the act of observing something and sometimes keeping a record.
Context: Saint Vincent offers a monitoring of patients with communicable diseases.
Word: cardiothoracic surgery
Meaning: the field of medicine involved in surgerical treatment of diseases affecting organs inside the threaux.
Context: At saint vincent's, there's cardiothoracic services offered in the special field of surery.
Word: epidemic
Meaning: new cases of a certain disease occur in a givin human population during a giving period.
Context: saint Vincent's have agencies that are in charge of epidemic significant events when ever it happens.
Meaning: a company's merchandise
Context: My mentor told me to check the inventory to investigate if the company brought the same furnitures they ordered.
Word: illness
Meaning: disease
Context: My mentor told me a hospital is a place where many illnesses get treated.
Word: manifestation
Meaning: demonstration, expression without words
Context: Whole working in the nursing floor, from my observations, I notice that certain allergies can result different manifestation on people.
Word: cluster
Meaning: a grouping of a number of similar things
Context: All the volunteers at Saints Vincent's are classified in a cluster department.
Word: liaison
Meaning: a channel for communication between groups.
Context: During the volunteers award ceremony, I heard my mentor giving praise at a very role model volunteer by telling her that she has been in a wonderful liaison for the hospital.
Word: monitoring
Meaning: the act of observing something and sometimes keeping a record.
Context: Saint Vincent offers a monitoring of patients with communicable diseases.
Word: cardiothoracic surgery
Meaning: the field of medicine involved in surgerical treatment of diseases affecting organs inside the threaux.
Context: At saint vincent's, there's cardiothoracic services offered in the special field of surery.
Word: epidemic
Meaning: new cases of a certain disease occur in a givin human population during a giving period.
Context: saint Vincent's have agencies that are in charge of epidemic significant events when ever it happens.
Friday, April 17, 2009
wee 5 and Beyond - Weekly Vocabulary Assignments
Word: IV
Meaning: IV is into a vein.
Context: The nurses mostly put the IV into the patient vein to help them gain the blood they neede by diffusion.
Word: stretcher
Meaning: strecher is a medical device to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another.
Context: Stretchers are so hard to find in the hospital where I intern because everyone is looking for one to transport patients.
Word: Lobby
Meaning: lobby is a room in a building which is used.for entry from the outside.
Context: I always transport patients to the lobby because I work at the transportation department.
Word: orientation
Meaning: an introduction as to guide one in adjusting to new surrounding, employment or activity.
Context: Before I began my internship, rather than having interviews, we had an oriatation with our mentor.
Word: Isolation
Meaning: the state of being separated.
Context: Before the nurses or anyone else goes to the isolation rooms, they have to wear protection ( mask and a special cloth ) before they enter the rooms.
Word: Exellence
Meaning: an attitude which recognizes that we can always be more and be better.
Context: In the orientation, my mentor told me exellence is our way of demostratind that we can always be more and always better in our job.
Word: compassion
Meaning: an attitude of deep concern and love toward each person.
Context: My mentor told me compassion is the way we share deep concern, love and care toward our patients.
Meaning: IV is into a vein.
Context: The nurses mostly put the IV into the patient vein to help them gain the blood they neede by diffusion.
Word: stretcher
Meaning: strecher is a medical device to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another.
Context: Stretchers are so hard to find in the hospital where I intern because everyone is looking for one to transport patients.
Word: Lobby
Meaning: lobby is a room in a building which is used.for entry from the outside.
Context: I always transport patients to the lobby because I work at the transportation department.
Word: orientation
Meaning: an introduction as to guide one in adjusting to new surrounding, employment or activity.
Context: Before I began my internship, rather than having interviews, we had an oriatation with our mentor.
Word: Isolation
Meaning: the state of being separated.
Context: Before the nurses or anyone else goes to the isolation rooms, they have to wear protection ( mask and a special cloth ) before they enter the rooms.
Word: Exellence
Meaning: an attitude which recognizes that we can always be more and be better.
Context: In the orientation, my mentor told me exellence is our way of demostratind that we can always be more and always better in our job.
Word: compassion
Meaning: an attitude of deep concern and love toward each person.
Context: My mentor told me compassion is the way we share deep concern, love and care toward our patients.
week 4 - You're a third of the way there
1) it's a hospital.
2) I am working ina hospital called Saint Vincent Hospital. There a many kind of work that the professionels does. For example working as a docter, nurse office, management, supervising etc...
3) The hospital is located in Manhattan170 West 12th Street, N.Y 10011. Comparing to my school neighborhood, my internship neighborhood is very busy because that's in Manhattan where money runs a lot according to the businesses. Rather than that, the neighborhood is very calm and you can get all your needs in one place.
4) I actually have two mentors. My first mentor is the head director of the volunteer department. We call her sister Patricia. She's very educated, organized and strict because she like the work to be well done. She consist that her interns always have to wear professionel cloths and maintain a perfect attendence. My other mentor is named cheril. She's the supervisor of the transportation department. She's a very nice person. She has no problem and she like to work with her interns in a yoyful atmosphere. Everytime I see her I think of ms Sherine because they have kind of a familiar name and they are both nice people.
5) So far when I work at the nursing floor, I talk to the patients and I make sure they fell comfortable talking with me and they are getting help with their lonelyness. I change the pitchers, meaning the pot where we put water for the patients. Sometimes a worker named Tacha send us to the central to get some materials like bed pants etc... In the transportation department I always transport the patients to the lobby. While I am transporting the patients, I talk with them and I ask them about how they feel and if theyb are happy to go home. Sometimes I also do filing for my mentor.
6) Some highlights of the fourth week is I am very exited because I am developing my communication skills and I am utilizing my interpersonel skills. The other difficult thing is that at the transportation department we can sometimes seat for 2 hours without doing anything because we don't have patients. I really don't feel comfortable with it because its not challenging and I don't like to seat around. But that's not uour fault if our mentor cannot supply us work to do.
7) I leave school at 11: 40.
8) It takes me 1 hour to get to my internship.
9) I arrive home at 6: 15 pm.
10) my schedule is that I work Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm to 5 pm. In another word I work 4 hours for 3 days.
11) My first mentor, meaning the director of the volunteer department is the one in charge to sign my time card everyday when I intern.
12) There is not much difference for me between the third and the fourth week because I do the same work everyday. The only difference is that I am more adapted to the system and I am increasing my knowledge about what goes around hospitals.
13) The most thing I really like about my internship is that I have the opportunity to interact with patients and I sees what goes around the hospital.
14) So far I have read some students blog such as Daichka and others but I didn't left comments because I didn't know. But starting now I will read and leave comments.
2) I am working ina hospital called Saint Vincent Hospital. There a many kind of work that the professionels does. For example working as a docter, nurse office, management, supervising etc...
3) The hospital is located in Manhattan170 West 12th Street, N.Y 10011. Comparing to my school neighborhood, my internship neighborhood is very busy because that's in Manhattan where money runs a lot according to the businesses. Rather than that, the neighborhood is very calm and you can get all your needs in one place.
4) I actually have two mentors. My first mentor is the head director of the volunteer department. We call her sister Patricia. She's very educated, organized and strict because she like the work to be well done. She consist that her interns always have to wear professionel cloths and maintain a perfect attendence. My other mentor is named cheril. She's the supervisor of the transportation department. She's a very nice person. She has no problem and she like to work with her interns in a yoyful atmosphere. Everytime I see her I think of ms Sherine because they have kind of a familiar name and they are both nice people.
5) So far when I work at the nursing floor, I talk to the patients and I make sure they fell comfortable talking with me and they are getting help with their lonelyness. I change the pitchers, meaning the pot where we put water for the patients. Sometimes a worker named Tacha send us to the central to get some materials like bed pants etc... In the transportation department I always transport the patients to the lobby. While I am transporting the patients, I talk with them and I ask them about how they feel and if theyb are happy to go home. Sometimes I also do filing for my mentor.
6) Some highlights of the fourth week is I am very exited because I am developing my communication skills and I am utilizing my interpersonel skills. The other difficult thing is that at the transportation department we can sometimes seat for 2 hours without doing anything because we don't have patients. I really don't feel comfortable with it because its not challenging and I don't like to seat around. But that's not uour fault if our mentor cannot supply us work to do.
7) I leave school at 11: 40.
8) It takes me 1 hour to get to my internship.
9) I arrive home at 6: 15 pm.
10) my schedule is that I work Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 1pm to 5 pm. In another word I work 4 hours for 3 days.
11) My first mentor, meaning the director of the volunteer department is the one in charge to sign my time card everyday when I intern.
12) There is not much difference for me between the third and the fourth week because I do the same work everyday. The only difference is that I am more adapted to the system and I am increasing my knowledge about what goes around hospitals.
13) The most thing I really like about my internship is that I have the opportunity to interact with patients and I sees what goes around the hospital.
14) So far I have read some students blog such as Daichka and others but I didn't left comments because I didn't know. But starting now I will read and leave comments.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Week 3 - Life as a High School Intern
First of all, when I reach at my internship, I go to my first mentor to say hello with a good smile and I ask her about her day. Then I sign in by the computer. I put on my volunteer uniform and my ID I got from the department. After that, I goes to my assigned job, meaning the nursing or the transportation because each one of these has a different day for my attendence. I am not working alone. I am actually working with my friend Mariama. But the are also two others girls who works in the same hospital as us. I work in two kinds of space. The first one is a nursing floor and it's called smith 7. The floor is clean and the are isolation charts in the hallway. Just next to the elevator the is a litle reception where you can get help by the nurses and doctors if you were looking for a patient. I n the nursing floor, the are mostly old people who have many different heath propblems such as high blod pressure, disabilities etc... My other working space is called the transportation department which is located in the basement. This place is actually my mentor's office. Transporters goes there to be informed if they have a patient to transport in different parts of te hospital or to the lobby.
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