Week 10

As I finished all my hours last week, I did not volunteer this week. However, I thought I would write a little something as my final blog entry.

She could feel the cold wind hit her face, and for the millionth time she thought to herself, I really wish I had a warmer jacket, or maybe a scarf. But life wasn't as simple as just going to the store and buying everything she wanted. Life wasn't as simple since the stock market took its now infamous dive. Before all of that, she never had to worry about anything in reference to clothes, mortgage or even something as basic as health care. Now though those worries were always at the front of her mind. 

As she opened the heavy glass door, she left the warmth seep out. Deep down she was so thankful so such a place, the San Jose Clinic. A place were she could see a doctor, get her teeth cleaned. She thought back to the time when a recent friend told her about the clinic. It was probably a year ago, she thought to herself. Sarah was volunteering here as a nurse and once she found out about my situation she told me about this place. And after finding out about this place, it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. A basic need, a necessity was fulfilled by the wonderful people. She greeted the receptionist with a smile and took a guest sticker. As she pressed the up button for the elevator, she looked around the first floor. She saw other people just like herself. People with little income, just trying to make a better life for themselves and their children. She saw the receptionists laugh and smile and chat with the patients. This comfort made her smile. These people truly were angels, helping people in need when someone else may not have. 

It's been quite the experience volunteering at San Jose. 

Happy Holidays!

Week 9

This past week, I actually got to volunteer with an intern at the clinic. She was in the process of making "goodie bags" for an event that they were having over the weekend. The event consisted of giving bike helmets to the children that they treat. I was honestly really suprised by this. Not that I didnt expect San Jose to reach into the community, but bike helmets are a huge thing. I know when I was a kid, I absolutely loved riding my bike, so it was nice to see that they are really promoting healthy living and an active lifestlye in the kids they treat.

Once I was done putting the goodie bags together- which consisted of crayons, a colour page, a fake tatto, information sheets about helmets, and getting shots- I helped cut off little figures that little kids can colour and then the San Jose staff can hang up on their tree. I was happy to help, because I know that even though my family doesn't have a tree, I always loved seeing how beautiful the trees are and I know these kids will love colouring in the snowman/gingerbread man/ star and then getting it put up on the tree.

As well, this past week, Sasha and I have begun discussing our service learning presentation. We agreed that we would do HPV.

Week 8

Volunteering this week was very similar to last week. I went back to the clinic and again went through all of the files they want in storage, writing down the individual patient's name and number. It was pretty straight forward work though sadly there were no talkative dentists to entertain me this time :( But it was nice to go back and help the clinic become a little more organized. 

The clinic itself is quite impressive. It is really big and has a lot of space in reference to dental tools and other requirements. 

Sasha and I also began discussing our service learning project. We want to present about either diabetes or HPV. This week I'll talk to the volunteer coordinator to see which of the two are more prevalent at San Jose clinic. 

Week 7

This past week, my volunteer experience was different than any earlier. This week, because there are no more lost tickets and no new patients to put into the system I volunteered at the dental clinic on the third floor of the San Jose Clinic. They are currently trying to put about 10 or so boxes in storage and so they need volunteers to write down the names and patient numbers of the files that are in those boxes. So basically all I did was go through the box and write down patient name and number on a piece of paper give it me, and then once the paper was filled (approximately 20 or so names) the paper would be filed in the box to show the next volunteer where I may have stopped.

In the process of filling out these pages, I got to talking to one of the dentists that works in the clinic. He was very nice and talkative. I asked him about why he wanted to become a dentist. He said that he actually wanted to go to medical school and got rejected the first time. He decided he would just reapply to medical school, but his uncle who was a dentist as well, suggested that he would become a great dentist. And after talking to his uncle some more, he decided to become a dentist. Seems like a good story, and it was nice to hear about why people become whatever they do "when they grow up".

While I was working, another UST student actually joined me. Though we aren't good friends, it was nice to see another student there.

week 6

This week, I volunteered again with the secretaries downstairs. I again filled in the template on the computer with new patient information. There weren't that many to do, so I spent some of the time just talking to the secretaries. They are really cool people. I was happy to get to talk to them. It's nice to interact with the same people each week. Sadly, they ran out of the forms this Friday so hopefully they'll have some more again next week. So this week was pretty slow, so not much to write :(

Week 5

This week, I volunteered downstairs with the secretaries downstairs. Again, I put in new patient information. It's pretty straight forward. There is a preset form on the computer that I fill in with the specific patients information. It was nice this week to interact with the secretaries. I got to talk to her and discuss all the different patients that come through, and discuss our university. The volunteer work itself was straight forward.

Week 4

This week, the volunteer work was pretty straight forward. I went back to entering new patient information into the system that they have. It's a pretty straight forward system, just fill in the blanks on the template with the information the paitents provided. Sometimes the most frustrating thing though was reading people's writing. But it was interesting to see the different people that come to the clinic, the demographic.

I was putting in the information of a Caucasin female and you need to put in race in one of the templates. And it was interesting to see that actually the computer would not let me put her race in as white rather it was forcing me to put hispanic. It was interesting considering the fact that people of all races can have difficult times in their life, and may need to come to the clinic. It was just suprising that I had to fight the computer so much to allow for me to put her correct race in.

Week 3- Last week

This is a little late, as this past week has been horribly hectic. I volunteered this past Wednesday- October 6th- again at the San Jose Clinic. This time I went back to my original volunteer assignment, looking up dates when patients visited to determine if they did pay for their appointment.

When a patient comes in, and sees a doctor, they are given a blue sheet which a doctor will fill out and allow for the receptionists to figure out how much the patients is required to co-pay. A lot of the time, the patients will actually walk out clinic without giving the receptionist the paper. The patient doesn't have to pay at that exact time, but the receptionist still needs the blue paper with the fees and everything to determine what the amount on the account should be.

So when a patient walks out with the form, the data is not entered in the computer, it is considered to be a "lost ballot". And so, now the clinic must look for the"lost ballots" and determine if people did hand in their blue form and it was not entered correctly- a duplicate- or if the forms truly taken with the patient and nothing was entered.

To figure this out I have to look up the patient number, check the specific date listed- this is determined by the appointment that was made. And then I need to look up the patient's account and determine if it is a duplicate or there really was no account information entered.

Week 2-- the front desk

This week volunteering was a little different. Instead of looking up patient information to try and figure out what happened to their blue sheet or their small co-payment page, this week I learned how to put new patient information into the system. It isn't too difficult, but it's interesting to see how the patient numbers work and how if the children have some sort of insurance, its noted and then the kids don't get a patient number. It's interesting that they really ensure that they providing medicine necessities for those who truly don't have insurance.

I was working at the front office when you enter the clinic, and while I was entering the information, I got to see the people who work at the clinic interact with patient and which each other. It was nice to see that they treat  patients with the same kindness that they treat each other.

Week 1

This past week I started my volunteering at the San Jose Clinic. I had the orientation on Monday and volunteered on Wednesday. On Wednesday I had the opportunity to work with the secretaries and organize patient files. Usually when a patient enters the clinic they are given a blue piece of paper, where the doctor or nurse or whoever they see will write on it and then the patient is supposed to give it back to the secretaries and pay a very small amount. A lot of the time, patients may walk out with the sheet without knowing they need to give it in, as it is a free clinic. As well, sometimes the nurses throw them out. So my job is to look up the patients that may have done this, and organize the information. Did the patient truly come in that day? What were they seen for? Is there an out standing balance? Just straight forward stuff like that. But being that I don't want to be a doctor, I thought the best way to help the clinic would be to help with the paper work there.

A weird week

This week wasn't exactly the most productive week in reference to volunteering. The orientation was supposed to be yesterday, Saturday. However, being that it was the holiest day of my religion and thus I was unable to attend the orientation. Thus I haven't started volunteering yet.

HOWEVER, I made an appointment last week - as soon as I found out the orientation was on Saturday- with the volunteer coordinator at San Jose to have a private orientation tomorrow. So tomorrow- Monday September 20- I will be going for orientation at the San Jose Clinic.

When I spoke with the coordinator at the clinic last week, we discussed what I would like to volunteer in, and she said I might have the opportunity to work with patient files. That's honestly what I really wanted! Because I don't really want to deal with patients par ce, but I would love to learn how the clinics work from the inside.

I am super excited for the orientation and to start volunteering :)

The beginning...

This past week, I decided that I would apply for a volunteering position at the San Jose Clinic as part of the service learning element of cellular biology. I can't say that volunteering at an unserved clinic has ever really crossed my mind, but honestly? It's more than just being to fulfill a part of a class requirement or putting in on my Tri-Beta hours. It's definitely more than that

Last year, I volunteered at a health fair that was aimed toward the homeless. It was a life changing experience. I was volunteering with a friend. We would put packs together of essentials. Toothpaste, shampoos, socks, etc. Even underwear. Underwear! That was just shocking. I know that there are homeless people in this world, but to finally see what they are really missing. Well it was kind of a slap in the face, to be honest. I saw all sorts of different people volunteering their time to ensure that all people can have the same things. That everyone can get a flu shot, a fresh lunch, a blanket, shampoo, or a bunch of bagels.

It was daunting to realize truly how lucky we are. The way I can just go to the store and buy whatever food I may crave. It was truly an amazing experience, and I look forward to volunteering at the San Jose Clinic and seeing how it provides help to the under served people of Houston.

Hopefully, I will hear from Samantha Sherman tomorrow and will be able to begin my service learning project this coming week.