The ICU ward was filled with a sense of isolation and coldness. On my first day there, I met Manny, a 7-year old Hmong immigrant who was recovering from brain surgery. His mother sat beside him in tears at the sight of her son’s head wrapped in medical dressing and his mouth intubated. I stood quietly in the corner observing the physician on call, Dr. Gajula, attempting to explain post-operation difficulties the patient would endure. Medical jargon poured out of Dr. Gajula’s mouth only to be received by a confused and apprehensive mother. Realizing the communication gap, Dr. Gajula immediately connected to a phone translator. As he spoke into the phone calmly, Dr. Gajula held the mother’s hand and reassured her of her son’s recovery. Manny’s mother’s face originally filled with perplexity and anxiety
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At both Princeton Medical Center and Bayshore Community Hospital, I interacted with a variety of patients. I learned to provide patients with anything that they may need and to uphold the ideology that patients always come first. Even though the endless runs to the ice machine, the reorganization of rooms and the wheel-chairing of patients between wards were trivial tasks, seeing the smile of patients and knowing you made their lives a little more comfortable was most fulfilling. With that being said, the large part of my hospital volunteer experiences did not teach me about communication issues and isolation that patients face in their personal lives.
Working at a local re-entry task force in Trenton, A Better Way, also taught me the benefits of helping others by providing economic empowerment to less fortunate individuals. Attending personal Men Group meetings gave me the opportunity to interact with individuals of different socioeconomic statuses. However, hearing individuals’ financial hardships did not make me cognizant of isolation and personal issues they
At both Princeton Medical Center and Bayshore Community Hospital, I interacted with a variety of patients. I learned to provide patients with anything that they may need and to uphold the ideology that patients always come first. Even though the endless runs to the ice machine, the reorganization of rooms and the wheel-chairing of patients between wards were trivial tasks, seeing the smile of patients and knowing you made their lives a little more comfortable was most fulfilling. With that being said, the large part of my hospital volunteer experiences did not teach me about communication issues and isolation that patients face in their personal lives.
Working at a local re-entry task force in Trenton, A Better Way, also taught me the benefits of helping others by providing economic empowerment to less fortunate individuals. Attending personal Men Group meetings gave me the opportunity to interact with individuals of different socioeconomic statuses. However, hearing individuals’ financial hardships did not make me cognizant of isolation and personal issues they