Service Learning Reflection Paper

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Phar 189: Service Learning Reflection
My service learning was at The Royal University Hospital and The Jim Pattison Children's Hospital. I am a way-finder and help patients find where they need to go in the hospitals. I feel that the other volunteers and I provide assistance to the patients of the hospital and the hospital employees, too. We work very closely with the receptionists at the Children’s Hospital and help them by taking patients to certain desitnations and finding wheelchairs for patients to use.
My first time at the hospital was for orientation in September. I was very eager to begin volunteering as this was my first choice and I wanted to experience the hospital environement. As my preceptor, fellow volunteers, classmates and …show more content…

I have gained a deeper understanding of how overwhelming healthcare settings can be and the importance of simplicity to reduce patient anxiety and stress. Having spaces that are navigable by the patient could encourage patients to receive the health care they need. I sense that patients may feel overwhelmed by the lack of parking, the long walkways, or simply the chaos of appointments and people and may feel less motivated to get the care they need. I have also learned how to help patients in small amounts of time. As a wayfinder, I don’t get to spend much time with the patients and this is very similar to a pharmacy setting. In the pharmacy there is not very much time with the patient either, so it is important to learn how to utilize the time available to gain a better understanding of the patient's concerns and …show more content…

I understand that other areas of the hospital need these resources and I think that having a positive relationship with my preceptor has allowed me to voice my concerns in a professional manner. I have not noticed the wheelchair shortage being an as big problem since I explained the dilemma. Overall, I have had experience working with other people in the past and have been able to utilize the communication skills I learned then to address the situations that arise in my service-learning