Friday!

Today is FRIDAY, which means I get to go to the hospital again on MONDAY! YAY! I didn't do much today. I pretty much worked on getting more resources together for my 'book' and compiling them in one big word document. I am such a perfectionist and want this resource book to look perfect. I think I have most of the information I want to include from the child life website. There will still be a few things to add once I begin editing. Now I just need to add in a TON of information about the internship process and how to apply! I'll probably start that on Tuesday (or Monday during the day). Have a great weekend!

Not As Easy As Expected

As mentioned before, the hospital has different shifts that they allow volunteers to work. I am required to keep the same shifts I initially sign up for throughout the spring. Therefore, the shifts I signed up for are slightly odd times.  I also don't get to volunteer as much as I wanted during January, however in the long run I will get to volunteer more! I'm realizing that a longer volunteer experience will only allow me to gain more knowledge about child life. It makes me wish Interim was something I could do all semester. I really feel like I could continue this project and make it SO great over the course of 4 months. Because I don't get to volunteer as much as I wanted, I am focusing my 'off days' on the resource book I am making for the psychology department. I initially thought that the book would be SO easy and wouldn't require much time. Boy oh boy was I wrong! I spent several hours today pouring over research on the child life website trying to decide what was important for me to include in my book. There is literally so much information and it will take me LOTS of time to get all the information together, and then format the book to appeal to readers. I already wish I had this book earlier in my research efforts to help me figure out how to become certified in child life, and what child life was! My goal of the book is for it to have resources that will be able to be used for several years, and won't require much updating. This past summer I became a student member on the child life website (which requires you to pay a fee). I haven't even tapped into all the other resources that are available for members. I expect my book to be around 30-50 pages by the end of interim. I am literally writing 3-5 pages a day of information, single spaced! This book is not as easy as I expected it would be! 

Confirming Passion

I have always known that I am passionate about children, and passionate about helping children who struggle with disabilities, life challenges and serious illnesses. Today I reaffirmed those passions. 

During the summer of 2010 when I worked at camp, I discovered the child life profession. Many of my co-workers were studying to become child life specialists, and I grew more and more interested. I've always relied on my own research and what other people have told me, and from there decided that child life would be a perfect career for me. I've never experienced child life first hand, therefore there was some doubt in my mind that I could potentially hate the field. My shadowing experience today did just the opposite. 

It is hard to put into words how amazing today was, but I'll try. I arrived at the hospital around 1:45 today. I felt more confident arriving at the hospital today. I checked into the volunteer office, where I ran into the other volunteer I met yesterday. We walked to the child life department on the 6th floor of the hospital together. I was able to meet some new child life specialists that work at the hospital today. I even met the supervisor of the department! The other volunteer (we'll call her Alice) and I took a set of keys and went to the playrooms on the 5th and 6th floor to explore the cabinets. It is important for us to know where all the crafts, games, toys, etc. are located. Next, we met up with another child life volunteer, who has been volunteering for several months (we'll call her Peggy). Peggy was assigned to be mine and Alice's mentor for the day. We took a clipboard with all the room assignments and then made our rounds. Child life specialists have so many different jobs in the hospital. They rely on their volunteers to check on the patients every couple of hours and provide the play therapy, while they focus more on the psychological therapy (and other therapies). Peggy showed us when and how to enter rooms and introduce ourselves to the patient and their family. We also learned what notes we were supposed to write on the clipboard about each patient. We made rounds on the 6th floor (which typically holds the older patients, but not always) and the 5th floor (which typically holds the younger patients, but not always). We then were able to make rounds in the oncology and hematology unit. I was able to spend 30-45 minutes with a toddler. I played with her and had "cuddle time". Often times volunteers will hold or rock young children to give their parents a break. Around 5:30 my shift was over and I signed out of the volunteer office and headed back to Wofford.

On my way back to Wofford (which took about an hour with traffic!), I reflected on my experience today. I realized that today only reaffirmed my passions and confirmed that I should be a child life specialist some day. I absolutely LOVE the hospital environment. I haven't been in the hospital environment since high school, and today reminded me of how much I love walking the halls and seeing patients. I found so much personal joy when I was able to bring a smile or make a child laugh today. I interacted with a young boy by providing him with a video game. His face lit up and he continued to play the video game for over an hour. It made me so happy to know that for at least an hour of his hospital experience, I was able to take his mind off of whatever illness or ailment brought him there. 

I learned so much today, and I am jumping out of my seat to go back. I'll have several days before I start actually volunteering that I will use to work on my resource book. I'm thinking about including the volunteer process in the book as well. I know other students interested in child life would love to learn how to become a volunteer with the child life department as well! This interim is definitely going to be more than just an 'interim project'. It is going to be something I talk about forever (just like camp)!

Orientation Bliss

Today was such an exciting day! I reported to the hospital in dressy clothes ready to make a good first impression. I quickly found my way to the children's floor and then to the child life office. I was greeted by another volunteer, a child life assistant and another child life specialist. After giving me a child life volunteer orientation packet, the child life assistant took the other volunteer and me on a tour of the hospital. We learned what different codes on the doors meant, and how we as volunteers are to respond to those codes. We were shown where the gowns and masks were for when we have to 'gown up' to go into a room. The child life assistant also showed us how to clean toys, and where to place dirty toys. We learned about the equipment in each room. Every child's room is equipped with a PlayStation, DVD player and TV. Other handheld devices like a Nintendo DS and laptops are available if the child wants those as well. We visited the special area of the children's unit especially designed for epileptic children. We have full access to those rooms, just as long as we don't stand at the foot of the bed. I learned that in these rooms, at the foot of the bed, there is a camera that monitors each patient. I also got to visit the oncology and hematology units where I will also have full access. I honestly learned so much about different playrooms and different utility rooms that it is so hard to remember everything! I also found out that the $25 polo I purchased yesterday (which volunteer services said I had to wear) wasn't needed in the child life department. Today I also learned that I will be doing a lot of what a child life specialist does, just minus different counseling techniques. I am so excited to be volunteering through April with this department, and I can't wait to learn so much over interim as well. Tomorrow I will experience my first shadowing opportunity. I will learn exactly what my duties and responsibilities of a volunteer in the child life department entail. I am so excited to meet more of the child life staff, as well as learn the basis for what is to come during my volunteer experience. 

Walking around the hospital today reminded me a lot of camp. I worked at a camp for children with life challenges, disabilities and serious illnesses during the summer of 2010. It was at camp that I learned about child life, and decided that I wanted to become a child life specialist. I worked with children with all different types of illnesses and challenges while I was at camp. I played a role in making the children have a normal camp experience, despite their disability, life challenge or serious illness. As I was walking the halls of the hospital today, I realized that I would be in my 'element' this whole month. I will get to interact with children from diverse backgrounds with all sorts of different illnesses and life challenges. Furthermore, I will be able to brighten these kids days by just spending some time with them and performing different therapies. 

Speaking of camp, we sang a song every day at camp called "Love Is". That song inspired my blog title. I've included the lyrics below, and you can listen to through the embedded youtube player as well online. As you listen and read the lyrics, keep in mind that we sang this song with kids who had diabetes, downs syndrome and even cancer. This song can be applied to any life challenge, disability or serious illness that a child may be experiencing. The song shows how strong love really is. I can't think of a more perfect blog name. With love for the children I will be working with over the next few months, I can bring a smile to their face, or give them hope they may not have. I can do so much with these children by just showing a little bit of love. Enjoy!

Good Start Monday

Over the weekend I heard from the lady in child life. She told me that to volunteer with the department there was a four month requirement. I was frustrated because when I contacted child life back in September, they never mentioned a fourth month commitment. Similarly, the lady in volunteer services never mentioned a four month commitment either. I began thinking about it and decided that a four month commitment could be a good thing. I am wanting to become a child life specialist and must serve a 600 hour unpaid internship before I sit for the exam. I have already submitted my applications for the 600 hour internship (which has to be served after graduation). However, if I don't get an internship at one of the eleven hospitals I've applied to, at least I will have volunteer experience under my belt for my applications due in the fall. I also found out that there is a required shadowing day to volunteer with child life. I was so excited to hear that this was a requirement because I was looking for a shadowing opportunity during my volunteer experience. 

Today I went to Greenville and got my volunteer badge made. My volunteer badge allows me to park in gated parking and be identified throughout the hospital. After I got my volunteer badge made, I ventured down to the uniform shop in the bottom of the hospital. I felt like I was behind the scenes of an extraordinary operation. It made me stop and realize how big the hospital really is, and how many professionals are needed to keep it running. I had to wait about 20 minutes for the uniform lady to return from lunch. After some time, I was able to purchase my coral colored polo shirt embroidered with the hospital logo and volunteer services. After my three hour adventure at the hospital picking up my uniform and volunteer badge, I headed back to Spartanburg.

Before I headed to the hospital I was also able to speak with someone from child life about what hours I will be able to volunteer. She explained that there were certain shifts. She also mentioned that I would have to complete an orientation through child life. I will complete my orientation tomorrow at 10:00 am. At that time I will set up my volunteer shifts. There is a morning shift, afternoon shift, and night shift. I am going to try and plan my shifts to work around my spring schedule, so I can continue to volunteer after interim. I am excited about all the progress that was made today with my interim experience and I am so thrilled to learn all about child life during my orientation tomorrow!

Friday Luck

Today has been a great day! I was pretty bummed yesterday after finding out my background check had not been submitted to verify my volunteer experience. Today I received an email from the lady in charge of volunteer services letting me know that my volunteer application was officially accepted! I was more than thrilled! She also copied me on an email to the child life department where she recommended me as a volunteer. I now have to await their email letting me know when the best hours and days for me to volunteer are. I was so excited to have this "bump" in the road fixed so soon! On Monday I will travel to Greenville Hospital to have my volunteer badge made, as well as getting my official greenville hospital volunteer polo. I'm so excited to finally get my uniform as well as my official badge. Today I worked on my resources for the book that will be in the psychology department after interim. I specifically got information together about the child life process and how to become certified. Today was an awesome day for my interim experience. I am so thrilled about the progress that has happened within 24 hours. I can't wait to update all my readers on my experience Monday!

The beginning of it all

Today was the first official day of the 2012 interim. My plan for interim is to volunteer directly with the child life department at Greenville Memorial Hospital University Medical Center. Child life specialist’s posses the tools required to help individuals with serious illnesses; life challenges and disabilities overcome challenges and difficult situations in their lives. I believe that child life specialists are individuals who not only support children during challenging life events, but also the families of those children. In addition, child life specialists provide information and guidance during the difficult times and not so difficult times to children and their families. I believe it is also the child life specialist’s responsibility to educate the hospital staff, doctors and nurses on stress and its impact not only children, but also the family as a whole. Child life specialists use their knowledge of child development to create coping strategies that will benefit each specific child. It is also the child life specialist’s responsibility to put the child’s needs first and foremost. Serving as a child life specialist is not just a profession, but also a way of life. I believe that an effective child life specialist must be passionate about working with people, especially children, as well as working with individuals who face different and unique life challenges. Child life specialists not only provide many therapies and education, they also provide support and encouragement for children and their families. Child life specialists also serve as advocates for their patient’s wellbeing. Child life specialists work with many different professions to educate individuals about the stress and difficulties a child and his or her family experience during a hospital experience. 

Although I started my volunteer application with the hospital during September, it is still not complete. Unfortunately, the hospital misplaced my background check. After several emails and phone calls throughout the month of December they were just returned this week. My background check is supposed to go out again tomorrow, and from there the volunteer office will contact the child life department to see what hours will be best for me to volunteer. I was somewhat frustrated because I was organized and prepared from the beginning, however I am learning you can not always rely on other people. While the volunteer process is being completed, I will focus my efforts on putting together my book of resources for future students interested in child life. I'm looking forward to sharing my entire interim experience with all my readers. I know once I am volunteering I will learn so much about child life and all the effective techniques used in the child life profession.