UTK CFS Community Outreach Practicum
Meet Becca at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital- Volunteer Services
This placement stuck out to me most because I have always wanted to work in a hospital, and I plan to go to nursing school and work in the field of pediatrics. I thought this would help me prepare for my future and learn a lot about “family centered care” and all the ins and outs of the hospital lifestyle. I found Volunteer Services particularly interesting because I heard how hands on you got to be with families and patients through previous friends that had done the practicum, and I love to interact with people so I felt it would be the perfect fit for me.
My biggest accomplishment at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital was to focus not solely on the illness, but more about the needs and care of the family and patient that are going through such a hard time. This will not only help me with my future in nursing it has helped me with situations in my day-to-day life.
The most exciting event I think would have to be Slide the City a fundraiser we got to participate in it was a new thing to Knoxville and it was awesome to be a part of a new tradition.
Information to keep in mind with this particular practicum is that no day is the same one day you could be in the gift shop the next you could be in the NICU. You will have to deal with really difficult situations so you need a thick skin because it can be really trying on the emotions. Your hours at East Tennessee Children’s can be all over the place and you never know if you could be spending a Saturday doing a fundraiser, so if you are wanting to keep a weekend job you may want to consider other placements.
If you have any questions for her, you may send me an email at julisams@utk.edu.