Tuesday 25 January 2011

25/01/2011 - Volunteering Day 1

My first day volunteering was amazing.  I arrived at Poole Hospital's St Mary's Maternity unit promptly around 18.30, proudly wearing my burgundy NHS volunteers polo neck top and NHS ID lanyard.  I could see for myself that even though it was a post-natal ward, which is a lot quieter than the labour ward, there was still a lot for the midwives and other health professionals to be doing.  I didn't want to interrupt so I politely waited while someone in the office had a spare couple of minutes to let me know what they wanted me to be getting on with.  In that short space of time I was able to see the way that midwives interact with other health professionals.  Doctors where there prescribing medication and health and social care workers where there to help out too.  Everyone were being treated like equals and everyone worked just as hard as one another.  A midwife told me that I would be shown round and gave me a job to be getting on with while I waited, they were a little busy.

My first job, whilst I was waiting to be shown around, was to collect all the ladies dinner trays.  Although the ladies (or their husbands) are meant to take them back themselves a lot usually don't, so instead of the midwives wasting their time doing trivial things I went round and did it for them.  I felt pleased that I was able to do something small to make their evening a little bit easier.  I really enjoyed walking around and meeting the different women, most who had only given birth hours earlier.  I was polite and respectable and wary in case my presence was unwelcome, but most appreciated that little bit of help.  I talked to a couple of ladies.  One had had a cesarean section, unplanned and was a little disappointed but relieved her daughter had been born successfully.

Once the trays had been collected one of the midwives said that someone would be with me shortly to show me around the ward, but as they didn't know when someone would be available and visiting hours had began, I could go around make tea or coffee for the ladies who wanted a drink.  I was wary again as I had already been around once, not to disrupt them too much.  I would ask each lady individually and walk back and forth from the kitchen with hot cups of tea and coffee.  Most were very appreciative.  I met a lot of different people, of different ages and from different cultures.  It was interesting to see many new parents get to grips with life with a new baby.  Some were horrified to see the contents of their baby's nappy and those changing boys were trying to think up ways of stopping him weeing while his nappy was off!

Half way through making refreshments a lady approached me and explained she would show me around.  She gave me a quick tour of the post natal ward.  Because I had been working there for half an hour already I had got to grips where most thing were already.  The ward consists of 3 private bays and 3 shared bays containing 4 beds in each.  Most were occupied.  There's a sluice room, store cupboard, toilets and showers, and a nursery room where the babies are weighed, washed and can sleep.  There was one baby in the nursery when we entered.  The little baby had downs syndrome and the mother is said to be coping very well.  The tour continued to the ante-natal ward and down the stairs into the labour ward.  The labour ward had two pool rooms and two theatres and many delivery rooms.  The atmosphere in the labour ward was a lot different to upstairs.  It was busy and bustling with people walking fast from one room to another.  This was very exciting.   I then went back to the post-natal ward to carry on with the tea rounds.

All the staff were very welcoming of me.  Everyone I met would say 'hi' and were welcoming of an extra hand.  I did a lot of washing up in the kitchen as well so that they didn't have to come and do it.  I also got asked to go and get things that were needed that the midwives didn't have time to get.  Plastic cups for the kitchen, I went to the ante-natal ward and picked some up from there.  One they way back through a new mother was being wheeled into the post-natal ward carrying her new born baby.  I carried on offering drinks to the remaining ladies, then went back though the beds to collect mugs and ask if they wanted another drink or their water jug filling.  In this time visitor had been coming in and it was lovely to see all the family congratulating the parents, there was a warm buzz in the ward during that time.

Although making tea and coffee may seem trivial, a lot of women were appreciative that they didn't have to get up and get it for themselves.  I was determined to finish the round and not leave anyone in my second round unseen to so I stayed an extra half and hour, finishing at 21.00 rather than 20.30.  This gave me the time to clear up nicely and leave the kitchen and the bays how they were before I had come.  I signed out in the office and thanked the midwife for being so welcoming and helpful.  She thanked me for my efforts and informed me that my help, however small it may seem to others, really helps them to get on with their important duties.  My job gives them one less thing to worry about.  I was very happy to have helped out and I re-assured her that I would be back again next week.  I can not wait!!!

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