I liked interacting with mothers and congratulating them on having their little bundles of joy. I enjoyed checking in on patients hourly and having intimate conversations with certain patients. Discharging patients was always hard, but a duty I enjoyed to do because it made me feel rather important to release patients on my own, despite only having the title of a volunteer.
What I wish was different
I wish volunteers could have been introduced to different units or floors rather than just the one. For instance, although I enjoyed and learned a lot in the Mother & Baby Unit, I was never permitted or allowed to work in the Labor & Delivery Unit. Of course, if you choose to volunteer longer, you can switch floors and stay committed to each for a longer period of time.
Advice
Try to make the most of your shifts! My shifts were usually 4 hours long and I would get one break in between, but I tried to do as much as possible so that these 4 hours flew by! If it was ever slow on our floor, I would wrap baby baskets and gifts that Presbyterian gifted to patients. This made patients happy with their stay, and made me an engaged volunteer!
