Experience Matters - Grand Valley State University

Health & Wellness

Maria
Major: Health Professions Some of the tasks I completed while at my internship include, but are not exclusive to-entering class evaluations into the computer, writing features for weekly emails, registering people for classes, distributing flyers throughout the hospital, and attending evening events.

Patient Access

Dreena
Major: Health Professions My summer project was to rewrite the registration policy for the ER. I observed in the emergency department, followed along with the registration desk employees, and was trained on the Health Quest computer system to gather information on how to fix the policy. I also collected all insurance information from every coordinator and created a data base so new associates can easily gain access to all insurance companies. Created maps with the original floor plans of the hospital showing how to get to the conference rooms. I also wrote directions to every location in the hospital.

Speaking Spanish in Spain

Lori
Major: Health Professions I worked with physical therapists, psychiatrists, a nurse to assistant in the daily activities provided within the school and the residential facility. I assisted within the classroom setting, therapy setting as well as the physical therapy sessions in the gym as well as the hydrotherapy in the spa. I assisted in feeding residents who do not have use of their hands as well as bathroom assistance.

Clinica Santa Maria

Connie
Major: Health Professions I helped with outreach events and programs that were hosted by Clinica Santa Maria. I also helped to finish an application for a grant that will help bring a maternal infant health program on board at the clinic. We hope that the program will grow after starting at the clinic.

Learning the Roles of an Inpatient Neuroscience Unit Within the Hospital

Paul
Major: Health Professions As an intern within the Hauenstein Center, I was privileged to provide care for a diverse population of patients suffering from a variety of medical issues. Most of my daily tasks consisted of working with patients by taking vital signs, providing help with daily activities such as bathing and eating, transferring patients to other units in the hospital, taking blood sugars, and learning how to provide specific care for different diagnoses. Through doing this, I was able to learn the roles of different clinicians on the unit and spend time with physicians, physicians assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, registered nurses, health care managers, and nurse technicians.

A Summer in Dublin

Tatiana
Major: Health Professions During my internship, I rotated through the hospital. I spent most of my time in finance, patient support and cardiac with some days observing labs, conferences, and the play room. Most of my work in finance was based around getting new bills from the post, sorting them and putting them into the computer. In the cardiac department, I spent a lot of time updating charts and making sure they charts are where they are supposed to be in the hospital. I observed some cardiac conferences about patients and planning their treatment. I also observed some cardiac cath procedures. During my time in patient support, I helped release copies of patient charts requested under the Freedom of Information act. I also logged complaints, compliments, thank you cards and parliamentary questions on the database. I visited the microbiology, histology, biochemistry and hematology labs for a few hours each lab to get a taste of what they do and how it is important. Because I didn't have a degree, they couldn't let me do any work in those labs, as that is customary in Ireland.

Process Excellence

Jessica
Major: Health Professions The internship I completed was in Process Excellence which uses management philosophies like lean to help healthcare improve quality while reducing costs and becoming more efficient overall. As a process excellence Intern I observed the Consultant during her advising/coaching sessions with clinical and administrative staff on designing as well as implementing system-wide interventions to improve clinical, process, operational and service outcomes. I got to participate in using lean tools such as value stream mapping to make improvements to the patient wait times in Wege Lab. I also helped implement a Kanban system in Cytology, Histology, and Specimen control. I also partook in developing a standard work for the process excellence department and a structure or idea for a training system for new specialists. In addition to implementing lean tools I as able to observe managers meetings which helped me better understand the value and importance of the Process excellence consultant.

My Introduction to the Surgical World

Audrey
Major: Allied Health Sciences As a nurse tech in the surgical center there are a variety of patient care tasks associated with pre-operative and post-operative care. When patients come in for surgery we are responsible for picking the patient up from the waiting room and introducing them to the center and the rest of their day. We take a base set of vitals on the patient, perform the necessary tests such as; blood sugar tests, EKGs, Urine Analysis, and/or pregnancy tests. For hysterectomy and ortho patients, nurse techs scrub the patients down with a CHG disinfectant while. We also assist the nurses in whatever other tasks they need help with pre-operatively and in caring for total care patients. After surgery the patients return and a new set of tasks is assigned to nurse techs. We welcome patients back from their procedure, very often still groggy from anesthesia, and take sets of vitals as the doctor has ordered. We also provide patients with their first chance for food and water in 24 hours. Pain management and communication with the nurses is also a big role of the nurse tech. We also complete bladder scans, blood sugars, urine assessments, discontinuing IVs, and getting patients up to the bathroom. The number one goal throughout the whole center is patient care, so above all you make exceptions for your patients and make sure they are receiving the best care you can possibly give them.