Describe the environment/setting in which you were working on the Competency. Include an approximate time of day (and if this was the beginning, middle or end of your shift). My shifts at the red cross vary in terms of the drive I am working and the type of drive I am working. My shifts tend to be later in the afternoon or early afternoon. My competency I chose to work on this week was facilitation of services which is being knowledgeable about a range of participatory planning techniques and is skilled in implementing plans in a collaborative and expeditious manner. Describe the Individual(s) involved, practicum location, and surroundings. Please be mindful of confidentiality. Do not provide any specific client/patient identifying information. I used this competency for my virtual work and in person work. Virtually, I used facilitation of services by having weekly meetings with other schedulers and people who are also doing engagement calls. This is a collaborative way for all of us to see where we are at, what clients we have spoken to, and how to reach more people efficiently. For in person, I use this skill by communicating with the nurses so that we don’t have donors over lapped, canceled appointments, or people trying to do a walk in appointment. What was your purpose/your intention in performing that work associated with that particular Competency. Again, be mindful of Confidentiality. My intention in performing this task is to make the jobs of the nurses a lot easier. By having individuals speak with me first, I am able to assess the problem they may have, and solve it based on the knowledge I have in BDA to get them answers. Describe the nature of the work you were doing. Consider the following in your desсrіption: Was this the first time attempting this work? Did you have a familiarity with this work? It took some time to learn all the appropriate ways to respond to clients, and the correct answers to give, but my co workers helped me and my experiences from customer service helped me understand how to communicate professionally in the environment. It is more difficult to assess problems in person because it is usually is a negative experience I have to work with such as turning away a donor, wait times, and rescheduling. Label and, in your own words, define the Competency. This competency represents effectiveness and respect for your co workers and higher ups. When I am able to help a client with a situation without asking for further help, it makes everyone’s job easier and helps me learn the environment of the red cross. I am able to make appointments, reschedule clients, and add BDA members because I know this information. Facilitating services proves you have been educated in this line of work and can affectively assist you coworkers. It also shows growth within the facility by having workers understand the criteria for being an volunteer. Evaluate your work with this Competency. Focus on the following: Were your choices with respect to this Competency the right “fit” for the work involved? Be sure to substantiate how your work made this Competency work or not work? What was your role in this work? What part did you Supervisor play in your work on the competency? Did your Supervisor guide you? Was there any involvement from other co-workers? This competency worked well and was demonstrated very well through my supervisor an coworkers. I was able to facilitate services on my own within a few weeks. By giving me these positions at my volunteer site, I feel like I am an actual employee with duties that are my responsibility. My supervisor and other volunteers guided me through this competency by providing me with the tools and knowledge to reach out to clients. I am able to fulfill these requested by my supervisors. The setting in which this competency is used would be in my weekly shifts. I am able to differentiate between problems I can solve on my own and the ones that may need more assistance. Next, look at your work with this Competency in levels and layers. In other words, pull apart and describe your work on the Competency. Briefly address the work you did. using the following questions, points, and criteria to guide you. What types of communications skills, attitudes, knowledge, and abilities did you use? As you consider these, think about what you learned in the MHTH 187C Interviewing Course…and think about other skills (i.e., written, verbal, non-verbal, visual, etc.). Some skills that I’ve gained and understood while volunteering at the red cross is Verbal communication is key. Having a positive attitude towards donors and being able to assist them in making future appointments is very important. When doing virtual calls, It is important to create connection with the volunteers so they want to continue working with us. Thanking clients and volunteers for their time and effort is very important when communicating as well. Another great skill I’ve learned to use more efficiently is listening skills. Some clients want to talk to you for a while before their appointment and listening to their stories will help create a positive environment for both the workers and volunteers. Assess Your Skill Performance. Briefly describe each of the following areas. Include an example to help guide you. An example of a time I was able to preform my skills properly was when an older man walked into the Manchester center I was working at and was asking about receiving a carbon monoxide detector. The man brought in a newspaper clipping of an article that read “the American red cross will do inspections on your carbon monoxide detector.” The man was under the impression that this meant he could replace his old one with a new one at the red cross. Unfortunately, we only deal with blood drives, we have no jurisdiction over the ‘natural disaster’ team members and ‘safety’ teams at the red cross. Also, the newspaper did not imply you would receive a free one. After a while of explaining the problem, the man thanked me for being so patient and assisting him in here he needed to go. This was very helpful for facilitating services because I was able to help this man without calling over a nurse.
