Report writing2

Running Head: EXPERIENCE AT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS 1

EXPERIENCE AT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS 5

Experience at the American Red Cross

Name

Institution

Experience at the American Red Cross

My experience at the American Red Cross has been one of the most amazing experiences I’ve had in the recent past. Being a first experience in the US, I had to adapt to the new environment and job as a blood donor ambassador. My job was to assist donors through the blood donation process. For the past seven weeks, I have learned a lot of things that have made me develop professionally through the activities I took. The skills and knowledge acquired in this job are very critical in both my personal life and my future career. In addition to technical skills, I have developed various interpersonal skills such as communication, punctuality, and have become a more responsible person. My relationships with fellow employees, volunteers, and other interns were boosted and was able to cope up with everyone in my department. The organization had people from different backgrounds, cultures, and tribes with a common goal, and this made work even more exciting through diversity. The training processes I underwent during this internship are further described in detail. After every training, the interns were given a graded quiz for evaluation and a certificate of completion awarded.

On the first day of the internship, I was introduced to the Agency (American Red Cross) by the Director, Ms. J.C. She introduced me to the other staff within the agency, and after showing me my office, she took me through a tour of the agency. She showed me various rooms, a kitchen, and a storage room used to store several office materials. The director also took me through the agency’s online website, where I completed a series of online and face to face training activities. I learned about various activities, events, and programs organized by the agency and smoke programs, as well as other kids’ programs. Ms. J.C also gave me a link to access EDGE (Engagement, Development, Growth, and Education), an online portal through which the agency interns get weekly online training, besides the occasional face-to-face training.

In the first week, I took the training on basic food safety and mass care. The Basic Food Safety 3.0 course was an online course that focused on topics such as food preparation, handling, and serving. The course, which was offered in both English and Spanish languages, entailed training on foodborne illness, personal hygiene and handwashing, and the food flow process. Additionally, the course provided training on human nutrition. The mass care course is an online course where the instructor introduces the learner to mass care activities. The aspects of the course include sheltering, emergency supply distribution, feeding, and reunification services provide to people during a disaster. Here, I learned how to perform various roles in mass care. At the end of the training, I took a graded quiz, and a certificate of completion was awarded to me. Within this week, there were also basic social training on how to interact with others and maintain the best standards of practice within the agency. Various communication guidelines were issues to us to ensure effective communication between ourselves and also the authorities. The training helped us understand adequate socialization and also gave practical knowledge of the use of technology in a working environment.

In the second week, we received training on mass care, blood drive, and mass distribution fundamentals. The blood drive lessons were about RAPIDPASS, a technology that assisted donors in completing the pre-donation readings and answering health history questions using a computer or a mobile phone. This technology aimed to reduce time spent on donor drives as the donors could print their RapidPass on arrival. As the week progressed, I took training on bulk distribution, a course that provided the roles of a bulk distribution worker. The course entailed the products that the Red Cross provides to the disaster victims and the methods used to distribute and safety procedures. I learned that bulk distribution workers provide essential basic needs, offer cleanup, and sanitation services quickly and effectively to the victims of a disaster. These items are distributed either through mobile delivery or given at fixed sites. We used a Disaster Requisition form to request items from the Logistics, and every inventory was recorded in a Bulk Distribution Daily Site. Through the daily recording of stock, I acquired skills in record taking and keeping, which assisted me in performing my daily tasks.

In the third week, I learned about disaster mental health fundamentals and the actual process of the blood drive. The Disaster Health Services course illustrated the services provided by the mental health workers to disaster victims in real-life situations. The blood drive lesson entailed the whole process of blood donation. I learned about the requirements of blood donation depending on the type used and that the donation frequency is 56days. I learned that a donor needs to be in good health, and the donation age varied depending on sex. A male donor needs to be at least 17years old, while a female donor should be at least 19years old. In addition to age, height and weight also influenced the blood donation process. I learned of the Power Red donation, which focused on donating a concentrated dose of red blood cells to the recipients who are in need due to their health conditions.

In the fourth and fifth weeks, we focused on CPR+First Aid and crisis call handling. The CPR+First Aid training was a blended simulation training that offered an online learning platform. It also gave a complete hands-on training in a classroom setting. In addition to the first aid training, I received training on handling a crisis call. This training was aimed at improving the performance and confidence of disaster dispatchers when handling crisis calls. This one-hour web-based training involved using a scenario to train on handling suicidal, homicidal, or endangered callers. The training was offered to the employees and volunteers yearly and an assessment administered by the Disaster Mental Health responder. All disaster agents were required to take training before their first shift and request for evaluation through the supervisor. Through this training, I learned the interaction rules, caller identification, and the risk involved, such as domestic violence. I am, therefore, able to identify possible emotional/physical reactions when handling crisis calls and apply relevant protocols in real-life situations.

In the sixth week, we underwent training on the fundamentals of disaster health services. This course provided participants with details on how health service workers respond during regional disasters. The course entailed activities varying from underlying health issues to emergency health issues. Through this training, I learned about the reactions I should take whenever a disaster requiring quick intervention occurs in a particular region. The safety issues which always arise during these disasters were discussed, and the level of preparedness needed to handle such matters highlighted. This training was critical since accidents occur in various forms, and a health service provider responds differently to each disaster.

In the final week of the internship, we continued with the disaster health service fundamentals, shelter fundamentals, and conducted a two-day donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief. In the second phase of disaster health fundamentals, the course gave an overview of health services related to large-scale disaster response. In the shelter fundamentals, we focused on the provision of safety, shelter, meals, and a caring presence to the people of the United States during a disaster. This training was aimed at providing hope and stability to those who need it most through sheltering, thereby positively impacting lives. An accident can strike anytime. Therefore, knowing the right response to the disaster beforehand is very vital in providing shelter and comfort to those who most need it. The course, therefore, prepares one for the roles and responsibilities to be performed at a Red Cross shelter. The scope of learning revolved around resourcing, opening, operating, and closing the shelter. The program ended with a donation rising for American Red Cross disaster relief in two different places.

In conclusion, working with the American Red Cross has been an experience worth honoring. The internship has enhanced my knowledge of disaster management and also boosted my professional skills. In that aspect, I would recommend the organization to anyone who needs humanitarian expertise in disaster management, either for personal or professional use. I would be willing to explore more in this organization in case I get another opportunity to work in it. With the skills acquired from the organization, my self-confidence has increased, and I can face most personal or professional challenges and overcome them. Through the support of the supervisors, I was able to overcome my weaknesses and improve my work performance. Therefore, with boosted work satisfaction in the provision of professional services within the internship period, I am ready to face future challenges in my career with less complication.

Reference

RapidPass Mobile Offers More Convenience for Blood, Platelet Donors. (2017). Retrieved 2 April 2020, from https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/RapidPass-Mobile-Offers-More-Convenience-for-Blood-Platelet-Donors.html