Thea Risher Capstone
For my Capstone, I did volunteer work at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. I was a volunteer in the Child Life Department- Child Life specialists help families and children cope with the stress of hospitalization. As a volunteer in this department, I was tasked with supervising the playrooms in the hospital and doing bedside visits to patients who were in isolation, bringing them toys, and playing games with them. I went from 9:00-1:00 every Saturday. I spent the first few months of the school year retrieving all necessary documents, clearances, and health screenings for the position. I then had to attend three separate orientations, to get the best possible understanding of the responsibilities. Finally, during my first shift, I shadowed a veteran volunteer to get more comfortable with the layout of the hospital and see the close-up interaction with the children. Unfortunately, I was only able to complete 3 full shifts before the hospital closed to volunteers due to COVID-19. Even in the short amount of time I was there, I learned so much about what people can do to make young children feel safer and cared for in hospital settings. Many patients feel very alone or confused in the hospital; having toys, art projects, or games can change their entire experience. I loved this Capstone because I had the opportunity to connect with young children and explore elements of what I want to do in the future. Although my capstone timeline is finished, I plan on returning to St. Christopher’s Hospital when it is safe and continuing my volunteer work.
