By Shivani Shah
Before my first shift at Shands, I had several thoughts running through my mind. On one hand, I was so excited to finally get the opportunity to volunteer and offer support to the children at Shands. On the other hand, I was nervous and did not know what to expect during my first shift, despite having completed all my online and in-person training. I was worried about whether or not the kids would like me or if I’d even be able to make anyone laugh or smile. Simply put, I was an excited bundle of nerves leading up to my first shift.
Alas, the day arrives and I’m at Shands volunteering on Units 44 and 45 - the general pediatric in-patient units (as a side note, Footprints members typically volunteer on Units 41 and 42, but some do volunteer on Units 44 and 45 ). During my shift, I cleaned toys and prepared and participated in a group play session in the unit playroom with several kids from both units. We all did arts and crafts and then played Mario Kart and Uno. I had so much fun and I was already looking forward to the next group session.
However, the best part of my shift was playing with a young patient in their room. I remember there being these large fans in the room next door that made lots of noise. Due to the noise, the patient was crying a lot and the nurses requested that my shift buddy and I visit the patient whenever we were free to cheer them up. When we first entered the room, the patient stopped crying and stared at us with big, teary doe eyes almost as if they were questioning what we were about to do next. My shift buddy and I gently talked to the patient; played with toys in their room; and even had a little dance party. The patient actually smiled and started playing and dancing with us. It was so much fun and the most rewarding part was seeing the patient smile - by the way, they had the cutest smile in the world! It was especially rewarding because the patient was crying so much beforehand. After our mini dance party, the patient fell asleep and my shift buddy and I left to let them rest.
Overall, my first shift went very well and made me so happy as it soothed all the nerves and worries I had beforehand. My first shift truly was the highlight of my week and made me even more excited (if that’s even possible) for my time in Footprints and volunteering at Shands. Now, looking back as a Senior and having spent the past year in Footprints, I can certainly say that my volunteer shifts at Shands still are the highlight of my week and I am so grateful to continue to have this opportunity for one last semester 🥺
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