A couple of weekends ago I had a chance to participate in another 9Health Fair only this time with a different twist. Last year I was a volunteer on the Regis campus and this year I was at my nurse practitioner's office as a volunteer. 9Health Fair is a wonderful opportunity to work with under served populations needing health care. For some clients it is a free event to give them an annual update on their current health. For many, it's a chance to meet with various providers from different disciplines to discuss their health concerns and obtain much needed treatment after the Fair ends. Last year I was providing a lot of instruction to clients and their family members about adopting health eating and exercise habits. Like most health fairs I've volunteered at I was providing a direct service to participants. This year, I was acting in the capacity of clinical faculty so that nursing students in a Nurse Practitioner program could implement their newly learned Practitioner skills in the form of skin assessments.
Like many, I get used to doing things a certain way and become comfortable in those grooves of familiarity. I had assumed that when I first volunteered for the health fair that I would be one of the people providing direct service to clients. When I was asked to instead provide a different kind of service I was reluctant to agree. Not because I didn't want to help but because I was nervous about performing in a different role and feeling confident that what I could offer would in fact be helpful rather than a hindrance. Sometimes I need those uncomfortable feelings of inadequacy or uncertainty as a reminder that change is constant and that adaptation is needed. More specifically, that life doesn't always happen the way I choose or assume it will. I was also reminded with this wonderful experience that as a nurse leader and manager one of my responsibilities is to continually develop people including successors. With all of these thoughts on my mind I began my volunteer session as a faculty mentor and role model. As the day began I quickly realized that I did not have to fear my lack of experience in certain areas, but rather had a team of supportive volunteers in which I could consult and collaborate with to help both the nurse practitioner students and the clients. By the end of the fair it was evident that if I had refused this new assignment because of my trepidations, I would have missed out on some wonderful opportunities to work with some soon to be great nurse practitioners. I was again humbled working with a supportive group of volunteers who choose to give back to their community in a variety of capacities to help others. Plus I got an awesome T-shirt!
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