A Collaborative Learning Experience: GRCC Student Reflects on Fieldwork at Care Resources

Welcoming, supportive, collaborative and holistic.

This is how Rachel Williams, a student at Grand Rapids Community College, described her experience with Care Resources after eight weeks volunteering with the rehab department.

She heard about the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, through her schooling, but wasn’t familiar with Care Resources until she was assigned to the Grand Rapids location to complete her level 2 fieldwork. As part of our volunteer program, Rachel was able to fulfill her program’s requirements and earn internship credit.

She went in having done some research about the nonprofit, but not fully sure what to expect from the internship for her Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. She came out of it with experience in an area of occupational therapy she didn’t have before and a renewed appreciation for a holistic approach to health care.

“A lot of what we learned in school was focused on activities of daily living – things like dressing, meal prep and laundry,” Williams said. “Care Resources introduced me to exercise activities I wasn’t familiar with that built up participants’ endurance to do everyday tasks through muscle strengthening. I appreciated the opportunity to gain a lot of experience in that area. It was a really good learning opportunity.”

She was also impressed by how Care Resources’ interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers, case managers and more worked together to support each participant’s care plan.

“My internship with Care Resources gave me a really positive outlook on what OT can be,” Williams said. “The whole learning experience was really collaborative. We had team huddles every morning with all the departments, which ensured no one was slipping through the gaps. We discussed challenges as a team and had a good solid understanding of what was going on with every participant we were supporting.

“This holistic approach and opportunity to hear viewpoints from other departments is ideal because people don’t just exist in the context of one discipline, such as nursing or OT. It’s about supporting the whole person.”

While Williams had the chance to interact with all departments, she worked most closely with Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Alison Kane. Kane graduated from the same program at GRCC a few years ago and was assigned as William’s field work educator at Care Resources. Williams found everyone, participants included, to be incredibly welcoming.

“From day one, I felt really supported by Alison and the whole team,” she said. “Everyone knew I was there to learn and were willing to help, even the participants. I’ve been a part of a lot of great teams in my day, but it’s rare to have been in such an inviting environment like Care Resources.”

The opportunity to get to know participants over several weeks was also a plus for Williams. Having a better understanding of participants’ unique situations helps tailor OT activities for their individual needs and goals.

“At Care Resources, I was able to refine my ability to understand where someone is coming from and what their daily life is like,” Williams explained. “The participants are all on a schedule, so I would see the same people every week rather than only meeting someone once. I loved getting to build relationships and rapport.”

Care Resources is always seeking college student volunteers interested in gaining skills, experience and internship credit for a variety of academic backgrounds. The volunteer program provides students the flexibility to fulfill internship requirements within a semester while gaining valuable experience in their chosen field.

To learn more about our volunteer program, visit careresources.org/volunteerprogram.