Journal 11

T: 9-5

W: 9-5

T: 9-5

F: 9-5 Weekly: 44 hrs Total: 341 hrs

Brianna Fuller 3/29/19

Journal 11 This week was very sporadic for me, and quite possibly the most stressful week that I have had this entire internship. This week, almost everyone is at a big meeting in Texas. This means all the wish coordinators, my medical outreach supervisor, and many others necessary to run the foundation. They are training and having a meeting regarding new policies happening across the board at Make-A-Wish. Because my medical outreach supervisor is gone, and she will be on vacation this coming week as well, I was given a lot of responsibility. All calls and emails are going to me regarding wishes. This is challenging because a lot of the kids I am not familiar with, but I must answer the parent’s questions to the best of my ability. I had to send out more updates this week to wish parents, restock our wish closet, complete rushes, handle all eligibility related tasks, complete the boxes that I began last week, make a new box, complete intakes, continue my March welcome calls, transfer a file to Florida, pull all the deceased kids files that are over eighteen, completed a successful fire drill in the office, and filed documents. I began the week with sending out our updates to our November kids that are still on hold. Like I mentioned before, we are behind on sending out goodies we usually do, so my task is to shoot the family an email just to give them a quick update. Because they qualified in November, this means they currently have five more months on hold. I reminded them to send in the documents we still need from them, and updated the files with the documents if they sent them in. I also noticed a lot of shirts, and luggage tags were getting low in our wish closet, so I restocked that as well.

As mentioned previously, we have had many rush wishes come in recently. This week we got a few more, and it is my job to get the eligibility paperwork from the treating physician and ensure the child qualifies, I must then create a file for the child, and also put the child and their qualifying illness into our database system, complete a welcome call to the parents, and complete an intake so we can pass it along to get volunteers. This is not the process I typically have to do. Making sure the kids qualify has been so nerve wracking and a lot of stress, because I then have to call and tell the parent’s that their child qualified, so I cannot be wrong. It is also hard, because there is no one to double check me, and I don’t have the comfort of just asking my supervisor who typically sits about 10 feet from me! The most important part is completing everything diligently and thoroughly to ensure that the rushed time frame is enough time to complete the child’s wish. I also have to deal with any concerns regarding eligibility, so I spoke with many nurses this week to answer questions regarding whether a child is eligible, or not. The many wish boxes that I began last week were completed this week. I filled them to the brim with things that fit their profile, and what they put into their file. The only thing we are waiting on is the wish check for all of them. This will come from our national chapter once everything is completely approved. I assume these checks will come sometime this coming week. I also started putting together another box. We have a wish child whose wish involves racing cars, so we have a costume, steering wheels, and some racing stuff that came in the mail for him. Once I have more details I can add in more things for him and send it off one I have the check for that as well. I continued working on my March welcome calls and only have eight left to complete. When I send out the reminders for the parents this week, a mom notified me that they have moved to Florida. Typically, a wish coordinator or one of my supervisors will do this, but I was

put on the case! Basically, I scan everything in the wish child’s file, and send a copy of everything to the chapter in Florida that will take over their wish. I must close out the file from our Georgia office and complete all the forms for it to be transferred. Another task I worked on was pulling all of our deceased that are over eighteen years old. No one has ever done this task and we have files from the eighties. This will take me a very long time, but I am working on it! I successfully planned and implemented my fire safety drill this week as well. I did not know what to expect, but it went very well! Next will be my surprise fire drill to ensure that even under stress, the office is still able to evacuate properly, and our time should also improve now that there are been a practice drill. Although this week has been stressful, I know that I am given so much responsibility because I am a good worker and will get a lot done. It has taught me to be more independent, but that it is okay to ask for a coworker to double check you sometimes. I am doing very important tasks, and I really like the ability to have such a strong team that is always willing to help me, or just give me the confidence to keep going with what I am doing. I enjoy working in a team and Make-A-Wish is just a huge team of people who love and care for our wish kids very much.

Wish kid’s wish is to have a dirtbike! Loves everything about cars, ninja turtles, power rangers, and is 6 years old.

Wish kid’s wish is to go to Hawaii! Loves everything Georgia Bulldogs, and is 16 years old.