Thank you for Volunteering for RAM California's free health care clinics. If this is your first time volunteering with RAM or your 5th, you will be amazed at the difference you can make in someone's life that is going through difficult times. If this is your first time, you may want to know what is a typical RAM clinic day like?
Patients are seen on a first come first serve basis. RAM security starts passing out numbers to enter the clinic at 3:30am each morning of the clinic. Some of the patients have gotten in line as early as 9pm to ensure that they will be seen. Clinic doors open at 5:30am where patients are escorted in groups of 50 to the patient registration area. At the welcome desk RAM core team members assess what services patients need/want, and patients are given the correct forms - white for medical, pink for dental, blue for vision and yellow for acupuncture.
Patients will then proceed to registration where they will be entered into the database, asked a series of questions and given labels for their forms. They will then go to triage where nurses will take their vital signs and get their medical history. Patients are then able to go to dental, vision or medical to start receiving services. It is a long day for patients, especially if they have been waiting in line for the half the night to get in. However, from what we as volunteers have seen, is that patients are so grateful that someone cares enough to help, they are just so appreciative to receive care that they otherwise would not be able to get.
Ideally, volunteers will arrive between 5am - 6am depending on their profession and/or assignment. Each section of the clinic will have an orientation from the section floor leader on how to fill out forms, how patients will be seen and break/meal times.
The clinic is open 5:30am until around 6:00pm. If you are able to volunteer the entire day it is greatly appreciated. We understand, however, if because of situations that you may not. Please tell your floor leader when you arrive if you have a certain time you need to leave.
We provide a continental breakfast and vegetarian and non vegetarian lunch. If you have special dietary needs, please be sure to bring what you need.
Thank you so much for volunteering with RAM California. We hope that you will find it as rewarding an experience as we have.
Sincerely, RAM California Core Volunteers.