Care Extender Frequently Asked Questions
One of the best parts of the UCLA Health Care Extender Internship Program is the ability to rotate throughout the various unique departments at both hospitals. Care Extenders gain valuable patient care team experience and have many opportunities to observe healthcare from an insider's perspective. Because the hospital faculty is aware that Care Extenders are trained prior to working on the floor, they are generally extremely receptive and willing to teach, answer questions, and relate their experiences.
We are also recognized as a unique clinical internship program by many universities. Our alumni find that the experiences gained in the program provide a solid base to pull from when it comes time to apply to future healthcare professional schools. The wealth of real world exposure that Care Extenders have can't be found in any other local medical internship program.
The minimum commitment is one year (four rotations and one bonus greeters rotation, which is completed during your first rotation) in order to complete the required 250 hours. You may remain in the program for more than a year if you are in good standing.
You are required to work one 4-hour shift per week. The shift cannot be split up, and you cannot work for two consecutive shifts. 250 hours can be completed in one year. First rotation volunteers must also complete an additional 2-hour shift per week in a bonus greeters rotation in either Santa Monica Hospital or Ronald Reagan Hospital.
The shift times are at regular 4-hour intervals. They start at 7 AM and go until 11 PM. The ER department also has a shift from 11 PM-3 AM. We are flexible with scheduling and allow you to sign up for whichever shift you want. You sign up for each of your shifts one month in advance, and then your department coordinator will attempt to give everyone shifts that work. You do not have to commit to the same day and time every week.
Your experience will differ depending on the department you are in. Each experience is unique and rewarding. The common tasks performed by Care Extenders include helping staff with transportation, and assisting staff in their duties on the unit. While your primary duties are to assist staff with patient care, provided you have permission, you can watch most procedures occurring in the department. In some of the more advanced departments, Care Extenders are invited to observe minor surgeries and catheter placements. Keep in mind, if you are interested in observing procedures or shadowing physicians during your scheduled shift on the unit, you may do so only after all other tasks have been completed and with the introduction of the nursing staff. You should not approach physicians for shadowing opportunities.
We allow you to take a leave of absence for a maximum of 13 weeks (one full rotation). The 13 week leave of absence may be split a maximum of one time. That means you can divide your leave of absence however you would like into two parts (e.g.: 5 weeks and 8 weeks, 10 weeks and 3 weeks, etc.) You are also given a 2-week vacation. You may take a leave of absence (LOA) at any point except during your first rotation. The 2 week vacation may be taken at any time, including your first rotation.
Unfortunately, if you did not attend any of the orientation sessions you cannot fill out and submit an application for that cycle. We hold orientations every January, April, July, and October.
Our orientation sessions are held every January, April, July, and October. Please check the Care Extenders Program page to find out when the next orientations will be held.
When sign ups are open, a sign up link will be available on the main Care Extenders Program page under the upcoming orientation sessions section.
Applications are emailed out at the end of the last orientation session to attendees only.
No. You may not begin more than one UCLA Health volunteer program at the same time. You may only apply to an additional volunteer program under UCLA Health if you have met the minimum required for your current program.
No, the Care Extender Program does not offer any school credit for volunteers in our program.
Unfortunately any shift credits you receive from events are only applicable within the current rotation. You are not allowed to "save" shift credits from events for upcoming rotations.
Unfortunately, any shift credit you receive from events can only apply to departmental shifts.
No, if you are going to be working in a different capacity (doing work outside of the Care Extender Program), you must get processed as a volunteer with the respective volunteer program.
You can reach out to your department coordinator, or your 'DC'. Their contact information can be found by viewing the Meet the Staff page. If he or she cannot resolve your issue, contact your department's DC lead. Finally, if the problem cannot be resolved, contact the Care Extender Manager and Director directly. Remember most of the Care Extender staff consists of volunteers, so any serious issues should be brought to the attention of the Care Extender Manager and Director.
Contact your department's DC lead. The information for the DC leads for each hospital are listed on the Meet the Staff page.
Email the Preferences Coordinator, Jessica Rico, at [email protected].
When each and every Care Extender joined the program, he or she signed a contract promising to complete 200 hours (admitted before Spring 2011) or 250 hours (admitted during or after Spring 2011) in at least one year. Care Extenders admitted during the Spring 2011 rotation will have to complete a bonus greeters rotation before they leave the program in order to finish in good standing. Care Extenders admitted after Spring 2011 will have to complete a bonus greeters rotation along with their main department rotation during their first rotation. To complete in good standing, the required number of service hours, excluding bonus hours and committee hours, AND 4 full active rotations (an LOA does not count as an active rotation) are required over a 12 month period. If a LOA is taken in your first year of the program, you must request an extension past one year to complete the missed shifts and complete in good standing. Once Care Extenders have met these requirements without being suspended, they may complete from the program in good standing and receive a certificate and letter of reference stating their good standing. Otherwise, Care Extenders will be dropped from the program if they do not meet these requirements and do not continue volunteering.
For specific queries regarding completing the Care Extender Program, contact the Administrative Coordinator: [email protected].
Be sure to choose a department when preferences are sent out and complete any outstanding annual trainings in your portal.
In case of injury to a Care Extender, contact the charge nurse; go to either the ER or Occupational Health (located at 10833 Le Conte Ave., Room 67-120) and page Silva Thomas, Care Extender Program Director, at 310-206-8477 ID# 92463 or Osanna Tosunyan, Program Manager, at 310-206-8477 ID#90486. If the injury took place during business hours and you're able to take the shuttle to Occupational Health, then you would go there for treatment otherwise, go to the ER.
When you sign into the computer in the hospital, there is a option to check your service record. You may also submit the hours verification request form to the Administrative Coordinator ([email protected]) to request documentation of your hours. Please allow 72 hours for this type of request.
Service hours include the physical hours you accumulate volunteering in the hospital. Merit hours include your service hours, the extra hours credited from your Greeters, the extra hours from Care Extender committee assignments and bonus hours from special events you attend or blood donations. The required 250 hours for the program takes into account your merit hours, excluding blood donation and extra hours from committee assignments. The hours listed on your completion certificate and detailed hours report will include all merit hours, including physical service hours, extra hours from your Greeters shifts, bonus hours from blood donation, and extra hours from committee assignments.
You may list the Program Director (Silva Thomas) or Program Manager as a reference for your applications. Silva can be reached at [email protected] and 310-267-8186.
Letters of recommendation are only for the most outstanding Care Extenders who have gone above and beyond during their time in the program. Care Extenders are eligible for a letter of recommendation if they are in an overall good standing in the program AND are nominated as CE of the Rotation two or more times, hold a committee position in good standing for two or more rotations, or serve as a volunteer for three or more years in good standing. CEs must be in their fourth rotation to obtain the letter. Those who are eligible must email the Administrative Coordinator ([email protected]) for instructions on recommendation letter requisitions. Please allow one month for the letter to be sent to the school. Letters can be requested within one year of completion of the program.
Although everyone may not be eligible for a letter of recommendation, everyone who completes the program in good standing receives a certificate and letter of verification.
No, you may not shadow any healthcare provider outside of your regularly scheduled shifts. Our current policy states that you are only allowed to shadow healthcare providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical therapists, etc.) when in your assigned CE unit during your shifts in addition to helping with patient care and administrative tasks. You should not approach or reach out to any providers to shadow outside of scheduled shifts.
When each and every Care Extender joined the program, he or she signed a contract promising to complete 200 hours (admitted before Spring 2011) or 250 hours (admitted during or after Spring 2011) in at least one year. Care Extenders admitted during the Spring 2011 rotation will have to complete a bonus greeters rotation before they leave the program in order to complete in good standing. Care Extenders admitted after Spring 2011 will have to complete a bonus greeters rotation along with their main department rotation during their first rotation. To complete in good standing, the required number of service hours, excluding bonus hours and committee hours, AND 4 full active rotations (an LOA does not count as an active rotation) are required over a 12 month period. If a LOA is taken in your first year of the program, you must request an extension past one year to complete the missed shifts and complete in good standing. Once Care Extenders have met these requirements without being suspended, they may complete from the program in good standing and receive a certificate and letter of reference stating their good standing. Otherwise, Care Extenders will be dropped from the program if they do not meet these requirements and do not continue volunteering.
For specific queries regarding completing the Care Extender Program, contact the Administrative Coordinator: [email protected].
If you are eligible for completion (if you are unsure, please email the Administrative Coordinator at [email protected]), please fill out an exit request by logging into your volunteer portal and mail your ID badge to the address indicated on the exit request. If you are planning to drop off your form and ID badge in person, please drop it off at 1328 16th Street Santa Monica, CA 90404 during regular business hours Monday-Friday.
If you signed up for preferences or were placed in a department before you decided to complete, please email the Preferences Coordinator ([email protected]) or the respective Department Coordinator to let them know you are completing.
If you are part of another volunteer program within UCLA Health, we'll need to confirm your volunteer status. If you don't have a volunteer status in our system with another program, we'll need you to ask your volunteer supervisor to write you an email stating that you are currently volunteering under their department. Make sure the letter includes your name, workplace or volunteer organization name, your supervisor's name and contact information, and a statement that says you need to keep your ID badge.
If you wish to inactivate or leave the program, first inform your respective Department Coordinator that you will be inactivating. Next, log into your volunteer portal and complete an Exit Request.
You may request a record of the service hours you volunteered while you were in the program. Submit the hours verification request form to the Administrative Coordinator ([email protected]) to request documentation.
If you are part of another volunteer program within UCLA Health, we'll need to confirm your volunteer status. If you don't have a volunteer status in our system with another program, we'll need you to ask your volunteer supervisor to write you an email stating that you are currently volunteering under their department. Make sure the letter includes your name, workplace or volunteer organization name, your supervisor's name and contact information, and a statement that says you need to keep your ID badge.
Submit the hours verification request form to the Administrative Coordinator ([email protected]) to request documentation. Please indicate the name that you used while in the program. Please allow 72 hours for this type of request.
Contact the Administrative Coordinator ([email protected]).
We have a policy of only providing documentation for our former Care Extender volunteers up to one year after they leave the program. Documentation includes the certificate of completion, letter of verification, and letter of recommendation.
You may list the Program Director (Silva Thomas) as a reference for your applications. Silva can be reached at [email protected] and 310-267-8186.
Letters of recommendation are only for the most outstanding Care Extenders who have gone above and beyond their time in the program. Care Extenders are eligible for a letter of recommendation if they were in an overall good standing in the program AND were nominated as CE of the Rotation two or more times, held a committee position in good standing for two or more rotations, or served as a volunteer for three or more years in good standing. Those who are eligible must email the Administrative Coordinator ([email protected]) for instructions on recommendation letter requisitions. Please allow one month for the letter to be sent to the school. Letters can be requested within one year of completion of the program.
If you would like to return to the program you will need to reapply and complete the entire interview and training process again during our quarterly recruitment. You will begin again as a first rotation care extender, including completion of the greeters assignment.