Olivia Signor

Responsibilities

A large part of my internship was assisting the wellness team with community health screenings. This consisted of: - Commuting to various locations across central Iowa to perform screenings. - Setting up/tearing down health screening equipment. - Inserting body composition information into the TANITA scale. - Recording accurate body composition measurements (waist circumference, body fat percentage, weight, height). - Consulting with patients about their measurements + blood profiles (LDL, HDL, Triglycerides, Cholesterol, Glucose). - Explaining patient numbers compared to national health guidelines. - Recommending health guidance to patients to improve their numbers. Aside from health screenings, I had the opportunity to: - Create 1+ health-centered posters for restrooms. - Design health-focused bulletin board for cafeteria and/or work-out room. - Produce 2+ OnPoint for Health challenges for UnityPoint wellness incentive program. - Assist wellness team with community blood profiles (checking patients in).

Accomplishments

Over the last two months, I have had the opportunity to perfect my blood pressure measurement skills through community health screenings. I also created several health-education posters, bulletin boards, and employee health challenges for the UnityPoint wellness department. My biggest accomplishment was building the skills to perform solo health screenings. I can now say I have the self-confidence to work in the medical field as a future medical professional.

Learning experience

This internship has taught me: - How to work one-on-one with all walks of life in a healthcare setting. - The importance of teamwork, communication, and organization to complete any task. - The skills and knowledge to perform community health screenings and the associated biometric consultation. - How to adapt to an ever-changing work environment.

What advice would you give?

Introduce yourself to everyone in your department. You never know when someone else in your organization is doing something that might pique your interest! Be proactive – once you’ve mastered your weekly intern duties, it’s essential to search for other work opportunities. Ask your supervisor if there’s anything additional they would like to see in the department for you to do in your free time! Use this opportunity to learn as much as you can about your industry, potential career path, and overall lifestyle of those who work in the field. Ask your coworkers about their jobs, hobbies, and education! Make use of your time by supporting your company however you can. If you complete a project and have nothing to do, ask your supervisor for another task or see if a coworker needs assistance! Keep a positive attitude during your internship. Sometimes, you might find the job you thought you wanted isn’t the right fit for you. Even if this is true, use your internship as a learning experience and find ways to develop important skills!