Library Collections: Document: Full Text


In-Hospital Living And Employment

Creator: n/a
Date: 1970
Publication: Rehabilitation Gazette
Source: Gazette International Networking Institute
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2


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"My new position, Patient Services Coordinator at Dodd Hall, is a great opportunity, particular-ly to work in the rehabilitation setting and to work for University Hospitals, with which I have been associated as a patient for so long. Every-one was so pleased when I assumed the position and has been a great help in orienting me with the policies and procedures of The Ohio State University Hospitals. It is somewhat unique due to the fact I was a patient here at Dodd Hall for over five years, on the inside looking out, so to speak. And how different the perspective is as an employee and a member of the staff, on the outside looking in. It has been very inter-esting to perceive this and adjust to it but I am being acclimated rapidly in assuming more and more of my responsibilities each day.

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"My main function as Patient Services Coordina-tor is to take away from the nursing staff those nursing functions, such as housekeeping, dietary, maintenance problems, etc., and to help get more of the nursing staff out on the floor, giving good patient care. I also have responsi-bilities with the supplies needed on the nursing floor, maintaining a certain level of inventory of these supplies so that the nursing staff need not worry whether or not an item is available. In short, I am somewhat the liaison man or com-munications representative between the nursing service and the various other departments throughout the building, such as Physical Thera-py, Occupational Therapy, Social Services, Maintenance, Housekeeping, and various others. If nursing service is having a problem with one of these departments, they tell me and I check it out and see what the problem is and what can be done to solve it. In essence, the job and the responsibility of the job are pretty much de-fined in the title, Patient Services Coordinator.

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"The Ohio State University Hospitals complex was one of the first to instigate a coordinating program such as we have here and in the other buildings in the complex. It has worked out very well in the two years of its existence. Some of my other duties could possibly, in the future, include relationships with the patients as to their wants and needs and also with their par-ents and relatives. With my experience, having a disability, working out some of the various problems and overcoming some of the obstacles, I could possibly be of great assistance in this area."

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ED: For further details of Dick's post-disability rehabilitation and education, see the 1967 Gazette. His address: Dodd Hall, The Ohio State University Hospitals, 410 West 10th Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210.

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