A Day In The Life Of...
9
This time we meet Linda Tuck; Linda has worked at St. Clare’s
since 2009 as a receptionist.
9am
My day starts by preparing the reception for opening. I unlock
the confectionary, greeting cards and drinks cabinets, then switch
the telephone from the nurses’ station to the switchboard. As I am
doing this, I am chatting to colleagues who are just coming in to
start work. Throughout the day I answer telephone calls or help
with any visitors that come to the Hospice and make sure they
sign in the visiting book for health and safety.
10am
By this time I have checked my emails and the diary to see
what is booked in for the day just in case I need to set up for any
meetings. Then our Day Care patients start to arrive. They are
such a friendly bunch of people and I have a chat on and off with
most of them throughout the day. The main topic of conversation
at the moment is about the ducks which are currently living in
the courtyard. We usually get ducks every year but this year is
quite special as most of the ducklings have managed to surive
any predators and have maturered into ducks.
10.30am
Morning visting has just begun and patient’s visitors start to arrive. Today we have some new visitors so I show them where
they need to go.
11am
The post has arrived and I go through to check for each department, I open letters addressed to St. Clare’s Hospice or
Fundraising Department, to check for any donations or any sponsor money to receipt.
12pm
Lunch arrives for guests and patients, this is when the reception gets quiet and I can have my lunch.
1pm
Day Care patients come through the reception to go to their activity room – today they are decorating old CD’s to turn them into
works of art.
2pm
It’s time for afternoon visiting, which is usually busier than the morning session. Today we also have a rememberance service
taking place and we are expecting up to 100 peple to attend.
3.15pm
Our Day Care patients are ready to go home,the ambulance driver has the patient transport vehicle outside the doors, and this
is when guests are buying drinks and sweets from the little shop for either themselves or for grandchildren. I then check if the stock in
the confectionary needs to be refilled or tidied up.
4pm
As the Hospice is very peaceful and quiet (Day Care can be very noisy!) I can now receipt the income we have recevied from the
Just Giving website. As we have recently had our Rainbow Run event there is quite a lot to do. After this I have spare time to check
the diary for the next day. At 5pm the evening volunteer receptionist comes in and I have a little chat to let them know if there is any
important information to hand over.
5pm
Time for me to go home now. I really love working at St. Clare’s and chatting with patients and visitors – and tomorrow I get to
do it all again!
In each edition of the newsletter we will be looking at what happens in a typical day of a member of the
St. Clare’s team. This time we get an insight in to a day in the life of a Receptionist.
The Day in the life of… a St. Clare’s Receptionist
Our reception is manned by
2 part-time receptionists from
9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Volunteers kindly provide cover
from5pmto8pmweekdays and
10am to 8pm on weekends.
Our receptionists take on average 300 calls per week!
A range of chocolate,
crisps and drinks are
on sale in reception.
Books are on sale in
reception from just 50p.
Our receptionists are the font of all knowledge and
what they don’t know they can find out. They often
help find out any facts or information for staff, patients
or visitors from bus times, telephone numbers to
directions to days out for patients to enjoy.
About Our Reception
Linda Tuck
