Interns

I will try to make this short, but it was very frustrating and irritating experience for me.

At my work we have interns. Obviously, they are there to learn and grow in our, their, profession. Our field is the social services sector. We are clinicians, therapists, parent aides. We work with families who are involved with children services in some form or another. I particularly work with foster children. I write big long reports about their families and make recommendations on placements and what the parents should have to do in order to get the child back in their care. It's odd hours, sometimes long days, mean people, and not very pretty stories.

These interns are working 24 hours a week. I gave my intern, who is one year older than me, a deadline to meet. Why? Because I have a deadline to meet. When the intern didn't finish it on time, I sent a professional email inquiring about it and asking for it to be in my email box by a specific day and time. Again. What I asked this intern to do, should not have taken any longer than 1-1/2 (for first timers) hours- absolute tops. Once you have the info- which the intern did- it's fill in the blank. It's not difficult. I even took time to speak briefly about the sections with this intern and where s/he would locate the information.

Now, I have realized through my deductive reasoning skills that this intern does not check his/her email everyday or they just ignore my email- either way- not good. So I call this morning to make sure it gets checked- it's 8:40am. Instead of having a reasonable conversation I end up playing therapist. Overall, I end up feeling like I am the one getting chewed out and I am trying to calm this person down. Me. Myself. I am the clinician. What the hell?? The response was basically, "I said I 'might' be able to get it done." Excuse me? Might? Then this intern went on to say, "I am not prioritizing anymore... what gets done in 24 hours gets done." I am sorry, what? I don't understand. Seriously. I. Don't. Get. It.

So I spoke with my supervisor and told her my concerns and issues. What was said and how I tentatively 'resolved' the situation. Which wasn't really at all, I ended up taking the section because I was tired of waiting. This intern was 'really busy' with other pressing issues- like the 4 days s/he was taking off next week (which this intern had JUST told me). This intern "can't be expected to get this all done." Don't get me started about this other report we are to be working on... but I digress... My supervisor pretty much agreed that the assignment was one of the easiest parts to complete and flat out told me that she hadn't given this particular intern that much to do. Which leads to one conclusion...

Poor time management. All I can think is- if this paperwork is overwhelming you better not EVER work for a community agency. Talk about paperwork and deadlines.

Maybe my expectations are a little high, and please if I am wrong someone out there let me know, but no matter the number of hours you are working an internship is a J-O-B. This is also a time where there is a learning curse (so things take longer) and shouldn't you want to impress those you work with? When you have a deadline, you get it done. If you don't know how to- start asking questions. If questions aren't being answered- then you ask more loudly until you have someones attention. If you can't get it done for whatever reason, you pick up the phone and call the person. You don't just leave them sitting there twiddling their thumbs right?

***side note- in all my emails and face to face's with all the interns I always tell them to feel free to email, call me, ask me whatever questions they have***

I have to say if s/he willing to act like that with me, and I will put this on a peer-to-peer level, what will he be like with clients when he is overwhelmed (which this intern insisted was not the case)? What will s/he be like with peers in a 'real' work place? Can this intern handle being a clinician? A therapist? What will s/he be like with the supervisees if this intern ever becomes a supervisor? If this intern isn't willing to do a little more self reflection about her/his attitudes, behaviors, and mannerisms- then I am very, very concerned about their future role in this profession.

Seriously, anyone? Am I crazy for expecting it to be done? Are my expectations too high? I am just completely baffled by this interns response here...