Dear Prospective Volunteer:
Thank you for your interest in volunteering at Lakewood Hospital. Since 1908 volunteers have generously committed their time and talent to helping the hospital deliver high quality care to our community. Whether offering direct service to those in need or assisting behind the scenes, ensuring that patients, their families and friends have a positive experience has always been at the heart of their service and the primary reason for being here. Volunteers truly help to make Lakewood Hospital great.
Volunteer Services Mission
To enhance the hospital’s ability to provide quality care to its patients and their families and friends. This is accomplished by recruiting dedicated, compassionate individuals and training them to fulfill meaningful positions throughout the hospital.
Benefits of Volunteering
In addition to the satisfaction felt from helping others and giving back many volunteers value the ability to experience new opportunities and make new friends. Because we value your generosity and time we provide:
• Free parking in our attached garage
• A complimentary meal on each day you volunteer (four hour minimum contribution required)
• An annual appreciation/recognition event
• National Volunteer Week celebration
The Expectations and Requirements
Our Volunteer Services Program is structured for a long term commitment. The orientation, training and ongoing education of our volunteers necessitate that you fulfill 100 hours of service and a one year commitment. The typical volunteer experience is one time a week for 4-5 hours.
Opportunities
Lakewood Hospital Volunteer opportunities focus on those areas of service that can assist in providing a positive experience for our patients and visitors. They are:
GREETERS AND INFORMATION DESK
Volunteers who staff our Information/Welcome Desk and act as Greeters are often the first person that patients and visitors meet. Are you:
• Engaging and willing to interact with the public?
• In good health, mobile and able to be on your feet for long periods of time?
• Capable of operating a two line phone and work a computer?
• Able to consistently commit to 4 hours a week on a regular basis?
TRANSPORT
Many patients and visitors need wheelchair assistance during their inpatient stay or for an outpatient procedure. We are looking for individuals who are free either weekdays between 8am – Noon or Noon to 4pm. Are you:
• In good health, capable of being on your feet for long periods of time and a person who enjoys exercise?
• Able to commit to 4 hours a week on a regular basis?
MAGAZINE DISTRIBUTION
Volunteers can help make a patient’s stay here more enjoyable by visiting and offering them some reading material. They also distribute them to the common areas where visitors gather and wait during surgeries and outpatient procedures. Are you:
• Engaging and willing to interact with patients and their families by paying a visit to them in their rooms?
• In good health, mobile and able to be on your feet for long periods of time?
• Able to commit to 4 hours of service on a regular basis?
COMFORT RUNNERS
Many volunteers want to be of service on a nursing unit. Our comfort runners act as liaisons between the patients/families and the clinical staff. Their duties include a combination of light tasks and patient interaction. Are you:
• Upbeat, engaging and interested in getting some experience in an actual hospital setting?
• A compassionate, caring individual who is comfortable being with patients and their families and friends?
• In good health, mobile and capable of being on your feet for long periods of time?
• Able to commit to 4 hours of service a week on a regular basis?
PET THERAPY
Our patients love visits from therapy dogs. They provide emotional support, increase laughs and smiles and reduce their anxiety. The staff loves them too!
Do you:
• Possess a dog that is already registered and certified with the Delta Society or Therapy Dogs International?
• In good health, mobile and capable of being on your feet for long periods of time?
• Able to commit to 4 hours of service a week on a regular basis?
RETAIL SHOPS
Lakewood Hospital has 3 retail shops utilized by the patients, visitors the staff and the community: The Thrifty Peddler resale shop, The Gift Shop and the Blossom Shop. Volunteer Opportunities exist in each of them. Are you:
• Engaging and willing to interact with the public?
• In good health, mobile and able to be on your feet for long periods of time?
• Capable of operating a two line phone and work a cash register
• Able to consistently commit to 4 hours a week on a regular basis?
CLERICAL ASSISTANCE
Certain areas of the hospital make use of volunteers with clerical experience especially those that are competent with computer data entry and comfortable answering the phone. Are you:
• Comfortable working on a computer and proficient using Microsoft Word and Excel
• Able to work a standard two line phone and make appointment and reminder calls
• Willing to make copies, do filing and assemble binders and packets
Teen Volunteers
Our teen volunteers collaborate with the efforts of our other volunteers and staff in providing a satisfying experience for patients and families. Like our adult volunteers their program is structured for a long term, ongoing commitment. They must be at least 16 years of age and still in high school. When school is in session teen volunteers serve weekdays between the hours of 3PM-8PM. In summer and during extended holiday breaks teen volunteer hours are extended to weekdays between 8am-8pm. They are also expected to fulfill 100 hours of service and a one year commitment. Their typical volunteer experience is one time a week for 4-5 hours.
Teen Volunteer Opportunities
Teen volunteers serve in our DIETARY DEPARTMENT AND TRANSPORT. In Dietary they will provide support by performing tasks associated with readying the meal trays prior to distribution to the patients. Transport duties are identical to those being done by our adult volunteers. (See above)
Steps to becoming a Volunteer
Your first step is to call the Volunteer Services Office at 216-529-7171 and ask to speak to the Volunteer Assistant. They will tell you about the opportunities and gather some basic information about you, your interests and availability. You will then be scheduled for a more extensive phone interview with the manager of Volunteer Services which should occur within two weeks of your initial inquiry. Subsequent steps include completing the application that is mailed to you and attending a two hour orientation session where you will learn about hospital policies fire safety, infection control, disaster and emergency preparedness and patient confidentiality. You will be required to sign an authorization for a background check.
After you have completed orientation you will be given instructions on obtaining your tuberculin skin test. Once that has been accomplished and your security clearance has been approved you will be scheduled to receive a badge, learn how to work the sign in process and receive your uniform. You will then be scheduled for training and will begin your volunteer service.