|
Bed Safety Volunteer
The role of the Bed Safety Volunteer is to visit all patients who have been designated as a “Safety Risk” by the presence of a green triangle on their door.
Volunteers check patients to ensure personal items and the call bell are within reach, and makes sure patients understand how to use their call bell. Volunteers also ensure any other patients needs are met.
John Forro describes the responsibilities and his experience as a Fall Prevention / Safety Monitor Volunteer.
|
|
Book Cart
The volunteer book cart makes rounds several times a week to inpatient units and waiting rooms in the hospital. Volunteers offer books, magazines, crossword puzzles, and other printed games. All books and magazines are donated to the program and given away to the patients to keep. All types of books and magazines, in good condition are accepted in all languages.
|
|
Clerical Positions
Clerical volunteers are utilized as receptionists, assist with answering phones, and perform various clerical tasks including: mailings, filing, faxing, etc. In addition, volunteers with computer skills can be involved with various computer projects.
|
|
Keeping in Touch Program
The goal of the Keeping In Touch program is to help maintain cognitive functioning in hospitalized older adults. Volunteers converse with patients, reminisce, read to them, play cards/games, do puzzles, listen to music, etc. Training requires one three-hour training session conducted by the geriatrics department, and two shifts shadowing a current volunteer. Volunteers are then scheduled to come in once a week for a three-hour shift.
|
|
Mobility is Medicine
Volunteers trained by the department of Rehabilitation ambulate patients who do not need physical therapy, but rather need encouragement and supervision to get up and walk.
This brief video describes the Mobility Volunteer Program.
|
|
Patient & Family Advisor
Patient and family advisors are a valuable voice representing all patients and family members of patients who receive care at Hartford HealthCare hospitals and facilities. At every hospital, our patient and family advisors partner with clinicians and administrators to help improve the quality of care being given to all patients and their family members. Click here to learn more and to apply.
|
|
Pet Therapy
The Hartford Hospital Pet Therapy program began in 1998.
- Hartford Hospital Pet Therapy volunteers and their dogs can be identified by their Hartford Hospital ID badges
- All dogs are certified pet therapy dogs
- All teams are volunteers, and all dogs are owned, loved, and trained by that volunteer
- Visits occur in most inpatient adult units (except when the patient is on isolation precautions)
- Requests for visits to admitted patients can be made through the patient’s nurse
Currently Pet Therapy volunteers can be assigned to Nursing Units, Welcome Waggers (lobby greeters), Cancer Centers, the Grace Webb School and some group areas at the Institute of Living. Assignments are based on comfort level, interest and availability. We also provide opportunities for Pet Therapy teams to interact with and support hospital staff.
Requirements: Dogs must be at least one year of age, have a Pet Therapy certification, and be able to show they are up to date on all needed vaccines. Owners must be at least 18 years of age and will be required to complete all on-boarding steps for volunteering. Teams are requested to be available at least one shift per week (same day/time each week).
For more information please complete a Pet Therapy application or contact Eileen Pelletier, Director of Volunteer Services at Eileen.Pelletier@hhchealth.org.
Gifts to the Pet Therapy Program
In honor of their beloved dog Rory, a devoted volunteer and her husband ensured a bright future for Hartford Hospital’s Pet Therapy Program by establishing a fund to support the on-going needs of the program.
If you would like to support this program too, please click here for more information.
|
|
Reiki
Provide "hands-on" healing touch and relaxation to patients in specially selected areas of the hospital.
Gifts to the Reiki Program
In honor of Debbie Bator, a Reiki volunteer, the Bator family has begun a fund that will help support the Reiki volunteer program and other Integrative Medicine practices. To learn more about Debbie and to donate to the fund please go here for more information: https://giving.hartfordhospital.org/debbie
|
|
Research Opportunity
For volunteers interested in learning about anesthesia research Integrated Anesthesia Associates (IAA) Department of Research and Anesthesia Development offers three volunteer positions each quarter (4 research sessions) to work with our anesthesia research team of anesthesiologist investigators, regional anesthesia fellows, and research staff. Volunteers have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research while simultaneously improving your ability to communicate scientific knowledge by conducting literature reviews, writing Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, and writing research manuscripts. Click here for more information.
|