National Volunteer Week, April 9 - 15
by Cindy AbolePublic Relations
Each day, an army of blue-blazoned men and women can be spotted scurrying around the halls of the Medical Center or other university offices sharing a smile with a sick patient, young or old, or lending a hand filing or performing other office duties. These dedicated individuals are used to giving freely of their time and serving others as MUSC volunteers.
Volunteers
play a key role in many university and hospital-related activities, Volunteer
Felicia Johnson lends a hand distributing refreshments to MUSC employees
during a campus party honoring the inauguration of MUSC President Dr. Ray
Greenberg.
Next week, MUSC and community members everywhere will celebrate volunteerism as part of National Volunteer Week, April 9 - 15. This year’s theme, “Celebrate Volunteers!” sets the stage for the Points of Light Foundation, its partners in the national network of Volunteer Centers, and foundation members to applaud the efforts of volunteers everywhere.
The Points of Light Foundation and the national network of Volunteer Centers sponsor National Volunteer Week.
For more than 40 years, volunteers have played an important role in caring for patients and helping Medical Center staff. It wasn’t until April 1971 that a formal volunteer program was established.
Today, more than 640 volunteers have donated more than 32,000 yearly hours of service to the Medical Center, university, MUSC Children's Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry (IOP), Hollings Cancer Center and other off-campus facilities.
“Our volunteers are dynamic, hardworking individuals who are talented in all they do,” said Susanne Banks, manager of MUSC Volunteer Services. “Many are very industrious and don’t want to just sit around and talk. They want their time to count whenever they come here.”
The volunteer force consists of young adults organized as part of the Volunteens, composed of teenagers age 14 to 17, retirees, senior citizens, cadets from The Citadel and other students, parents, survivors and other people affiliated with various community organizations and civic groups. Volunteers receive training and can assist in taking vitals, transporting patients to other floors, general clean-up, provide ice, water and food, filing, telephone support and run essential errands. They can also be found in more than 80 areas of the hospital and university.
“We use volunteers a lot in our recovery areas,” said Becky Higginbotham, clinical nurse in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). “They’re working with critically ill patients who really need a lot of care.”
For many volunteers interested in entering the medical field, the recovery area is an ideal place to gain some valuable experience and observe, said Higginbotham. Many volunteers who’ve worked in recovery have gone on to pursue careers in pharmacy, nursing, physicians assistant, medicine and dental medicine.
College of Charleston student Marcene Adkins has worked in the PACU since early February. A sophomore, Adkins is considering a career in nursing and recently discovered how valuable volunteering can be. Currently, she works two to three hours per week and is inspired by many friends who also volunteer at the hospital.
“You don’t get to see this in everyday life,” said Adkins, referring to recovering patients who are just coming out of surgery. “I’ve learned a lot about nursing and how everyone works together. So far, I like what I see.”
Originally, volunteers supported nursing staffs, clinics and performed light duties like distributing patient’s mail and flower deliveries. Today their roles have expanded to include non-traditional duties like working in IOP mailroom where they provide office support; cleaning and organizing lab equipment at the Thurmond-Gazes Research Building; or reading to children as part of the Reach Out and Read program at MUSC’s Pediatric Primary Care Clinic.
To qualify as a volunteer, applicants must undergo a job screening which includes a thorough SLED background check and interview. Following approval, volunteers complete an infection control program, general orientation and medical screening before they begin.
Banks will help recognize MUSC volunteers this week by featuring daily prize drawings and other giveaways. Volunteer Services staff will honor volunteers in their annual awards banquet which will be held in late spring.
“There’s many MUSC departments and staff members that just can’t do without them,” Banks said.
Volunteer Services Mission Statement
The volunteers at the Medical University of South Carolina are
dedicated to providing the highest quality of service respecting the dignity,
individuality and cultural diversity of our patients.
Medical University of South Carolina volunteers are committed to supplement and complement the university and medical center staff whenever needed.
Volunteers are respectful of others, adaptive to change and accountable for outcomes.