How Can I Volunteer?
What kind of training do Hospice volunteers receive?
Training for new hospice volunteers is offered at least three times each year. The 15-hour course is filled with valuable information, which will be used in your work as a hospice volunteer and can also be applied to your personal life.
- Training is facilitated by the Hospice of Mercy Volunteer Coordinator
- It includes presentations by professionals in the health and social service fields
- It is required for all patient/family, bereavement and office volunteers before assignments are made
Topics covered during volunteer training include:
- Hospice philosophy
- Attitudes toward death
- Communication skills
- Preparing for death at home
- Role of physicians
- Role of nurses
- Role of family services
- Role of spiritual care
- Role of volunteers
- Grief and bereavement
We ask our volunteers to:
- Make a commitment to hospice
- Attend a minimum of four hours of continued education sessions annually and monthly meetings
- Volunteer an average of three hours a month or 36 months annually
- Be a good listener and maintain strict confidentiality
- Be comfortable with varied spiritual beliefs and lifestyles
- Have personal transportation
- Prospective volunteers are encouraged to wait a year after experiencing a life-changing event or loss of a close friend or family member
Contact:
Hospice of Mercy Volunteer Program
Phone: (319) 398-6628
Email: mclapp@mercycare.org
