Volunteering is back at area hospitals
Olga Smith and Susan Hanley are looking for a few good volunteers.
Actually, make that dozens. Smith is the coordinator of volunteers for Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis; Hanley for Falmouth Hospital. They are on a mission to re-establish the hospitals’ volunteer programs that went on hiatus in 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, Smith estimates there were between 350 and 400 volunteers helping at Cape Cod Hospital on a weekly basis. But only about 20 percent of those volunteers have returned since opportunities reopened late last spring. At Falmouth, only about 30 people out of the approximately 200 on the pre-pandemic list have returned.
“Some, sadly, have passed away. Some are nervous about returning because of COVID. Some are not on the Cape anymore. Some of the young ones have a life off Cape now,” Smith said.
So, she and Hanley are spreading the word that the hospitals are welcoming back volunteers. Or, as Smith puts it: “We’re open. We’re back. I need you. Come in.”
Volunteers are crucial to both hospitals’ daily rhythm, said Smith. At the Hyannis hospital, some volunteers work “transport,” moving patients via stretcher or wheelchair around the hospital, perhaps to imaging or discharge. They welcome patients and visitors and give directions at the front desk; run errands for staff; help out with intake in the blood bank; provide patient support in the cancer center; and deliver packages and flowers to patients.
At Falmouth, volunteers work as cafeteria cashiers; greet at reception desks; check-in patients in various departments, including the emergency room and the COVID-19 testing tent; help out therapists at cardiac rehab; and work in the hospital’s thrift and gift shops, among other jobs. In fact, Hanley is seeking volunteer managers for the gift shop, so it can re-open.
Volunteers who have returned are happy to be back, Smith said. Kevin Minnigerode, 72, of Marstons Mills, for example, is back transporting patients at Cape Cod Hospital. Minnigerode began volunteering in 2017 as a way to give back after open heart surgery at Cape Cod Hospital. His Wednesday afternoon team is so close they continued to get together during the pandemic, even when they couldn’t volunteer together.
“It gives me a sense of giving back,” said Minnigerode, who trained as an engineer and flew for the U.S. Air Force and National Guard. “I look at my life and I just consider it such a blessing.”
It feels good to be helping, he said. “We’ve been back since June, in transport, and I’m still having nurses come up and say, ‘It’s good to have you back. We’ve missed you.’”
Not only is volunteering helpful and fun, but people become close, Smith said. During Hurricane Ian, for example, everyone checked in about family and friends in Florida.
“I have a daughter in Orlando and not a day went by [without] ‘How’s your daughter? How’s your friend? How’s this? How’s that?’” Smith said. “Everybody cares for one another. It’s just amazing.”
If volunteering sounds like it might be a good fit for you, here are the answers to some basic questions.
Who can volunteer at hospitals?
At Cape Cod Hospital, volunteers must be at least 16 years old but there’s no upper limit; one volunteer is 93! At Falmouth, volunteers must be at least 18 unless they are part of the student volunteer program that has traditionally been held in the summer. (Hanley hopes to bring it back this year.) Volunteers are required to get approval from their physician and must have flu shots and COVID-19 vaccinations. Training varies a bit depending on the hospital and the job, and new volunteers are usually paired with a veteran to learn the ropes. Some jobs, such as transport, require more physical strength than others. All volunteers go through the same occupational health process – tuberculosis testing, for example – as staff.
How big a commitment is volunteering?
At Cape Cod Hospital, volunteers are asked to commit at least four hours a week, working a shift that is either 8 a.m. to noon or noon to 4 p.m. weekdays. However, Smith said she can be flexible if students or others want to work afternoons into early evening. Falmouth volunteers are also asked to commit to a minimum of four hours a week, although some departments have hours that are a bit more flexible.
Do volunteers have to pay or buy anything?
No, and volunteers get a voucher for lunch in the cafeteria. (Minnigerode really likes the fish and chips at Cape Cod Hospital.) Uniforms, which vary depending on the job, are provided and include jackets for transport and blazers for ambassadors. Volunteers also get hospital ID badges.
How are volunteers protected from COVID-19?
Masks are required for everyone in both hospitals. “If anybody feels unwell, I ask them to please stay home, not only for their safety but for that of our patients and the rest of the volunteers,” Smith said. If volunteers do call in sick, they must be cleared by the occupational health department before returning to work.
Can volunteers take a break, perhaps to go south in the winter?
Yes, but volunteers who leave for a significant time go through a re-entry process with occupational health, Smith said. That takes anywhere from two to three weeks and is to make sure that you're not sick with COVID and that you are still in good physical health.
What should I do if I want to volunteer?
Contact Olga Smith at Cape Cod Hospital, osmith@capecodhealth.org or 508-862-5259 or Susan Hanley at Falmouth Hospital, shanley@CapeCodHealth.org or 508-457-3521. For more information on volunteering opportunities, visit our volunteer page.
