Volunteer Procedures

[yunakitty 2]

This came up in discussion in our morning clinical meeting, and I thought I'd throw it out here and see how other AD's handle it. I currently don't have any volunteers that come by themselves; all my volunteers are like pet therapy dog owners who I walk around and join in the visit, or school kids that come and sing or do activities with the residents, with me there. We already established that when I get some that want to do things when I'm not there, they will have to go through a background check.

 

My ED wanted to know if they needed to have PPD's done. The DON had no idea, and we are currently without a HA, so we couldn't ask her. But then this started a big discussion of why a sporadic volunteer would have to have all that done; family members don't. The social worker said that it was different; family members are known to the residents and the residents are willing to take that risk that they are TB positive or a criminal, or whatever. But the ED countered that family members of Mrs. X often sit at the dining table with Mrs. Y there, and Mrs. Y didn't invite them nor is she willing to take a risk. We're just really unsure of where to draw the line.

 

Obviously, we're not wanting to PPD every family member that comes in; but we're wondering if it's necessary to do that for volunteers that might come a couple of times only. I'm afraid of scaring them off by requiring all that stuff, if it's not 100% necessary. I have a hard enough time getting any volunteers - we are on the farthest end of an island; we have a rep in the community for being a lah de dah wealthy place, so no one wants to give their time to us; they'd rather donate their time to struggling nursing homes. Which I totally understand, but the new company that bought us out last year (Senior Living) has cut my budget drastically. They made me cut most of my paid entertainment but are putting a lot of heat on me to have this jam packed calendar and to get more volunteers. I'm struggling as it is, it's just me in my department, and the Resident Services assistant comes over and covers my two days off every week. They keep telling me I need to get more volunteers, but I'm sort of at a loss since everything I try comes up with nothing. I can get school bands in to perform, but that's about it...I need people that want to come in a lead a bingo game in the evening, or that sort of thing...

 

Honestly, I'm not even sure what I'm looking for or what to ask of volunteers, if and when I get any. I've been in this position for 2 years, but we had a tiny residency for most of it, so it was no big deal for me to handle it all. But now we're getting more and more people (thanks to our great new marketing director) and I know I need "volunteers" but I don't know what to ask them to do. I'm afraid to ask too much or ask something weird and lose them. What do your volunteers come in and do? Sorry if this is a really dumb question, but I'm floundering here. I'm just used to doing everything myself.

[drumspirit 0]

In PA it is now required to have all volunteers tested with the ppd- unless they have had a chest x ray that can also prove they do not have tb. It does scare many volunteers away, and not all NHs are enforcing it, although they should as it is state law- they could be cited on it.

 

 

This came up in discussion in our morning clinical meeting, and I thought I'd throw it out here and see how other AD's handle it. I currently don't have any volunteers that come by themselves; all my volunteers are like pet therapy dog owners who I walk around and join in the visit, or school kids that come and sing or do activities with the residents, with me there. We already established that when I get some that want to do things when I'm not there, they will have to go through a background check.

 

My ED wanted to know if they needed to have PPD's done. The DON had no idea, and we are currently without a HA, so we couldn't ask her. But then this started a big discussion of why a sporadic volunteer would have to have all that done; family members don't. The social worker said that it was different; family members are known to the residents and the residents are willing to take that risk that they are TB positive or a criminal, or whatever. But the ED countered that family members of Mrs. X often sit at the dining table with Mrs. Y there, and Mrs. Y didn't invite them nor is she willing to take a risk. We're just really unsure of where to draw the line.

 

Obviously, we're not wanting to PPD every family member that comes in; but we're wondering if it's necessary to do that for volunteers that might come a couple of times only. I'm afraid of scaring them off by requiring all that stuff, if it's not 100% necessary. I have a hard enough time getting any volunteers - we are on the farthest end of an island; we have a rep in the community for being a lah de dah wealthy place, so no one wants to give their time to us; they'd rather donate their time to struggling nursing homes. Which I totally understand, but the new company that bought us out last year (Senior Living) has cut my budget drastically. They made me cut most of my paid entertainment but are putting a lot of heat on me to have this jam packed calendar and to get more volunteers. I'm struggling as it is, it's just me in my department, and the Resident Services assistant comes over and covers my two days off every week. They keep telling me I need to get more volunteers, but I'm sort of at a loss since everything I try comes up with nothing. I can get school bands in to perform, but that's about it...I need people that want to come in a lead a bingo game in the evening, or that sort of thing...

 

Honestly, I'm not even sure what I'm looking for or what to ask of volunteers, if and when I get any. I've been in this position for 2 years, but we had a tiny residency for most of it, so it was no big deal for me to handle it all. But now we're getting more and more people (thanks to our great new marketing director) and I know I need "volunteers" but I don't know what to ask them to do. I'm afraid to ask too much or ask something weird and lose them. What do your volunteers come in and do? Sorry if this is a really dumb question, but I'm floundering here. I'm just used to doing everything myself.