THERE COMES A TIME….. The good, the bad, and ugly of dealing with the volunteer who can not function in their assigned service

Stacy Scott BerteauDirector, Volunteer Services

Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Sarasota, Florida

SMH AUXILIARY BOARD

GOALS

Assessment Tools

How to Address a Delicate Situation

How to Redirect Volunteer Resources

How Dealing Effectively with a Difficult Problem Strengthens Your Healthcare Organization

3 P’S PLAN

Program

Prizes

Perplexing Questions

GETTING THE FACTS

Specific facts– “cannot find the way to and from the Lab and

Dietary from our department despite 8 weeks of training.”

VERSUS

Vague statements

–“Just not with it.”

ASSESSING THE OUTCOMES

What were the outcomes from the behavior?

– The patient waited over an hour because the volunteer could not find their way back from the Dietary department.

ASSESSING THE FACTS

Are there identifiable reasons for the behavior?

– Training

– Returning after leave and not reoriented?– Rapidly changing healthcare environment

IMPLEMENTING CHANGES WITH VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are often overlooked or forgotten in dealing with changes

Volunteers are not asked for input on changes

Changes implemented without sufficent planning

CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Department meetings to discuss anticipated changes and how the changes relate to the volunteers

Educate Staff as to Volunteer Needs

TRAINING

Documented

Competency Based

Identifies Some Potential Problems in the Early Stages

TRAINING AFTER A LEAVE OF ABSENCE

How long has the volunteer been away from their duties?

What changes have transpired with the unit and the hospital?

How do we make “re-entry” a positive experience?

TOOLS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO ASSESS THE PROBLEMS

Observation: “Service Buddies”

Service Assessment tool

Talk with staff liaison

Follow-up calls by staff

Talk with the volunteer– Lunch or casual

environment– “How are things

going?”

Service meeting

ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS

Maintaining dignity while preserving strong service to the organization

Where, who, and how the problem can be successfully addressed

Dealing with the specific Job Duties, not the individual

Reinforcing the work and contributions of the individual

Retaining a volunteer Resource