The Volunteer Role in Patient Care Delivery Programs

What is ?“The Planetree model of care is a

patient-centered, holistic approach to healthcare, promoting mental, emotional, spiritual, social, and physical healing.”

-from the Planetree homepage

• Personalize, Humanize, & Demystify (PhD)

• Visit www.planetree.org

• Read “Putting Patients First”

The 10 Components of Planetree• Human Interaction: Human beings caring for other human beings

• Family, Friends, & Social Support: Promoting caring connections between the patients and their support systems.

• Information & Education: Increased access to meaningful information.

• Arts & Entertainment: Music, artwork, theater, and crafts, to enhance the clinical environment.

•Human Touch: Touch reduces anxiety, pain, and stress,

• Healthy Communities: Working with schools, senior centers, churches, and other community partners..

The 10 Components of Planetree• Nutritional & Nurturing Aspects of Food: Choice and personalized

service, in combination with sound nutrition practices, add pleasure, comfort, and familiarity.

• Architectural & Interior Design: The Planetree design considers the patients’ wellbeing.

• Spirituality: Planetree recognizes the vital role of spirituality in healing the whole person.

• Complementary Therapies: Expand the choices offered to patients.

What is the Volunteer Role?• Traditional volunteer roles

• Exisiting or new non-traditional volunteer roles

• Creation or expansion of volunteer roles in patient care delivery

Patient Ambassador Volunteers

The Planetree Toolbox• Human Interaction

• Caring Touch• Arts and Entertainment

• Spirituality

• Support Systems

• Access to Information

Meaningful Visits• Purposeful Rounding• Minor requests/Nursing support• Communication

103A

102B

102A

101B

101A

ActionRemarks/Comments/ConcernsPS

NR

DCBA

Did Not Visit

Bed

Is there anything they cannot do?

• Volunteers MAY NOT– Be involved with direct patient care– Feed patients– Transfer patients– Assist isolation patients in any way

– Perform duties outside the scope of their training and orientation

– Supplant a paid worker

Training Requirements• General volunteer orientation

• Patient Ambassador course– 7.5 hours– tasks, tact, tools

• On-the-job training– “Floor” training – general hospital overview– CNA job shadow– Proctoring by TWO patient ambassadors

• Planetree Retreat

What is the outcome?•Patient Satisfaction

•Nursing Satisfaction

•Volunteer Satisfaction

Community Visibility

Meaningful Service Opportunities

Mission FulfillmentTo enhance patient and visitor satisfaction by partnering with talented staff to provide community members with meaningful service opportunities that support hospital programs, services, and projects.