Bring Comfort to Patients in Des Moines, IA: Volunteer in Hospice!

Position Summary

The Volunteer is responsible for modeling the Compassus values of Compassion, Integrity, Excellence, Teamwork, and Innovation and for promoting the Compassus philosophy, using the 6 Pillars of Success as the foundation. S/he is responsible for upholding the Code of Ethical Conduct and for promoting positive working relationships within the company, among all departments, and all external stakeholders. The Volunteer is a hospice-trained individual from a professional or non-professional background who provides non-medical support services to patients and families, to the professional hospice staff, and the organization. S/he is essential to the successful operation of the hospice program. S/he may choose the area in which they prefer to function and the hours they are willing to donate. All duties and responsibilities of volunteers require professionalism, sound judgment, and effective communication skills.

Position Specific Responsibilities

• Administrative Volunteers: Provides assistance in the hospice office or with hospice activities.
• Bereavement Volunteers: Provides support to bereavement clients under the direction of the Bereavement Coordinator and the Volunteer Coordinator.
• Patient Care Volunteers: Provides visits to support patients and families as outlined in the Plan of Care, including companionship, caregiver relief, running errands, and other duties as assigned. Provides Angel/11th-hour support to patients and/or families as outlined in the Plan of Care, sitting bedside with actively dying patients.
• All Volunteers: Submits documentation of all contacts with patients/families, or of any volunteer activity, in a timely manner to the Volunteer Coordinator. Participates in the in-service programs to keep informed about current information pertinent to the volunteer.

Education and/or Experience

• Professional, Certified and/or Complementary Therapies Volunteers: Must provide a current license, certification, or proof of training and experience. Minimum of one (1) year of experience required. Ability to maintain infection control requirements. Must be at least 18 years of age.

Skills

• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentage.
• Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from leaders, team members, investors, and external parties. Strong written and verbal communications.
• Other Skills and Abilities: Ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. Articulates and embraces integrated healthcare at home philosophy. Ability to support dying patients and their families utilizing skills learned in volunteer orientation. Maintain confidentiality of patient/family interactions and information. Ability to follow through on patient care assignments in a reliable manner.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The demands of this role necessitate a team member to effectively perform essential functions. Adaptations can be made to accommodate team members with disabilities. Regular standing, walking, and manual dexterity are fundamental, along with the ability to lift and move objects up to 50 pounds. Visual acuity requirements include close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. In a healthcare setting, exposure to bodily fluids, infectious diseases, and conditions typical to the field is expected. Routine use of standard medical equipment and tools associated with clinical care is essential. This description provides a general overview and may vary by role and department, capturing the nuanced demands and conditions inherent to clinical positions in our organization.

At Compassus, including all Compassus affiliates, diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our Pillars of Success. We are committed to creating a fair work environment where our team members feel welcomed, highly valued, and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.