Advocate Health

Ambassadors and wayfinders welcome and escort patients and visitors throughout the hospital making them feel welcome and safe. You are helping to set the stage for a successful visit with us and you may be the last impression as they leave. This is a powerful role to help ensure our patients and visitors do not worry about where or how they get to their destination within our facilities. You help reduce that anxiety so they can focus on their healing journey.

Volunteers support our cancer patients in many ways throughout their cancer journey. Some serve in our chemotherapy infusion areas to offer snacks, warm blankets, and anything else a patient may need while they undergo their hours-long treatments. Some serve to assist the staff with stocking supplies and checking on our waiting patients and visitors. The caring hearts of our volunteers touch the lives of hundreds of cancer patient every week. 

Prayer shawls, lap blankets, quilts, baby hats, stuffed toys...the list goes on and on with the many ways our talented volunteers share their gifts with our patients! We welcome any and all ideas of handmade items to lift the spirits of our patients. If you have an idea of something you'd like to share please let us know and we'll work with you to ensure it is safe for the hospital environment.

Be the face of the department as your welcome patients and visitors and assist them to get settled and prepared for their appointment. Volunteers play a key role in decreasing patient's anxiety by providing a warm and welcoming approach focused on setting the stage for a successful visit. Volunteers also help patient's loved ones adjust and provide constant communication to them in areas where procedures or day surgeries may be taking place. Our goal is to provide that caring and emotionally supportive environment for the department. 

We have a variety of volunteer roles focused on supporting the inpatients and our nursing teams. Our goal is to ensure every inpatient has the support they need during their stay and an excellent patient experience. Volunteers visit assigned patients regularly and use active listening skills to check in on their needs and provide emotional support. We also have volunteers who visit with activity carts and fresh baked cookies (at some locations) to lift their spirits.

Our four-legged friends and their volunteer handlers bring joy and reduce anxiety for patients, visitors and teammates through our animal assisted therapy program. Dogs and at some sites, miniature horses, must be certified for animal assisted (pet) therapy and visit throughout our hospitals. They are beloved by all!

Volunteers serve in various roles at our retail locations on our hospital campuses. They help to ensure we have a great product mix to serve our patients, visitors and teammates needs and assist all warmly with a smile and helpful approach. Volunteers also assist with patient room or department deliveries bringing smiles and joy to those receiving their items.

Our wonderful spiritual care volunteers partner with our spiritual care team to provide that much needed support for patients. Eucharistic ministers help deliver communion to patients and other volunteers help meet with patients to identify what type of spiritual care is needed so our chaplain team can get those resources for the patient.

Ambassadors and wayfinders welcome and escort patients and visitors throughout the hospital making them feel welcome and safe. You are helping to set the stage for a successful visit with us and you may be the last impression as they leave. This is a powerful role to help ensure our patients and visitors do not worry about where or how they get to their destination within our facilities. You help reduce that anxiety so they can focus on their healing journey.

Virtual volunteers can work remote from home while still providing meaningful support for our patients through a variety of programs. The Concierge Admission Program supports newly admitted patients with a phone call from a virtual volunteer to discuss their stay, identify any needs they may have while with us and assist with concerns. Volunteers call patients from home to any one of our hospitals. Virtual volunteers can also serve as remote witnesses for patients who need an advance directive for care and assist with hospitalized patients during elections to provide guidance on how they can vote using a proxy. Many more virtual experiences are being developed thanks to our wonderful virtual volunteers!

American Geriatric Society CoCare: HELP (Hospital Elder Life Program) gives volunteers a unique opportunity to become part of the multidisciplinary team and interact with a variety of hospital staff, patients and their families. HELP is an evidence-based, patient care program designed to prevent cognitive and functional decline in hospitalized older adults. Extensive training empowers our volunteers to help provide ongoing personalized interventions assigned by HELP staff.