Northern Health Volunteers

Working closely with ICU staff, you'll provide a combination of family support, visitor assistance and behind-the-scenes administrative support that helps the unit run efficiently.
Your role allows healthcare professionals to focus on delivering critical clinical care while ensuring patients, families and visitors receive a warm, compassionate experience.

For families with a loved one in Intensive Care, every interaction matters. A warm welcome, a reassuring presence and practical support can make an overwhelming experience just a little easier.

As an ICU Support & Administration Volunteer, you'll play an important role in one of the hospital's most critical care environments, providing compassionate support to patients and families while assisting the Intensive Care Unit team with essential administrative and operational tasks.

Your contribution helps create a more welcoming, organised and supportive experience for everyone who enters the ICU.

This is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference while becoming part of a highly respected healthcare team.

As an ICU Volunteer, you'll:

• Make a genuine impact during some of life's most challenging moments.

• Provide comfort and reassurance to patients and families during times of uncertainty.

• Develop valuable communication, customer service and administration skills.

• Gain experience in a professional healthcare environment.

• Build confidence working alongside experienced clinical and administrative staff.

• Meet like-minded volunteers and become part of a supportive community.

• Experience the satisfaction of knowing your kindness and practical support help improve the care experience for patients, visitors and staff.

• Welcome visitors and provide a calm, reassuring first point of contact.

• Manage the ICU entry door and communicate with nursing staff regarding visitor access.

• Escort approved visitors to patient bedsides.

• Assist families by providing information about ICU facilities and available resources.

• Restock family waiting rooms with brochures, tissues and other supplies.

• Deliver patient experience surveys following ICU discharge.

• Assist nursing staff with maintaining the palliative care comfort trolley.

• Prepare patient admission and composite packs.

• Assemble IV packs and MRSA swab packs.

• Prepare and organise stock for replenishment.

• Restock ward trolleys, pathology supplies and the patient pantry.

• Maintain supplies for staff areas, including milk, refreshments and fundraising items.

• Assist with photocopying, printing, laminating and document preparation.

• Help ensure the unit remains organised and well supplied throughout the day.

We're looking for volunteers who are:

• Compassionate, calm and emotionally mature.

• Comfortable supporting people experiencing illness, trauma and loss.

• Friendly, approachable and respectful.

• Excellent communicators and active listeners.

• Organised, reliable and able to work independently.

• Comfortable using initiative while following established procedures.

• Adaptable and able to work in a busy clinical environment.

• Respectful of confidentiality and committed to maintaining patient privacy.

• Physically able to move throughout the unit, stand, walk and assist visitors during each shift.

***Applicants must be aged 18 years or older***

BARE BELOW THE ELBOWS 
All staff (both clinical and non-clinical), students, volunteers and contractors having 
contact with the patient and/or the patient’s environment must be bare below the 
elbows, including the following:
• Hand and wrist jewellery (including wrist watches and fitness bands) are not to 
be worn in the clinical area, with the exception of a medical alert bracelet 
and/or a single, plain, non-porous ring. 
• Long sleeved clothing is not recommended, but if worn needs to be rolled up 
above the elbow so as not to interfere with hand hygiene practice.
• Nails are to be short, clean and unvarnished. 
• Artificial nails are not to be worn 
Please note:
* As each organisation provides different levels/types of insurance, volunteers are reminded to check with the organisation as to the type of insurance provided for volunteers (e.g. Voluntary Workers Personal Accident Insurance).
* Best practice volunteer involvement recommends that a volunteer role should not be more than 15-16 hours per week.