(S5) Saskatoon City Hospital & St. Paul's Hospital

Hemodialysis is the most common way to treat advanced kidney failure.  It is a treatment that cleans the blood, regulates water and removes waste from the body when a person’s kidneys no longer function.  This is referred to as “life-sustaining therapy” as without dialysis a person would not live.  It affects people in different ways, but some are still able to be active in their communities, work or go to school.

The Hemodialysis Ambassador Volunteer assists patients and family members in the Dialysis Unit. This assignment will provide a supportive role to patients, visitors, and family members.

Duties :

• Spending time visiting patients is one of the primary duties of an associate.  A volunteer's friendly smile and caring disposition may help patients feel more comfortable before, during or after their treatment. Associates offer socialization and non-medical support to patients. 
• Assist with getting patients to and from the Unit as needed., 
• Volunteers may also perform Unit related tasks such as assembling Perm Cath bags, filling blanket warmers, cutting up pieces of paper for patients to write down their weight, filling paper cup dispensers, etc., running samples to the lab, delivering or picking up charts from Cameco Community Renal Health Centre.

Volunteers for this role require:

• Interpersonal skills
• Strong communications skills
• Organizational skills
• The ability to interact in a friendly, welcoming and reassuring manner 
• The ability to work independently 

Applicants should be willing to commit to a weekly shift for at least six months.

Must be 18 yrs of age or older  

Shifts available:  Thursday 11am - 2pm and 4 - 7 pm 

Volunteers interact with and provide valuable support to patients and visitors as they navigate the hospital experience. Volunteers in this area can help reduce confusion and anxiety in patients/clients/family members by providing a welcoming smile and wayfinding support to those arriving at hospital.

Duties:

• Greet and acknowledge those arriving at the hospital
• Provide wayfinding support to registration and direct access departments
• Direct visitors with questions on patient information to the phones provided
• Provide wayfinding support to other areas of the hospital (bathrooms, cafeteria, café, gift shop, auditorium, meeting spaces, cashier, parking procedure)

Shift Available:   Friday 10:30am-1:15pm.

Volunteers for this role require:

• Strong communication skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• The ability to interact in a friendly, welcoming and reassuring manner
• The ability to work independently

The Recreation Associate on longer stay units encourages the patient's participation in recreational activities. They play a supportive role and add to the trained services of the unit staff. Under the supervision of recreation and nursing staff, volunteer roles may include visiting patients in their rooms or common areas, reading groups, coffee groups, puzzles, games, crafts, active activity groups, or supporting musical programs being offered.

Volunteers must possess excellent communication skills, and be able to work independently. Experience working with older adults is an asset.

Applicants should be willing to commit to a weekly shift for at least four months.

Available Shifts: Currently we are looking for a volunteer to assist with patients attending and participating in a musical entertainment program being offered. Volunteer is asked to assist with bringing individuals to the program space, to visit with patients, and to encourage participation and singing along while in the group.

Thursdays 1:45pm - 4:00pm.

Weekly commitment of one shift per week for at least 6 months is preferred 

Volunteers must be at 16 years or older

Shifts times available:    Friday  8:00 am - 11 am   

                                           Tuesday & Friday   11am - 2 pm 

Recognize how welcoming a smile can be? Enjoy visiting with others?

The GEM Program volunteer will help patients feel welcome and reduce some of the apprehension they may feel when they arrive to the hospital by offering socialization and non-medical support. The volunteer will help welcome patients to the hospital for the day, then assist with wayfinding - walking with patients from the front door to the GEM dining room.

The volunteer will then:

• engage in and help foster conversation with individual patients or a group of patients during coffee group
• have opportunity to assist with walking group - socializing and making conversation with the patient
• assist recreation staff with the creative pursuits program - engaging with patients in activity

This is an opportunity for any volunteers looking to experience what being a part of an interprofessional team may look like. Program will provide volunteer with experience working with older adults.

This is an ongoing opportunity.

Shift available Monday or Wednesday 8:15 am - 10:30 am.

St. Paul’s Hospital, Healing Arts program was created to provide a more humanized, whole person approach and experience in healthcare for patients, families, caregivers and the Community. Our Mission is to foster the spiritual and emotional health and well-being of patients, families and caregivers through the creative arts and aesthetics, which add a sense of peace and healing to the otherwise formal conventional environment of a hospital environment

The Healing Arts volunteer is someone who utilizes their background in visual or musical arts to enhance the experience of patients and families at St. Paul’s Hospital.  The volunteer interacts with patients, families and visitors while engaging in the artistic process.

A background in art mediums (visual, music, literary) and/or health humanities is preferred. University student are welcome. 

Suitable volunteers will express interest in one of the three programs (visual, music, literary) within the Healing Arts Program.

Volunteers will facilitate/perform arts activities with clients in one-on-one settings at the patient bedside, group settings in common areas and/or the Healing Arts Studio. They will also assist in the cleaning and maintaining of Art Studio and supplies.

Art can be done in a group setting and/or the bedside of patients

·•An interview will follow with Healing Arts Supervisor in respective discipline (visual, music, literary) to determine suitability. 

• Completion of Healing Arts orientation (manual, work standards, power point presentation, tour).
• Minimum of 9 hours (three 3 hours shifts) shadowing one of the following; Artist in Residence/Music Therapist/Writer in Residence on selected units/art studio.
• Continued mentorship and support from respective discipline, along with other members of Healing Arts team. 

Good command of English both written and verbally
ability to interact in a friendly, welcoming and reassuring manner
ability to maintain confidentiality
physical and mental ability to carry out placement 

Must be 18 yrs of age or older  

Commitment of 3-4 weekly shifts per month, for 6 consecutive months 

Shifts times:   Monday, Wednesday & Thursday:   9am - 12 noon or 1- 4pm only 

Please check out the FAQ on more information on volunteering