Help yourself: Volunteer

Most patients entering the hospital would rather not be there, so it's nice to be greeted with a friendly smile and a kind word.

That's the aim of volunteers at Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater. These helpful ambassadors ease patients' nerves in a place known for inducing anxiety.

Director Deb Hemmelgarn and coordinator Jenni Miller of Medical, Educational & Development (MED) Foundation and Volunteer Services are delighted to have the approximately 118 sets of extra hands and hearts at the hospital.

Terry Liette, Coldwater, volunteers once or twice a week at the hospital's east entrance. He directs patients and visitors and escorts them to their destinations, assists staff with dismissals and makes patients feel comfortable.

Coming into a hospital can raise stress, Liette said, so he tries to share happy thoughts with patients and visitors. Twice a day he also visits several departments, collecting information and paperwork and delivering it.

Dore Glass, Celina, has worked in the gift shop for about five years. She is a social person and enjoys helping people. Her past retail experience made the gift shop the perfect spot. She works every Thursday afternoon. She said the regular schedule helps her keep track of what day of the week it is.

Hemmelgarn said the number of hours volunteers provide saves Mercer Health time and expense. Volunteers also ease the workload of hospital staff.

"They do a great job, and when they are not here, I hear about it," Hemmelgarn said.

Miller believes volunteers also help with staff morale.

"You have extra people who are happy to be here," Miller said. "They want to help, they want to be a part of this organization."  

Hemmelgarn said volunteers can choose the department they work in and what they want to do, noting "everybody has something to give."

Some areas of the hospital are more patient oriented. 

When applying, candidates fill out an application noting their interests. Miller said volunteers schedule themselves when and how often they want to work. A typical shift is three hours.

Some work multiple times a week, some just once a month. Others come in to help only with special projects.

Miller said hospital volunteers are evenly spread across departments where they can most help. Gift shop volunteers assist with daily operations, including some who help with clerical duties. Eucharistic ministers bring daily communion at patients' request and a chaplain service has an on-call schedule and does rounds with patients. Volunteers help the emergency room staff and in the surgery center. 

Hemmelgarn said a talented group of ladies repairs bedding and gowns and will be making a skirt for the Christmas tree that will stand in the lobby. Those working in patient experience greet patients and visitors entering the hospital, deliver trays to same-day surgery if dietary staff are busy, provide information on local churches and restaurants to visitors, keep the wheelchairs in the lobbies clean and organized and perform other tasks.

Volunteers helping with special projects may water flowers, make gifts for staff, help with the charity ball or put up Christmas decorations. Hemmelgarn said there are also some off-site opportunities to volunteer with therapy and home-care.

"There's a position for everybody," Hemmelgarn said.

Volunteers are supplied with a red vest so they can be identified.

Liette, who retired a year ago, said volunteering has been a good fit. He's made new friends and likes feeling some responsibility in part of his day.

When helping discharge a person from same-day surgery he likes to comment on the weather or something positive.

"We're the last person they are going to see from Mercer Health," he noted.

He wants them to leave with a positive reflection of the hospital.

Liette recalled helping discharge a six-year-old girl. Wheeling her down to her waiting car, he sensed she was still a little scared so he struck up a conversation.

He told her he liked her pretty dress and asked about her stuffed animal and its name. He enjoyed making her feel better.

"That made for a good day," he said.

Working in the gift shop, Glass has no big moments, but rather memorable little incidents.

The gift shop affords Glass a close-up view of the helicopter landing pad. It affects her every time she sees a patient being air transported to a larger hospital, she said.

Tasks such as helping a father pick out a gift for his wife or new baby is rewarding, she said. Many times people come in saying they are just looking while waiting on a friend or family member who is having testing done. Being able to explore the gift shop and chat with a volunteer provides a distraction, Glass said.

Hemmelgarn said there are some very basic health requirements for volunteers. All training is done at the hospital with sessions held as needed.

"We get them set up, we get them trained and where they need to be," she said.

Youths can start at 15 with the Volunteen program. Hemmelgarn and Miller oversee all the programs.

An orientation is held annually for volunteers.

Mercer Health's Volunteer Association, founded in 1976, operates as its own entity and is governed by a volunteer board. The group is in charge of fundraisers and money raised from them. Sleep sacks in the childbirth center and wheelchairs for use throughout the hospital were donated by the volunteer association.

The COVID-19 pandemic put on hold many programs, including the volunteer association, Hemmelgarn said. It's taken time to contact volunteers, set up schedules and get it rolling again.

Things have changed and some volunteers are no longer interested or able to help. Many of those in the Volunteen program have left for college and recruitment efforts have not been in place.

An appreciation dinner for volunteers was held once a year before COVID-19 and Hemmelgarn hopes to have that return, along with fundraisers such as the Bake & Egg sale and the Mother's Day plant sale.

"We're bringing all those back this year too," Hemmelgarn said.

Miller said they could use more volunteers in all areas, especially patient experience. She anticipates there will also be a need in the gift shop since it will be expanding hours. It is projected to be open in its new location by the end of May or beginning of June.  There could also be an increase in traffic there since the Cedar Table Cafe has reopened to the public.

"We'll accept any help that we can get," Miller added.

Those interested in sharing their time and talents can call volunteer services at 419-678-5132 or check out Mercer Health's website for information. Potential volunteers will need to complete an application and background inquiry release form. 

Liette said he is often surprised to encounter someone he knows well at the hospital.

"As a volunteer there are very strict rules about HIPPA violations. Whenever I finish my day, all that is left here," he said.

Hemmelgarn and Miller both agree volunteers are an important part of the hospital and are missed when not there.

"It's a breath of fresh air to have them here," Miller said.