THERE COMES A TIME….. The good, the bad, and ugly of dealing with the volunteer who can not function in their assigned service Stacy Scott Berteau Director, Volunteer Services Sarasota Memorial Hospital Sarasota, Florida

SMH AUXILIARY BOARD

GOALS  Assessment Tools  How to Address a Delicate Situation  How to Redirect Volunteer Resources  How Dealing Effectively with a Difficult Problem Strengthens Your Healthcare Organization

3 P’S PLAN  Program  Prizes  Perplexing Questions

GETTING THE FACTS  Specific facts –“cannot find the way to and from the Lab and Dietary from our department despite 8 weeks of training.” VERSUS  Vague statements –“Just not with it.”

ASSESSING THE OUTCOMES  What were the outcomes from the behavior? –The patient waited over an hour because the volunteer could not find their way back from the Dietary department.

ASSESSING THE FACTS  Are there identifiable reasons for the behavior? –Training –Returning after leave and not reoriented? –Rapidly changing healthcare environment

IMPLEMENTING CHANGES WITH VOLUNTEERS  Volunteers are often overlooked or forgotten in dealing with changes  Volunteers are not asked for input on changes  Changes implemented without sufficent planning

CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGE MANAGEMENT  Department meetings to discuss anticipated changes and how the changes relate to the volunteers  Educate Staff as to Volunteer Needs

TRAINING  Documented  Competency Based  Identifies Some Potential Problems in the Early Stages

TRAINING AFTER A LEAVE OF ABSENCE  How long has the volunteer been away from their duties?  What changes have transpired with the unit and the hospital?  How do we make “re-entry” a positive experience?

TOOLS FOR VOLUNTEERS TO ASSESS THE PROBLEMS  Observation: “Service Buddies”  Service Assessment tool  Talk with staff liaison  Follow-up calls by staff  Talk with the volunteer –Lunch or casual environment –“How are things going?”  Service meeting

ADDRESSING THE CONCERNS  Maintaining dignity while preserving strong service to the organization  Where, who, and how the problem can be successfully addressed  Dealing with the specific Job Duties, not the individual  Reinforcing the work and contributions of the individual

Retaining a volunteer Resource