hospital volunteers
Mended Hearts Chapter #119, L ouise Sears, leads a team of 30 Mended Heart members who provide trained volunteers to staff the waiting room for the Riverside Regional Medical Center's (RRMC) Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Cardiac Surgery ICU (CSICU).
A Little History
In the summer of 2002, past president Richard Taylor approached RRMC about providing trained caregivers to aid hospital visitors while they waited for loved ones in the ICU and CSICU. This initiative was 'just what the doctor ordered'. Teamed with the Director of Volunteer
Services, Ms Lynn Teagle, Richard Taylor formed a lasting partnership with the hospital to provide support and encouragement to the thousands of family members and friends who pass through the ICU/CSICU waiting room each year. Louise Sears picked up the lead after Richard required surgery. Our Mended Hearts Volunteers are dedicated to make it more pleasant and less stressful for the families of the patients in the ICU and CSICU. Our volunteers know that a hot cup of coffee and a smile help break the tension of the people waiting to see their loved ones. We let the visitors know that the doctors and other
health care professionals at the hospital are not only knowledgeable, but caring and sensitive to human needs.
What We Are Doing Today
Our Mended Hearts memb
ers make a significant commitment to the hospital to serve as a volunteer. Each volunteer initially receives 6 hours of training before being allowed to serve and then they receive an additional 4 hours of refresher training annually. Volunteers work Monday thru Friday from 8 o'clock in the morning until 7 o'clock in the evening. We have several of our volunteers who have worked over 2,000 hours since we started staffing the ICU/CSICU waiting room in late 2002. Last year our combined team of 30 volunteers worked 4,749 volunteer hours!
It is a privilege for the members of Mended Hearts to take part in the volunteer program at Riverside Regional Medical Center.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE - VOLUNTEER!
Interested in helping? Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator for further details.