University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Has a Volunteer Opportunity for Every Skill Set and Interest

Regardless of whether you are volunteering to gain new skills, meet new people or lend a helping hand, the volunteer program at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center may have a volunteer position to meet your needs. All roles provide invaluable assistance to staff and require volunteers to possess excellent communication skills and the ability to relate to people of all backgrounds. Volunteers must also be non-judgmental, compassionate and be empathetic towards patients.

***Please note that this is a comprehensive list of volunteer roles and some positions may not be available at this time.

The following are some of the roles in which volunteers interact with patients throughout the entire medical center:

• Gift Shop: Volunteers assist in the Atrium Shop with customer service and support duties. Greeters welcome customers as they enter the shop and assist them with their selections. The volunteers provide a warm and welcoming environment in the shop while assisting paid staff with their duties in the floral and gift areas. The shops are a function of the Auxiliary of UH Cleveland Medical Center. Proceeds from the shop support programs for patients and their families.
• Wayfinders: Are you positive, energetic, outgoing and enjoy providing directions to visitors? Volunteers within this role provide an unforgettable first impression as our guests enter the hospital. These volunteers help escort visitors to various hospital locations and provide general hospital information all while becoming familiar with all areas of the hospital campus. Schedules are flexible and are being offered seven days a week.
• Wheelchair Recovery: Stay active by recovering wheelchairs from various hospital locations and assisting in expediting our patients’ trip home by providing a wheelchair when needed.

The following are some of the roles in which volunteers are placed with pediatric patients or patients within mother & baby units:

• Rainbow Unit: Rainbow Unit volunteers are trained to visit and interact with pediatric patients from birth through 18 years of age. Volunteers provide age appropriate activities and interactions in the Activity Center and at the child’s bedside. Typical assignments may include: supervising the Activity Center, playing with patients and with siblings, monitoring and cleaning toys, and assisting staff with special events or projects. Volunteers are placed in all units, including: Inpatient & Outpatient Hematology/Oncology Units, General Medical and Surgical Unit, Inpatient Pulmonology, Neurology, Nephrology and Tracheostomy Unit, Gastroenterology, Endocrine, Metabolic Unit, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Cardiac Step-Down Unit, and the Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Unit.
• Pediatric Rehab Services: Volunteers assist with cleaning toys used in therapy and helping to set up treatment areas. Volunteers also help staff by stocking linen and doing light clerical tasks such as making copies, pulling charts and sorting papers.
• Nutrition Program Volunteer: Volunteers provide day-of-event support for UH’s healthy cooking classes and the weekly Healthy Harvest Farm Stand. Volunteers assist by setting up, cooking samples, distributing healthy recipes and encouraging healthy lifestyle changes to patients and families. Volunteers are also able to participate in special events and with the Food for Life Market^® food pantry program.
• Rainbow Connects: The Rainbow Connects program links patients to resources to address needs related to the social determinants of health (food insecurity, utility assistance, clothing, furniture, baby supplies, etc). Volunteers will screen patients for resource needs, direct them to helpful community resources to address those needs, and when possible, follow-up with patients to see if they were able to access the resource or have any additional needs.
• Rooftop Garden Volunteer: Volunteers provide support in Angie’s Garden, the Kline Sky Lounge, and the Horticultural Therapy Suite to enhance the patient, family and visitor experience. Volunteers assist the Horticulturalist and Rooftop Greeters with greeting, conducting activities and programming for patients, families, and visitors. Volunteers may also assist with general garden maintenance and basic gardening. Rooftop Garden Volunteers provide a safe, positive and non-threatening environment with developmentally-appropriate activities and engagement for patients, family and siblings.
• Reach Out and Read: Reach Out and Read is a national program that trains healthcare professionals to advise parents or caregivers about the importance of reading aloud to, and giving books to children at pediatric check-ups, from 6 months to five years of age. The volunteer will read aloud to children in the pediatric outpatient waiting area, showing caregivers and children the techniques and pleasures of looking at books together to gain an appreciation for books and excel at reading.
• Ronald McDonald Family Room: An extension of the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland, the Family Room provides an area of retreat within the hospital where families and friends can spend quiet time together, engage in private conversations or reflection, or enjoy coffee and a snack while still being close to the child’s room. Families are greeted by volunteers who act as hosts of the room and provide a warm, friendly and supportive atmosphere. Volunteers keep the room tidy, restock snacks and beverages, maintain statistical records and enforce policies. Visit the Ronald McDonald website for further information and to obtain an application.
• Smiles with Style: Smiles with Style is a non-profit organization that “creates hope one smile at a time” for patients in the inpatient setting. Volunteers assist in this friendly, fun and compassionate volunteer role that provides hospitalized children with small makeovers and a chance to play make-believe. Smiles with Style offers a fun diversion from their treatments and life in the hospital.
• Postpartum Unit Volunteers: Volunteers on postpartum and newborn floors provide assistance to new mothers, infants and staff to provide maximum responsiveness to our mothers, infants, families and providers. The volunteer will help staff to have supplies prepared for admissions and discharges, review supplies for expirations dates, move items and supplies for easier access in clinical areas, and support the unit coordinator with various tasks required to maintain the environment and clinical/clerical supplies.
• OB High-Risk Unit: Volunteers assist patients with activities such as art projects, movie nights, music programs and other miscellaneous activities. Volunteers also answer call lights and visit with patients.

The following are some of the roles in which volunteers are placed with adult patients within oncology or acute care areas:

• Spiritual Care: The Spiritual Care Department at UH Cleveland Medical Center exists to help in the spiritual healing process of patients, visitors and staff members thus enabling them to achieve greater health. Volunteer positions are available as patient visitors and Eucharistic Ministers. Eucharistic Ministers are Catholic lay people who visit inpatient rooms and offer the Sacrament of Holy Communion to Catholic patients. Staff Chaplains are available to provide Holy Communion to other faith denominations and traditions. The patient visitor role is a non-denominational position that identifies any unmet needs and provides encouragement, support and prayer when requested. Staff positions are available at UH Seidman Cancer Center and also in adult and pediatric areas.
• Reiki: The Reiki Volunteer offers Reiki to patients at University Hospitals, creating a safe and trusting environment that helps patients relax, eases their anxiety and reduces stress. Reiki may be used safely before, during or after any treatment as a complement to the patient’s overall medical regimen. Our Reiki volunteers are empowered with the tools, language, training, and support needed to successfully administer Reiki sessions with our patients and staff. A First and Second Degree Reiki Certification is required. This position provides you with the opportunity to hone your techniques as a Reiki practitioner.
• Veterans Visiting Veterans: Have you served in the military? Would you like to visit with inpatients who are also veterans? Join the Veterans Visiting Veterans program and spend time with other military veterans during their stays at UH, delivering veterans benefits information, keepsakes and expressions of thanks. Weekdays, flexible schedule.
• Center for Emergency Medicine: In this very busy level one trauma center, volunteers assist with non-clinical patient and staff needs in the adult emergency department, which includes triage, the waiting room and three separate units. Volunteers restock supplies, prepare rooms for patients, round with patient/visitor and staff respite carts, perform comfort rounding, visit with patients, assist with moving ambulatory patients and generally support staff as needed. Volunteers should be comfortable with a fast pace clinical environment that deals with a multitude of patients.
• Clerical/Reception: Are you looking to keep active with your clerical skills? Make a difference in an office environment by assisting staff with greeting visitors and working with phones, filing, copying and computers. This role provides volunteers the opportunity to gain experience in a professional environment or supportive waiting area and learn new skills. Opportunities exist in various offices, reception desks and patient care waiting areas throughout the hospital.
• Seidman Cancer Center Infusion Center Volunteer: Not all patients are able to come for treatment with a caregiver or family member. Volunteers provide companionship for patients during chemotherapy, distribute activities and snacks, and assist staff with organizing supplies. Weekday placements only.
• Seidman Cancer Center Patient Activity Cart: Hospital patients often feel isolated and bored, but volunteers who visit with a cart can help to ease these feelings. A smile, friendly conversation, and the offer of diversionary materials and comfort items can make a difference to patients and families.
• Le Salon Wig Salon: Volunteers in this area assist cancer patients with the selection and styling of wigs. Located in the UH Seidman Cancer Center. Flexible scheduling is offered. Licensed cosmetologists are preferred but not required.
• Seidman Cancer Center Infusion Courier: Patient treatment often depends on lab results. Prompt lab results lead to less wait time and faster treatment. The Infusion Courier will hand-deliver specimens to the Core Lab, Blood Bank, and occasionally to the Seidman Outpatient Lab.
• Social Work: The social work volunteer assists the social work team at Seidman Cancer Center with various tasks, including coordinating transportation for patients leaving the hospital and assisting patients in completing assistance applications.
• Acute Care and SCC volunteer description: The Acute Care and Seidman Cancer Center unit volunteers will assist in improving the patient care experience through attention to personal needs of the patient, while supporting staff on the units by assisting with non-clinical tasks such as restocking supplies. Patient-facing duties include: providing emotional support and friendly conversation for patients and visitors, transporting patients in wheelchairs, and giving information about UH’s amenities to patients and visitors.
• Seidman Patient Experience Volunteer description: The Patient Experience volunteer visits patients and their families and provides a resource of amenity and hospital information during the patient’s stay at Seidman Cancer Center. The visits provide a friendly welcome and opportunity to share information one on one with patient and present family and provide information about hospital resources and amenities. This provides patients and families with independent tools to meet their needs in these areas. The Patient Experience Volunteer visits also provide an opportunity to observe for any additional personal or accommodation needs that are shared with unit level nursing and/or management staff to improve the patient and family experience of care. Patient Experience volunteers often have first-hand experience with this disease; they may be cancer survivors or may have family members who were diagnosed and treated for cancer.