Nightingale RN Volunteer Program

St. Joseph Health’s Nightingale - RN Volunteer Program provides a unique and rewarding opportunity for retired or inactive RNs to use their professional expertise by providing compassionate care to patients and their families. The Nightingale - RN Volunteer Program also creates an extraordinary environment for the retired or inactive RN to share and learn from St. Joseph Health employees.

Mission Statement: To enhance the care of our patients and their families, and to support the nursing staff.

Goals of the program.

• To assist St. Joseph Health staff in providing supportive patient care in order to enhance the level of excellence of care given to each patient
• To utilize the professional knowledge and skills of volunteer RNs as they provide care and assist with designated needs of patients and families
• To establish interactive communication between patients, families, staff and the Nightingale Volunteer, in order to maintain both continuity and standard of care
• To offer an opportunity for retired and inactive RNs to provide services to their community by being a respected resource for patients and staff

Responsibilities of a Nightingale – RN.

• Assist with patient hygiene and personal care needs, including changing patients independently, turning, bathing and changing linen
• Assist with daily activities, including answering call lights, ambulating, transfers, providing patient snacks and meal trays, and picking up patient meal trays after meals
• Assist with completing menus and feeding patients
• Under the direction of the staff RN, assist with appropriate patient care tasks to include taking vital signs, and applying or removing SCDs
• Assist with maintaining a clean and neat patient room environment
• Complete tasks under direction of Team Leader, including stocking supplies, stocking isolation carts, placing appropriate door signs, placing appropriate arm band precaution tags, training other volunteers, and transporting patients, as needed
• Make patient rounds, evaluating needs, aiding with comfort measures, and providing feedback to assigned nurse
• Complete unit audits as directed by the Clinical Coordinator or Director
• Assist unit with patient satisfaction initiatives, such as follow-up phone calls to discharged patients
• Motto: Communicate with nursing staff, asking permission to perform a task and reporting back the results
• Limitations: Nightingale Volunteers will not perform any tasks that require an RN license