Who
Are Volunteers?
Volunteers
come from every stage of life regardless of religion or ethnic
background. Those willing to serve include
retirees, homemakers, college students, teenagers (14 or older),
and anyone looking for an opportunity to serve their community.
Volunteers are important - they are a vital part of Baptist Health
System (Baptist Hospital of East Tennessee, Baptist Hospital West,
Baptist Hospital for Women, Baptist Hospital of Cocke County and
Baptist Senior Centers) and provide many services that supplement
the basic, essential functions of the professional staff. Volunteers
add that extra comfort and guidance during a patients stay at Baptist.
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Adult
Volunteers
These
volunteers are dedicated to providing services that enhance the overall
hospital experience
for our patients. Volunteers
sort and deliver mail and flowers, provide assistance to guests
by serving at information desks, run the hospitality cart,
work with families in the surgical lounges, serve in fundraising
projects
at our gift shops, and provide so much more. Adult volunteers
make up the majority of our volunteer staff. They typically
work one day per week. However Baptist is always willing
to work with your schedule and provide a place of service for
those that choose to give.
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Short
Term Volunteers
From
time to time, we have special events and projects that need a
little extra
help. If you are looking for a one-time
service project Baptist has them for you. From filling
600 holiday baskets, to sewing teddy bears for the newborns,
we always have
special projects going on. If you are interested in these
type of projects contact our office to see what events are
upcoming.
If
you are a student looking for specific experience related to
your field of study, Baptist would like to talk with you.
Pre-med
and pre-nursing students may observe clinical procedures and
participate in hospitality services to patients and families. Non-clinical
opportunities are also provided for other fields of study.
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Junior
Volunteers
High
school students interested in healthcare volunteer during summer
vacation
and holiday breaks. Students
14 years and older may apply for the Junior Volunteer program
each year. Applications
are available each year during the month of March. The
applications must be submitted along with two letters of recommendation. After
an interview process, students are notified and we begin scheduling
for Junior Volunteer Orientation, an all day safety education/team
building course. Be sure to get your information
about the program early, as the number of teens accepted into
the program
is limited. The Junior Volunteer program begins in early
June and lasts until August. Typically a junior volunteer
serves one day a week at an (8-11:30) AM or a (12:30- 4) PM shift.
Juniors
assist various departments around the hospitals in areas of patient
and non-patient contact. Along with helping staff,
they learn valuable lessons and gain experience in the culture
of health
care.
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Volunteering
at Baptist Hospital of Cocke County
While
we are a smaller hospital (licensed for 74 beds), the volunteer
program
offers a wide variety of opportunities. The volunteers
specialize in giving personal attention to the departments in
which we serve, including MICU, CCU, Same Day Surgery, Radiology
and
the ER, just to mention a few. We also run a Hospitality Cart. We
can customize the hours that you want to volunteer to fit your
schedule. A minimum of four hours a week is preferred.
The Junior
Volunteer Program is an exciting opportunity to get a feel for
the medical world. Most juniors work 2 days
for four hours for the duration of the summer months. Once a
junior
volunteer has been oriented and volunteers for a summer, they
are invited to come back during the school year.
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Baptist
Senior Health Centers
With
eight locations across the area, the Senior
Health Centers provide opportunities
for volunteers to help with greeting incoming seniors and with
activities in the community
rooms. They also make coffee, keep refreshment plates full, answer
phones, make copies, file and pull charts, call & remind patients
of appointments, make new charts, and other daily office tasks. These
volunteers also have opportunities to help with Senior Plus events
like “Senior Prom,” "Walk on the Wild Side," and
Women's Today Expo.
For
more information about serving at a Senior Health Center you
may ask for an application at the desired center.
Centers
located in: Alcoa, Broadway, Jefferson City, Norwood,
Sevierville and West Hills.
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VolCorp
Got
email? Looking for volunteer hours for school, have some
occasional spare time, would like to know when volunteer
help is needed? Join the VolCorp mailing list. Send
an email to jmt@bhset with
your name, and contact information with a
message that you would like to be added to the mailing list. You
will receive a reply confirming that you have been added. As
projects come up and volunteer help is needed you will receive
emails to inform you of the project. Don’t have
email? We
will be glad to give you a call to let you know about upcoming
projects. If interested, you can reply to the email
to sign up to help.
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Join
the Auxiliary
Established
in 1955, the Auxiliary to Baptist Health System provides services
to visitors and patients and raises funds to enhance patient
care. All volunteers are welcome to join the Auxiliary.
Recent funding projects include:
- The
Clayton Birthing Center
- Harrogate
Radiation Therapy Center
- Knox
County Schools “Growing Healthy” Program
- Pillows
for heart surgery patients
- Baptist
Hospital West and Baptist Hospital for Women
