Giving to others through donating your time, talent and treasure has been credited with mood-boosting benefits from reducing stress and blood pressure to providing a sense of purpose and higher confidence. If you’ve been considering volunteering, now’s a great time to sign up!
Benefits of volunteering
“Volunteering is personally rewarding because of the smiles, the thanks, the hugs, the kind words of recognition and the opportunity to help patients and their families navigate the uncertainty of possible bumps in the road.” Judy Kaufman, volunteer, PPG – Ohio in Bryan, said. “Volunteering at the medical clinic gives me much pleasure and also the responsibility to ‘set the stage’ and reassure every patient that they are welcome and we are here to help them.”
It can also offer a sense of inclusion–of playing a role in something bigger. “Being a Parkview volunteer means being part of a very close team – almost like a family,” Cassie Kurtz, supervisor of volunteer services, Parkview Health, said. “We strive to recognize our volunteers’ efforts big and small. Not only do volunteers enjoy various recognition efforts from Parkview throughout their service timGe, but they will also build beautiful relationships with our employees and members of their community.”
Doddie Schmunk, volunteer coordinator for PPG – Ohio in Bryan, agrees. “Volunteering is an amazing way to be a part of a team that truly cares in a place they also call home,” she said. “Parkview has a dedicated way in which we invest in our volunteers, and we grow together as a kind of family. When a volunteer is absent, we miss not just their help but the person they are. We’re invested in their health and well-being just as much as we are in that of the community. Volunteers can make a difference and improve quality of life for their own family members, friends and neighbors, as well as the whole community.”
A 2017 study found such strong support of the wellness wins of giving back that it concluded, “Volunteering should be promoted by public health, education and policy practitioners as a kind of healthy lifestyle.”
For Judy, the opportunity to welcome patients means showing support for those helping her friends, neighbors and family members navigate their health journey. “I enjoy volunteering because Parkview is an organization of caring, dedicated, knowledgeable people who collectively have the absolute goal of helping those whom we have the privilege of guiding in their healthcare.”
New opportunities in Ohio!
Parkview Bryan Hospital and Parkview Physicians Group – Ohio (PPG Ohio) in Bryan are looking for community members interested in volunteering in a healthcare setting. If you would like to bring some cheer to another person’s day and possibly reduce any anxiety they may have about their visit, you could be someone who would find volunteering with Parkview fulfilling.
Volunteers for the role of greeter/escorting support are needed for two entrances at Parkview Bryan Hospital and one central location at the main entrance of PPG Ohio in Bryan.
They can anticipate helping with tasks such as:
• Welcoming patients, co-workers and visitors
• Walking alongside patients or guiding those in wheelchairs to their destination
• Providing instructions to help patients and visitors find their way through the building
• Maintaining the cleanliness and organization of their assigned area
Other minor tasks may also be asked of volunteers, who, like their co-workers, should be driven by a desire to uphold the high standards of care and customer service that are at the heart of Parkview’s “excellent care for every person, every day” philosophy.
Become a volunteer
Each volunteer participates in a structured onboarding process in which they learn the full scope of their volunteer role. They commit to at least three consecutive months, working at least one four-hour weekly shift on a set schedule.
Parkview offers a variety of volunteer opportunities across the health system. Interested individuals can apply to become a Parkview volunteer on parkview.com. If you are looking for Bryan opportunities specifically, select “Parkview Bryan or PPG – Ohio, Bryan” as your location of interest on the application.
Questions about the program should be directed to Cassie Kurtz at cassie.kurtz@parkview.com, or Doddie Schmunk at doddie.schmunk@parkview.com.
