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“Our Volunteer Nurse Liaisons are dedicated to their nursing profession and love being able to utilize their skills,” says Lorraine Marino, Director of Volunteer Resources at Saint Barnabas and cocreator of the program, which was modeled on a similar program in St. Louis, MO. “The main reason they volunteer is their love of patients. Now they can enjoy spending extra time with individual patients, even holding someone’s hand for a whole shift.” The Volunteer Resources Department at Saint Barnabas has over 700 registered volunteers and places 60-80 volunteers a day in various departments throughout the Medical Center. Volunteer Nurse Liaisons attend four orientation sessions so that they can assist on many units, including oncology, cardiac and The Burn Center inpatient units. Among a variety of activities, Nurse Liaisons can provide emotional support and comfort to patients, perform rounds to obtain patient feedback, provide a range of motion exercises, assist with meals, and provide direct patient care for individuals who would benefit from personalized attention, such as those with special needs. They cannot administer medications, assist with documentation, perform treatments or lab tests, and other restrictions that are explained at the orientation sessions. Sylvia Leone, R.N., joined the Nurse Liaison program after 37 years as a hospital nurse, including work as an emergency room nurse at Saint Barnabas. Ms. Leone works from 9 to 5 one day a week and splits her time between the Infusion Center and the Oncology unit. She has found that she actually enjoys her time at the hospital even more now because of the increased patient contact. “I really feel like I can spend as much time with patients as I want,” she relates. “It’s much more intimate. Just yesterday a patient thanked me for being a volunteer. It is a great, great program. I would highly recommend it for anyone who doesn’t want to lose touch with the profession.” Ms. Leone also likes the interaction she has with the fulltime nursing staff on both units. The staff feels similarly and has nominated her for an excellence in caring award. Marilyn Markovitz, R.N. “retired back to nursing” following her years as a hospital and private practice-based nurse. Since April 2006, Ms. Markovitz has volunteered on the Renal Transplant unit for four hours one day a week. She enjoys the positive contact she has with patients and helping to distract them during their time of stress or discomfort. “I would recommend volunteering for those who want to get back to what basic nursing is all about without the technology,” says Ms. Markovitz. “Originally nurses were able to spend more time talking to patients. Today the demands on nurses are so huge that it is harder to do the kind of thing I can now indulge in. I love that I can do something that makes a big difference in how a patient feels.” To participate, nurses must have current, active RN licensure with the New Jersey State Board of Nursing, and possess excellent customer service and communication skills, as well as flexibility. Like all volunteers at Saint Barnabas, Nurse Liaisons must complete an application form, provide a business or personal reference and meet health requirements, which include completion of a medical form by their physician and a two-step Tuberculosis (TB) skin test. For more information about becoming a Volunteer Nurse Liaison, please contact Lorraine Marino, Director of Volunteer Resources, at (973) 322-5593. [ top ] |
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At a time when New Jersey and the rest of the nation face a growing nursing shortage, Saint Barnabas Medical Center has created an innovative Volunteer Nurse Liaison program that helps licensed registered nurses to volunteer their services in a fulfilling way. Many nurses who have retired, or taken a break from the profession, still have a strong desire to use their skills to give back to the community. The program allows them to care for patients at a professional level, while still acting as a volunteer.
