Volunteers in medical care
Medical volunteers are individuals who volunteer their time and energy to support patients, medical staff and families in health facilities. They are not employed full-time and are not paid for their work. Instead, they are driven by altruism and a desire to help others. Volunteers can come from all walks of life and range in age from medical students to people working in other professions to pensioners. Their common goal is to improve the quality of life of patients and humanise healthcare.
How to become a volunteer
Several steps are required to become a medical volunteer. First of all, willing individuals should apply to an organisation or medical facility that recruits volunteers. The recruitment process often includes:
Completing the application. Applicants must provide information about themselves, their experience and their motivation for volunteering;
Interview. It is to assess the candidate's suitability to work with patients and whether their expectations are in line with the possibilities offered by the facility;
Training. New volunteers usually receive initial training, which covers safety rules, volunteer ethics and the specifics of working in a particular medical facility.
Where are volunteers most likely to help?
Volunteers can work in various sectors of healthcare. The places where they can be found most often are:
Hospitals - volunteers help patients in hospital wards by providing emotional support, assistance with daily activities, as well as organising therapeutic and entertaining activities.
Hospices - in palliative care settings, volunteers play a key role, supporting patients in their last days of life and helping their families through a difficult time.
Care homes - volunteers visit residents, organising their time through talks, games or art activities. Their presence helps to break the loneliness of older people.
The role of volunteers in humanising medicine
Volunteers are indispensable in humanising medical care. Through their presence and involvement, they make patients feel understood and less alone. Volunteers can spend more time talking and providing emotional support than busy medical staff, which significantly improves patients' wellbeing. They often form bonds with them, so they better understand their needs and concerns. Patients feel more comfortable and safe, and this is extremely important in the treatment process.
Volunteers' activities contribute to creating a friendly and warm atmosphere in medical facilities. They organise a variety of activities, such as reading books, leading art classes or taking walks together, which help patients to forget the hardships of their illness and improve their wellbeing. In addition, the presence of volunteers relieves the burden on medical staff, allowing them to focus on more complex aspects of healthcare.
Volunteers act as liaisons between patients and doctors and the rest of the medical staff. Because of their proximity to patients, they can relay important information to staff, allowing them to respond more quickly to patients' needs. In this way, volunteers help to create a more integrated and personalised healthcare system that is more responsive to patients' individual needs.
Benefits of volunteering
Volunteering is important first and foremost for patients, but it also benefits the volunteers themselves. Working in healthcare can be very rewarding and provide a sense of fulfilment. Volunteers often develop their interpersonal skills, learn empathy and gain experience that can be useful in their future careers. Volunteering in medical facilities allows you to gain valuable knowledge about the functioning of the healthcare system and to network with professionals in the field.
For many people, volunteering is also an opportunity to make new friends and spend time actively. Volunteers often form communities where they can share experiences and support each other. This community provides a sense of belonging and common purpose, which is very valuable, especially for people who are looking for meaning and satisfaction in their lives.
Interestingly, volunteering can also have health benefits. Studies show that people involved in volunteering often experience lower stress levels and higher life satisfaction. Regular involvement in helping others can improve self-esteem, increase endorphin levels and contribute to an overall sense of happiness. Volunteering is also an excellent way to develop soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving and teamwork, which are valued in a wide variety of professions.