Volunteer turn teams?

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Just curious, do they exist? One of my biggest pet peeves if not done and something that I really tried to stay on top of was turning patients. I have days where I think if I did volunteering in a hospital, I would just volunteer to be the second person (the other person being the tech/nursing assistant) to go and turn patients that needed it. I don't know if that is allowed or not (volunteer wise, I mean).

All these people who want to shadow nurses and volunteer in a hospital, could they do this? Is it considered something only within a scope of practice?

It's just a peeve of mine. I like my patients turned. Definitely decreases pressure ulcers.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Whatever happened to candy stripers? Didn't they used to do stuff like this? I know they would bring a smile to many of my old guys' faces where I work. :)

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

Candy stripers still exist. But, they do not turn them where I am. They bring ice around.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Didn't candy stripers used to do sponge baths and stuff like that? Or am I misremembering?

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

Health and safety and work place injuries mean that this cannot happen.

On my ward I have loads of volunteers some who are med students PT students. they are very keen to help but there is no way on gods green earth that I am letting them turn people. What if the patient starts to resist in the middle of the turn and the volunteer hurts their back? Who is going to pay for that injury? What if they are exposed to blood or bodily fluids and contract an illness?

My volunteers can set people up for their meals, cut up food make their cup of tea but CANNOT feed the pt. What if they aspirate?

They can take specimens to the lab but they cannot take blood to the ward from blood bank. They can make beds if there is no pt in it but never an occupied bed.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Yeah, people are way too litigious these days to allow volunteers to do any hands on care. It's too bad...

[amoLucia]

I believe if there's hands-on care, it must be provided by someone in the employ of the facility. Has to do with licensing, certications, training, supervision, hiring screens, etc. In other words, an employee... And as Brandon points out, the liability issues.

Candy strippers have all but given way to general hosp volunteers who do mail, flowers, bookmobile, etc. Even they must pass a 'hiring' screen for background checks, PPDs, etc. Reminds me of the 'greeters' at WallyWorld - but I heard they're being phased out.

Does anyone remember the 'hospitality cart' ? Usually a Ladies' Auxilliary member used to push it around the units for the pts who couldn't get to the Gift Shop? Do they still have them? Am I aging myself?

[timmedico]

When I volunteered, we were not allowed to move patients or help them into their vehicles (however if you see them about to fall, no one in their right mind would just let them fall and injure themselves). Volunteers can do a lot of the delivering (specimen to lab, flowers, etc), and some patient contact in the form of wheeling people around. There are even some volunteers who get to work in the NICU to give the little babies the human touch that they need. :)

However, if anyone were to try to move a patient, we'd be booted off the floor in a second. To be able to help a patient would require training and the like. So if volunteers are asked by a patient for help, they just simply call for a nurse.

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

Didn't candy stripers used to do sponge baths and stuff like that? Or am I misremembering?

I candy striped in the 90's - literally, the uniform was a candy striped pinafore. I ran errands, got supplies, delivered ice water. Sometimes they had me do I&O after I had been there awhile. But there was no patient care beyond pushing a patient in a wheelchair. Same with the volunteers we had in the hospital when I worked there. Too much liability, etc.

[Cold Stethoscope]

Yeah, people are way too litigious these days to allow volunteers to do any hands on care. It's too bad...

What would you propose someone do if they're injured by a volunteer who doesn't have the training to safely turn patients? Just suck it up?

Candy strippers

[redhead_NURSE98!, ADN, BSN]

Didn't candy stripers used to do sponge baths and stuff like that? Or am I misremembering?

I was a candy striper in the 90's at 14 years old; we passed trays and we were allowed to feed patients. We also took them things they requested by the call bell like drinks, magazines etc. That was about it though.

[wish_me_luck, BSN, RN]

I understand. I guess, honestly, I didn't think about the getting injuried on the job part. I just always like my patients turned and I would try and help others turning them. Some people don't care and it's sad for the patient.