LAKES REGIONAL HEALTHCARE TO OFFER JUNIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM THIS SUMMER

Lakes Regional Healthcare (LRH) is offering a great opportunity for high school and college students to experience the healthcare industry first-hand this summer. Their Summer Junior Volunteer Program will allow students to learn new skills, develop their career path in the healthcare field, and help others.

The program will be held for eight weeks, from June 13 through August 5, and focus on exposing students to the healthcare field and fostering service values. Students can choose up to four different areas in which to volunteer based on their interests and availability. Once selected, they must volunteer at least once each week in each of the volunteer positions they’ve chosen. The four Junior Volunteer positions from which to choose include:

Inpatient Volunteer – Junior Volunteers will provide companionship to patients by engaging in activities such as playing games/cards, reading, painting fingernails/toenails, and taking for wheelchair rides. Junior Volunteers will also deliver food trays, fill patient water pitchers/mugs, set up patient rooms after discharge, restock kitchenettes and put other supplies away, and rock babies in the Birth Center. Shifts are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 2 pm.

ER Volunteer – Junior Volunteers will assist physicians and nurses as requested, disinfect ER rooms after patients are discharged, help wash the ambulances, visit with patients as requested, and restock supplies. Shifts are four hours in length and can be scheduled at any time of the day or night based on the Junior Volunteer’s preference.

Clinic/Outpatient Volunteer – Junior Volunteers will help patients download and understand health care apps on their smart phones or tablets, help patients complete computerized patient satisfaction surveys, and transport clinic and Outpatient Center patients to and from Imaging and Laboratory departments in coordination with the Imaging Volunteer. Shifts are Monday through Friday, 9 am until 12 pm.

Imaging Volunteer – Junior Volunteers will escort patients to LRH’s Imaging department, greet people at the Imaging desk, transport clinic and LRH Outpatient Center imaging patients back to the clinic or Outpatient Center as needed, and transport inpatients to and from the Imaging department. Shifts are Monday through Friday, 8 am until 12 pm.

LRH President and CEO Jason Harrington said, “We know in working with the schools that several students have expressed interest in the healthcare field and we are anxious to foster that interest. Healthcare is already facing a significant shortage of professionals from doctors to nurses to lab technologists and the list goes on. We want students to understand that there is a vast array of career possibilities in healthcare and we have a responsibility to ensure that we are doing our part to meet the growing need.” 

To be considered to be in the program, potential volunteers must be a high school or college student that’s at least 14 years old or have completed the eighth grade by June 1. The process to become a Junior Volunteer, along with other program requirements, is provided at www.lakeshealth.org/employment/volunteering. Students must download and complete the Application and Parental Consent Form and submit them by May 12, 2016 to
Lakes Regional Healthcare
Attention: Jennifer Gustafson
PO Box AB
Spirit Lake, IA 51360
or via email to jennifer.gustafson@lakeshealth.org.

Those with questions are encouraged to call LRH Vice President of Marketing and Retail Services Jennifer Gustafson at 712-336-8799