Volunteer - Northampton, MA

Position Summary

Volunteers are an essential part of the team, offering time, compassion, and support to patients, families, and the organization. These roles are unpaid positions that provide meaningful opportunities to make a difference through companionship, bereavement support, administrative assistance, and end-of-life presence. Volunteers work under the direction of the Volunteer Coordinator and other designated staff.

Position Specific Responsibilities

• • Administrative Volunteers: Provide assistance with office functions and hospice-related activities to support daily operations.
  
  • Bereavement Volunteers: Offer emotional support to bereavement clients under the guidance of the Bereavement Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator.
  
  • Patient Care Volunteers: Visit patients and families as outlined in the Plan of Care, offering companionship, caregiver relief, errands, and other supportive tasks. Provide Angel/11th-hour support by sitting bedside with actively dying patients, as directed in the Plan of Care.
  
  • All Volunteers: Submit timely documentation of all patient and family contacts or volunteer activities to the Volunteer Coordinator. Participate in in-service programs and ongoing education to remain informed about information pertinent to the volunteer role.

Education and/or Experience

• Professional, Certified and/or Complementary Therapies Volunteers: Must provide a current license, certification, or proof of training and experience. Minimum of one (1) year of experience required. Ability to maintain infection control requirements. Must be at least 18 years of age.

Skills

• Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentage.

• Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from leaders, team members, investors, and external parties. Strong written and verbal communications.

• Other Skills and Abilities: Ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. Articulates and embraces integrated healthcare at home philosophy. Ability to support dying patients and their families utilizing skills learned in volunteer orientation. Maintain confidentiality of patient/family interactions and information. Ability to follow through on patient care assignments in a reliable manner.

Physical Demands and Work Environment: The demands of this role necessitate a team member to effectively perform essential functions. Adaptations can be made to accommodate team members with disabilities. Regular standing, walking, and manual dexterity are fundamental, along with the ability to lift and move objects up to 50 pounds. Visual acuity requirements include close and distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. In a healthcare setting, exposure to bodily fluids, infectious diseases, and conditions typical to the field is expected. Routine use of standard medical equipment and tools associated with clinical care is essential. This description provides a general overview and may vary by role and department, capturing the nuanced demands and conditions inherent to clinical positions in our organization.

At Compassus, including all Compassus affiliates, diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our Pillars of Success. We are committed to creating a fair work environment where our team members feel welcomed, highly valued, and respected. As an equal opportunity employer, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.