SUNNYSIDE HOSPITAL SUMMER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

ABOUT:

Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center Volunteer Summer Program is an excellent fit for high school or college students who are only available during the summer break to volunteer.  Our goal is to provide an opportunity to give you meaningful experiences in many different areas of the hospital that are valuable to the overall satisfaction and needs of our members and visitors.  These roles will give you an opportunity to fulfill your volunteer needs based on course requirements, pre-requisites for programs or scholarship needs. Our summer program asks you to commit to two weekly (weekdays) and regularly scheduled shifts with each shift being four hours.  We require 25 shifts to complete the summer program.  Based on the length of time you will be on summer break; this may mean you need to pick up extra shifts in addition to your regularly scheduled shifts. In this program you will get the opportunity to see how everything we do to support the members, patients and staff makes a difference and helps to provide a positive experience.  Specific programs for summer volunteers include:

• Lobby Volunteers: Rotunda volunteers assist members and visitors as they enter the hospital, providing check in assistance, wayfinding, discharge wheelchair escorting and answering questions for visitors.  Volunteers in this role will be primarily assigned to weekday, morning or afternoon shifts. Volunteers in this role will gain valuable experience in listening to members (patients) and learning the various ways patients communicate their medical need.

• Imaging Services: In this role, you must be already graduated from high school.  Preference is given to those who are trying to get into a Radiology Tech program or other Imaging Services Tech program.  This role has a unique opportunity to observe x-rays and other imaging modalities.  This role gives you the opportunity to interact with patients, learn from our imaging technicians and do other tasks related to all volunteer roles such as hand hygiene observations and Infection Control wipe downs. 

• Surgical Services Waiting Area: In this new role, volunteers will have the opportunity to interact with patients checking-in for their procedure and assisting with answering questions for family members waiting for their loved ones in surgery. This role alleviates the nurses in the Surgical Prep and PACU areas so they can focus on patient care. Volunteers in this role will build their communication skills with patients and members, and gain understanding of the surgical procedure flow. To provide accurate information, the volunteer will have access to a computer.

• Oncology: This is a specialized area of the hospital where patients with cancer receive care and treatment. Volunteers in this role will assist staff with sanitizing, stocking, wheelchair discharges, and assisting the unit specialist or charge nurse. This role provides initial exposure to the hospital, assists in developing communication skills, is great for those interested in a specialized area.

• Environment of Care Unit Rounding: Environment of Care involves “sweeps” across units within the facility that are hospital based. These sweeps help units to be prepared for Joint Commission or other regulatory visits as well as assure our facilities follow policy and regulations. By participating in this role, you are actively helping the hospital provide safe and effective care. In addition to regular shifts, volunteers in this role will have the opportunity to round with other hospital staff monthly and gain insight on how the various roles work together.

• Patient Support: This volunteer role would include rounding or visiting with patients (from a list provided by the unit), offering art or activity related items, perhaps playing a game with them, offering information on services we provide such as My Chart and proxy sign ups, how to request a chaplain visit, or how to order meals. This role will adhere to the Infection Control measures in place at the hospital to assist in providing a safe and healthy environment. Volunteers in this role will gain valuable experience in connecting and communicating with patients and extending positive interactions into our community. This helps volunteers to understand their role in improving our HCAHPS scores.  

step 1:

For high school applicants only, all required documents (i.e., parent permission form and unofficial transcripts) must be submitted to the Volunteer Office within 4 days.

• Please note: Parent permission form requests have been emailed to your parent/guardian separately and must be submitted by the parent on the volunteer’s behalf. Moving forward, all other communications MUST be sent by the prospective volunteer.

Step 2:

You will be invited for an interview. 

• Please note: This will be conducted via Zoom – all applicants are required to have their camera and microphone on.

Step 3:

For all applicants, following the interview, the applicant will set up their ReadySet profile within 2 days.

• Please note: ReadySet will be explained during the time of the interview. All health surveys must be filled out and the appropriate documentation uploaded.

step 4:

step 5:

Once all items are processed, the Volunteer Office will schedule a 2-hour New Volunteer Orientation session via zoom. We will schedule both a safety tour of the hospital and training session for each individual prior to your official start date. If you are in the area, we will ask to have these done prior to your start date. Our expectation is that you complete the full session of 25 volunteer shifts.  Please make time to return your badge at the end of your last day.