The development of a volunteer resource manual in the emergency department

Price, Rachel (2016) The development of a volunteer resource manual in the emergency department. Practicum Report. Memorial University of Newfoundland. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Background & Purpose Satisfaction plays a pivotal role in patients’ overall perception about their health care experience (Ontario Hospital Association, 2010/2011). Patient satisfaction within the Emergency Department (ED) is largely dependent on wait times, awareness regarding wait times, and communication from ED staff (Ontario Hospital Association, 2010/2011). Unfortunately, ED wait times are lengthy and staff are challenged with meeting the communication needs of the patients (Ontario Hospital Association, 2010/2011). The current literature has revealed that volunteer programs in waiting rooms have demonstrated insurmountable improvements in patient satisfaction (Lorhan, van der Westhuizen, & Gossman, 2015; Stone & Lammers, 2012). However, a volunteer program in the HSC ED waiting room is yet to exist due to limited training for the volunteers. Therefore the development of a volunteer resource manual that can be utilized in the training of volunteers in the ED waiting room is a strategy to address this issue. Methods 1.Literature review 2. Consultations with key informants 3. Environmental scan Results & Next Steps The results of the literature review and consultations reiterated the importance of establishing a volunteer program within the HSC ED waiting room to improve patient satisfaction. A needs-based resource manual was developed for the volunteers to utilize during their volunteer experience in the ED waiting room. Future goals include the implementation of a volunteer program within the HSC ED waiting room.

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