1. Suzanne Chinn MS, RN

2. Patient Care Area Volunteer Orientation
 Dress Code: Clothing worn by South County Hospital staff and volunteers
must be neat, clean and professional. For staff safety concerns and to portray a
professional image, attire such as tee shirts, see-through clothing, flip flops,
shorts, sweatpants, jeans and visible undergarments are inappropriate attire for
all staff. All personnel providing direct patient care and support services for
direct patient care must wear socks or stockings with closed toe shoes.
 Perfume, aftershave, deodorant and hair care products must be worn in
moderation.
 Jewelry should be worn in moderation. Staff should give consideration to the
particular area they are employed in, e.g., dangling jewelry is a safety issue and
should not be worn in certain clinical areas in the Hospital.
 In order to project an appropriate level of professionalism and excellent
customer service, the use of cellular phones in patient areas is not permitted
and should be limited in other operational areas of the Hospital.

3. Patient Care Area Volunteer Orientation–
Hand Hygiene
 Before entering any patient room, you must use the purell
outside the room. When you have complete the activity
that brought you in that patient room, you must also use
purell on the way out.
 To use the foam correctly, place you hand under the spout.
Rub the foam over all surfaces of your fingers and hands,
between fingers and allow to dry. Do not rub your hands on
your clothing to speed drying time.
 Remember – Foam in, Foam out! This prevents
transferring and infections from patient to patient.

4. Patient Care Area Volunteer Orientation
• Report to your assigned Patient Care Area.
• Check in with Charge Nurse to determine priority of activities. Introduce
yourself to the Charge Nurse and explain how you can be of assistance.
• Clean all stretchers. Put sheets on the stretcher when it is dry. This is a
visual cue to all employees that the stretcher is clean.
• Stock linen in pass-thrus. Be sure to look at the par levels and do not
overstock.
• Review with Charge nurse which rooms to avoid(hospice, precautions) and
visit each room with hospitality cart.
• Ask Charge nurse which rooms may like a visitor. Have books, cards to play
card games or other diversional activities(puzzles, coloring).
• Assemble Admission packets or other materials as directed.
• Sit at the desk by the doors to greet visitors and give directions to rooms.

5. Patient Care Area Volunteer Orientation–
Cleaning
 Stretcher mattresses (both sides) and side rails will be cleaned and
disinfected with approved disinfectant or wipes(PDI or Clorox) on both
sides by the environmental staff, nursing staff, or volunteer after each
use.
 Gloves must be worn when using these products.
 Allow the surfaces to dry completely. When dry, place a fitted sheet on
the mattress. The fitted sheet on the stretchers notifies everyone that
the stretcher is clean and ready for use.
 Clean wheelchairs with Clorox or PDI wipes and allow to dry
completely before using.

6. Patient Care Area Volunteer Orientation
 Stocking linen in the pass-thrus. The par level for linen is:
 5 bed pads
 5 chucks
 5 diapers
 15 face cloths
 5 fitted sheets
 5 flat sheets
 5 johnnies (gowns)
 5 pillow cases
 10 towels

7. Patient Care Area Volunteer Orientation
 Hospitality Cart
 Offer magazines, books, eye covers, ear plugs, blankets, etc.
 Offer to get fresh water if not on fluid restrictions or NPO
 Make sure call light and bedside table are within reach
 Ask if there is something that they need that you may get for them.
 Report anything of concern to the RN caring for the patient or the
Charge Nurse.
 Avoid talking about the patient’s medical issues, avoid discussion or
recommendations about physicians.
 See Nadine if items on the carts need to be re-filled.

8. Patient Care Area Volunteer Orientation
 At the direction of the Charge Nurse, Nurse
Manager or Secretary, assemble Admission packets
or other informational materials.
 After you have completed all of the tasks on each
of the Frost Floors, you may want to check on the
ICU and ask if they have any patients who may like
a visitor.
 Sit at the front desk on your assigned unit. Please
be sure to look at each visitor, say hi and ask if they
need any help.