Volunteers Benefit from Service, Gym Access and Free Health Screenings
The volunteer corps at the new ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano will double in size when hospital staff takes occupancy of the new facility in September, said Elaine Gast, Shawano Medical Center volunteer coordinator. Volunteers will be staffing the new greeter’s desk, which will be entirely separate from the registration desk, and assume more duties in patient transport.
“We are anticipating that we will be very busy at the new hospital. It will be a bustling place with traffic from the attached clinic, too, as the clinic’s main entrance will be remodeled this fall,” Gast said. “We will be meeting and helping a lot more people from our community. It’s really a very fulfilling and energizing job.”
Gast and current Shawano Medical Center volunteers are actively recruiting new members to their team.
Volunteers generally choose one three- or four-hour shift per week that helps cover two shifts a day, five days a week, plus Saturday mornings.
- The greeters’ main focus is on greeting patients, visitors and vendors and directing them to their destinations.
- Transport volunteers help escort or provide wheelchair transport to patients or visitors within the hospital. They also call for rides from transport companies and maintain availability of transport wheelchairs within the hospital.
Gast listed a number of benefits to volunteering at the new hospital.
- Free use of the rehabilitation gym at TCMC-Shawano during specific hours of the day
- Free health screenings and vaccinations
- Flexible scheduling
- Opportunities to make new friends, share talents, and learn new skills
- Deep satisfaction from helping others
- References given for future school and job applications
Becoming a hospital volunteer starts with an interview with Gast, who works with applicants to match their interests to available positions. There is a required background check, TB skin test, and two-hour orientation followed by department-specific training during a volunteer’s first shift. The opportunity is offered to all individuals 16 years and older. To learn more or to apply to be a TCMC-Shawano volunteer, contact Elaine Gast at (715) 526-7207 or elaine.gast@thedacare.org.
ThedaCare™ is a community health system consisting of seven hospitals: Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, ThedaCare Medical Center-New London, Shawano Medical Center, Berlin Memorial Hospital, Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital, and Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca. ThedaCare also includes ThedaCare Physicians, ThedaCare Behavioral Health, and ThedaCare At Home. ThedaCare is one of the largest employers in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 6,803 employees. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
