By Rachel Dinh

Several students at TPA have found one common volunteer opportunity: Hospice of the Valley. HOV is a non-profit organization that provides end-of-life care to patients. HOV’s palliative care units are scattered all around Arizona. They include Central Phoenix, East Valley, Northeast Valley, and West Valley locations.

Volunteers-to-be were interviewed by a volunteer coordinator. They were also required to attend all three days of training (a total of 24 hours), where they learned how to speak to patients, the grief process, and proper safety techniques when in contact with patients.

Due to HOV’s strict privacy policy, the volunteers’ names couldn’t be included in this article. One junior shares her experience so far: “My favorite part of hospice is when a patient comes in that you really connect with, and you are able to spend a couple hours talking with them, and take their mind off of everything that is going on.”

Besides interacting with patients, a volunteer’s job can also include restocking supplies, cleaning, baking cookies, or just overall being a helper to a nurse or CNA (certified nursing assistant).

But being a volunteer isn’t just about talking to patients and doing small tasks, it’s also about keeping a calm demeanor and a positive attitude in times of grief. “The most difficult part is dealing with the loss of patients. Sometimes the patients are in hospice for a few months. After getting to know them after a while, it makes me sad when I never see them again,” says another TPA volunteer. She adds, “Volunteering at HOV is the perfect opportunity for me to give back to the community while learning more about the medical field. Sometimes the nurses let me observe how they give medical care to the patients and it is awesome! I would definitely recommend it to other students.”

Although they may be “just” volunteers, these dedicated students are essential to fulfilling HOV’s mission. Says Laurence Sinn, teen volunteer coordinator, “Teens at HOV are contributing big time in our mission which is to provide comfort and dignity near the end of life of our patients. The teens are prefect to give that socialization and companionship that some patients are seeking. The teen volunteers are a huge asset to our interdisciplinary team. I love my teens and I am so proud of each and every one of them!”

Volunteers, we hope you continue dedicating your time to helping others!