Palmetto Health Manual

Our Mission

Palmetto Health is committed to improving the physical, emotional and spiritual health of all individuals and communities we serve; to providing care with excellence and compassion; and, to working with others who share our fundamental commitment to improving the human condition.

Our Vision

To be remembered by each patient as providing the care and compassion we want for our families and ourselves.

Our Values/Standards of Behavior

CompassionCaring for people in need and benevolence for people in general

DignityRespect for one’s worth as a human being

ExcellencePursuing the highest level of service and quality in all that we do

IntegrityAdherence to a code of trust,

fairness and honestyTeamwork

Achieving common goals together

Volunteers must maintain a clean, professional appearance. This includes:

Photo ID badgeUniformCosmetics/JewelryPhones/ValuablesSmoking

Uniform & Personal Appearance

Photo ID badges

• All which must be worn at all times, above waist level (preferably closer to neck than waist).

• Please have your name facing outward so others may easily read it

• Upon termination of service, volunteers must return the volunteer ID badge to the director of the volunteer department

Uniform

VOLUNTEER UNIFORM:• Personal Touch/HELP Volunteers wear blue

scrubs (purchased by the volunteer), and Personal Touch patch and HELP badge frame (supplied by the Volunteer department).

• Shirts and pants must be kept neat, clean and well-pressed.

• Shirts must be tucked in. • Flat shoes with socks/hose are required.

Tennis shoes are recommended as long as they are well maintained and clean. No sandals or flip flops are permitted to be worn as they do not provide adequate protection. No open-toed shoes are permitted.

Cosmetic/Jewelry

• Hair should be kept neat and clean and if long, pulled neatly away from the face.

• Please keep make-up to a minimum. No sparkles please.

• Jewelry should be conservative, not excessive, and without the potential for harm. No visible piercings other than ears – and no more than 2 per ear.

• Nails are required to be short, neat and clean. Artificial nails are prohibited.

• Fragrances are not allowed on duty as they may cause allergic reactions in patients, visitors, staff or others.

Phones/Valuables

•Personal cellular phones are to be set to vibrate or turned off and not used in clinical settings!• Personal phone calls should be limited to emergencies.• Storage is limited for personal

belongings; purses or other valuables may not be secured.

• No cameras are allowed in the clinical setting.

Smoking Policy - All Palmetto Health clinics and facilities are tobacco free.

Policy Statement• In an effort to continue to promote the health

and well-being of our team members, patients and guests, Palmetto Health has made four changes to our Tobacco-Free Workplace Policy, effective Oct. 1, 2014.

• The definition of “team members” has been redefined to ensure it includes anyone who performs work for or under the direct control of and/or represents Palmetto Health.

• Team members may not use tobacco during paid breaks and must clock out when leaving the workplace for non-business reasons.

• Team members must not smell of tobacco smoke while on duty.

• E-cigarettes are included in the definition of tobacco products.

Personal Touch Program

When the Personal Touch Program was developed more than 23 years ago it was the only one like it in the United States. It was developed to allow trained volunteers to go beyond the traditional duties of hospital volunteers by providing nonmedical comfort care and hands on assistance to patients and as valued members of the care team, assist the nursing staff throughout patient care areas at Palmetto Health Baptist.

Personal Touch Volunteers (PTVs) can provide emotional and physical support for patients, of all ages, who may need a little extra tender loving care. Some responsibilities and duties involved includes: distributing and retrieving meal trays; feeding patients; assisting patients in walking; transporting patients in wheelchair within the hospital and to their vehicles upon discharge; distributing/retrieving patient specific snacks/juices as directed; offering relaxing backrubs as trained; assisting patients with personal hygiene needs; Newborn Nursery tasks; visiting and listening to patients; providing companionship and diversion; reporting changes in patient behavior to staff; and assisting staff with errands such as taking specimens to the lab which leaves staff able to perform more medically necessary tasks.

As you can gather from this list of service opportunities, PTVs contribute significantly in enhancing the quality of care at Palmetto Health to our inpatient and outpatient care units and are recognized by staff members as important resources in providing the personal touch for patients and their families.

Personal Touch Standards:

Attendance Volgistics Signing IN and OUT

Personal Touch Standards:Attendance

Monthly Calendars

Personal Touch Standards:Attendance

Substitution Lists

Personal Touch Standards: Attendance

Notify your unit and the Volunteer Services office if you will not be able to make your scheduled shift.

If you need to change your schedule, you must contact the volunteer services office – not your unit.

WE DON’T DO NO SHOWS!

Personal Touch Volunteer

Do’s & Don’ts

Do’s• Sign IN and OUT• Be Punctual• Confidentiality• Report any changes in the patient’s

condition to the patient’s nurse• Contact the PT office regarding

changes in schedule or unit choice• COMPLETE YOUR CHECKLIST

Don’ts• Do not administer any treatment or

medications• Don’t offer medical information or

advice• Do not wear perfumes, colognes or

aftershaves in the hospital• Do not discuss your personal

problems• Don’t cash checks, handle money or

accept valuables from patient or family

H.E.L.P. Manual

Nurses Improving Care for Health system Elders (NICHE) - The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP)Normal aging creates changes in the physical and mental functioning that may

increase the risk of developing health related problems in the older adult population. Hospitalization can be a pivotal point in the life of an older person. All too often, hospitalized older patients experience decline in their physical and mental abilities which make it difficult for them to fully recover from their illness, and return to their previous ability to function.

The NIICHE program was the basis for developing a volunteer training program aimed at improving care of hospitalized older adults. The Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP} is an innovative model program designed to improve the hospital experience of older patients. HELP volunteers assist nurses and other hospital staff to provide personalized interventions that assist in meeting the individual patient needs.

HELP volunteers help to create a friendly hospital environment by providing sympathetic support, encouragement and companionship to older patients and their families in addition to playing a crucial role in the NICHE program by carrying out interventions directly at the bedside. HELP gives volunteers a level of patient contact and responsibility that is unique amongst traditional hospital programs.

Some responsibilities and duties involved includes: Using the activity cart; orienting patients to situation and surroundings; engaging patients in reading, writing, drawing, puzzles, and music; checking that eyeglasses are available and clean; simple exercises- ankle pumps wiggle toes, clench and release fists; reinforcing fall precautions ;setting up meal trays - assisting with cutting and opening packages as needed; providing companionship during meals; filling water pitchers; and assisting patient to relax before bedtime.

Daily Visitor Program• Orienting Communication• Orientation Protocol (keeping patient informed about

what will be happening to them)• Closing the Session (close the session with patient by

summarizing the visit, open curtains, doors)• Procedures for Special Situations (hearing or vision

impaired, cognitively impaired, uncooperative patient)• Hospital unit and patient room orientation• Case study• Competency based checklist

Therapeutic Activities Program• One-to-one visit guidelines• Current events guidelines• Trivia guidelines• Relaxation Guidelines• Sleep enhancement guidelines• Case study• Competency based checklist

Early Mobilization Program• Principles of body mechanics• Helping the patient to walk• Care of the falling patient• Active range of motion exercises• Wheelchair mobility• Case study• Competency based checklist

Feeding Assistance Program• Assisting with the menu• Creating the mealtime environment• Providing feeding assistance• Encouraging fluids• Safety precautions• Recording food and fluid intake• Terms and special diets• Case study• Competency based checklist