Volunteering

My volunteering at Sparrow Hospital began by asking questions after I noticed a 'computer room' on the plans for their new Regional Neo-Natal ICU (RNICU). Before long I was consulting with them about patient data management systems, including going with the RNICU director and the Hospital senior vice president on a site visit to Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago to see such a system in day-to-day operation in an adult ICU.

While our youngest son was still a patient in the RNICU my wife and I were 'recruited' to join the 'Neo-Natal ICU Friends' (NICUF) volunteer group at Sparrow Hospital. During the next nine years we each served 2 years as president of NICUF and I served about 6 years as treasurer. The primary focus of NICUF was that parent volunteers who had 'survived' the experience of a child in the RNICU would now help support new parents as they coped with their present situation of a critically ill child in the RNICU. Other NICUF activities included: having knitted caps, mittens and booties and cloth kimonos made for the infants by preparing the patterns and encouraging community groups to participate; matching sets of caps, mittens and booties after washing but before sterilizing for re-use; and speaking to the community about NICUF and the experience of having a child in the RNICU. After 12 years the Hospital, due to risk management concerns, terminated NICUF although they still remember the group and the considerable good it accomplished.

One concern older NICUF volunteers had was that the new parents might have difficulty relating to someone whose RNICU 'graduate' had grown and become 'old'. Because of this I transfered to the Emergency Service Auxiliary (ESA) volunteer group about one year before the NICUF termination.

ESA volunteers serve in the Emergency Department with their primary focus on easing the anxiety and stress of the patients and visitors. A secondary focus is on helping the staff as needed. This is an interesting and challenging assignment, especially on my regular Friday night shift! Every night (actually every hour or minute!) brings new situations and opportunities for service. Starting my second or third year, I was given charge of orienting and arranging for the training of new ESA volunteers.

I have now served more than 26 years as a Sparrow Hospital volunteer.