RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) – Hospitals rely on skilled staff to care for patients, but at Rutland Regional Medical Center and many other hospitals, volunteers also play a critical role.
“After retiring, I felt that I really needed something to keep me on a somewhat schedule and I just thought that this was a great place to volunteer,” said Linda Lambert, who along with her husband, are regular volunteers at Rutland Regional Medical Center.
“We tried both volunteering and doing separate days, but then it’s like, you retired to spend time with each other, and then we were like ships passing in the night. So, it’s great to do it together and we enjoy our time together,” Lambert said.
The Lambert’s story is a common one and hospital officials say out of the over 180 current volunteers, most don’t have prior medical experience or education. “Students and retired professionals — we have folks here that have been CEOs of businesses, physicians, nurses, all kinds of different roles,” said RRMC’s Brian Kerns.
One of those specific roles includes four-legged volunteers like Faith and her handler Ann Marie Moody, who are part of the hospital’s therapy dog program. Moody says Faith spends as much time with the staff as she does with patients. “I get her vest ready and she’s ready to go. She knows it’s work time and it’s just really nice to know that everyone gets an impact out of a dog,” she said.
Whether it’s running lab tests, delivering life-saving supplies, checking patients in, or helping them before they go home, officials say volunteers serve a wide range of roles at the hospital. “Staff are extremely grateful for volunteers and their role here, ensuring that they’re freed up to do what they need to do in a clinical manner,” said RRMC’s Ashley Bride.
Some volunteers, like students, serve to gain experience. For others like Lambert, it’s a way to help in their community. “It’s nice to give back to the community when you have time, and to the patients. They’re very appreciative of us, as are the staff, the staff are great. It’s great to be volunteering somewhere that puts a smile on your face and somebody else’s,” Lambert said.
RRMC officials say they’re always taking applications for more volunteers.