Volunteer

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Day Kimball Healthcare volunteer. Each of our volunteers helps us achieve the mission, vision, and values of Day Kimball Healthcare. Volunteers make an impact each day by providing invaluable services to our patients, staff, and visitors that we would not otherwise be able to provide. If you are interested in helping serve our patients, staff, and visitors, pursuing personal growth, continuing a lifetime of learning, exploring career opportunities, or returning a kindness shown to you while you were a patient, Day Kimball Healthcare has a unique variety of volunteer opportunities to match your interests.

Hospital – Hospice – Junior Volunteers

Benefits/Rewards of Volunteering

Making a real difference
Helping your community hospital and your neighbors
Opportunities to meet new people
Using your skills to help others
Learn new skills
Personal satisfaction
Recognition events
Sense of pride and accomplishment

Hospital Volunteers (18+)

Day Kimball’s Hospital Volunteer Program consists of more than 100 caring individuals who share their talents and time with the patients and staff of Day Kimball Hospital. Our volunteers are warm-hearted individuals, perhaps retired, who enjoy the spirit and companionship of helping in the hospital setting, and are proud of their contribution to ensuring Day Kimball’s continued high-quality healthcare.

Our volunteers assist in many areas, performing a variety of valuable tasks. Opportunities available include:

Greeter/Wayfinder
Gift Shop Associate
Emergency Department Volunteer
Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) Volunteer
Business Office, Clerical Support
Oncology Volunteer
Pet Therapy Volunteer
Foundation – Special Events/Committee Members

Volunteer shifts are typically 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, but all individuals with the time and desire to give of themselves are welcome to contact us regarding other arrangements. Interested hospital volunteers must be willing to commit to a minimum of 100 hours.

PLEASE NOTE: Day Kimball Healthcare does not provide court-ordered community service opportunities.

Hospice Volunteers (18+)

Hospice Volunteers are special individuals who assist a trusted and caring team working with the terminally ill and those who love them. These loving and compassionate individuals provide assistance during times of crisis, bereavement support to family members, and a shoulder to lean on when times are tough.

Hospice and Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut is a program of Day Kimball Healthcare. Hospice volunteers are given extensive training in preparation for providing vital moral support and comfort to terminally ill patients and their families.

Hospice volunteers support patients and their families by providing:

Companionship
Respite to family members
Assistance with errands
Patient transportation
Support for our Good Grief Bereavement Group for children
Assisting with fundraising efforts and events
And so much more

Hospital/ Hospice Application Process

All volunteers must successfully complete the following steps:

Submit your application and two references, once received you will be called for an interview
Complete a criminal background check-expense covered by DKH
Attain medical clearance from our Employee Health Department including:
- Documentation of the COVID Vaccine Series
- Vaccine history review
- Two-step TB Testing
Complete orientation

Please return your completed Application and Reference Forms to:

Day Kimball Healthcare
Volunteer Services
320 Pomfret Street
Putnam, CT 06260

For more information:
E-mail Janet Johnson, Volunteer Services Coordinator, at jjohnson@daykimball.org or call
(860) 928-6541 ext. 7144 or ext. 2279

Junior Volunteers

Junior Volunteers at Day Kimball Hospital must be mature, independent, conscientious, and dependable. They must be good listeners and good communicators, and they must follow directions well.

Junior Volunteer Candidates Must:

Be between the ages of 14 and 18, and have graduated ninth grade before entering the program
Complete the application and essay and provide immunization records, applications must be received by March 15, 2024
Attend one eight-hour training on either June 27 or June 28
Commit to a minimum of one eight-hour day per week for the months of July and August. Juniors must not be away for more than two weeks during the program

Mandatory Training

The 8-hour training, held at DKH, will allow you to:

Learn about hospital policies, rules and regulations on safety, infection control, and confidentiality
Learn the proper operation of wheelchairs, and other hospital equipment
Meet administrators and managers
Tour the hospital
Learn to work as a team
Make new friends

The Role of a Junior Volunteer

Junior Volunteers have many roles and are of great assistance to the Day Kimball staff. Volunteers may be asked to perform any of the following tasks:

Deliver specimens to the lab
Discharge patients
Perform patient-related errands
Perform staff-related errands
Deliver patient mail/flowers
Visit patients with the Comfort/Activity Cart
Clerical duties such as filing, data entry, answering phones, chart assembly and more

Junior Volunteers Can Learn About Careers in Healthcare