Patient Ward Buddy

Summary

Supporting patients and staff as part of a multidisciplinary team by providing an additional pair of hands to assist with non-clinical activities on a specific ward.

Benefits to volunteer

• Opportunity to develop new and existing skills
• Satisfaction of knowing you are making a vital difference to the work of the ward/department
• Develop personal and social skills
• Gain confidence and self esteem
• Experience of working in a hospital environment
• Feel part of a team
• Meet new people

Tasks may include the following:

Support with hydration and nutrition

• Helping patients to choose meals and fill out order cards
• Offering support to serve meals, refreshments and snacks.
• Supporting patients to ensure they are drinking enough water and with assistance at mealtimes.
• Offering support or prompting patients to eat, helping to ensure food is cut up, opened and accessible as required.
• Helping to feed patients (only with additional training)
• Keep patient and staff water jugs filled and provide tea and coffee
• Making drinks for staff

Befriending /patient support

• Offering support to patients – talking to, and interacting with patients to promote their wellbeing, recovery, safety and comfort on the ward.
• Supporting virtual visiting and helping patients to remain in contact with their family and friends using technology or relaying messages where appropriate
• Supporting the gathering of information for family liaison service
• Encouraging patients to get up in the morning and to go to bed at night and to occupy themselves during the day.
• Reading to patients or supporting them with individual activities, where appropriate
• Support and facilitate patient engagement activity to include music, arts and crafts, bingo
• Ensuring patients have the essential items they need. Liaise with response volunteers (if in place) to run errands for patients.
• Accompany patients medically fit and able, off the ward for a walk or visit to the gardens – including use of wheelchair, if needed (the patient must be able to get in/out on their own) (subject to additional wheelchair training)

Cleaning and restocking of bed areas

• Clearing patient area after a patient leaves, wiping down trollies, tables, chairs in accordance with local policies and procedures
• Supporting staff to check oxygen and suction following each change of patient
• Checking stocks of linen, calling linen room to replenish as necessary
• Helping restock PPE, equipment and supplies

Supporting patient discharge from ward

• Supporting initiation of discharge planning with new arrivals on wards
• Discussing discharge plans with patients helping to answer questions and alleviate concerns
• Supporting staff to make onward referrals and ensuring arrangements in place for patients on discharge
• Checking with the nurse in charge if any orders need to be obtained from pharmacy, calling pharmacy runners to collect where possible
• Assist patients / visitors complete Friends and Family Test (FFT) questionnaires prior to discharge
• Completing a discharge checklist with patients, helping patients to call relatives
• Liaising with porters and discharge lounges when patients ready to leave the ward

Other tasks may include;

• To support administrative tasks such as filing photocopying
• Making up admission packs
• Errands to pharmacy and Pathology
• Answering telephone and taking messages for staff

Further tasks and duties as identified by Ward Matron and staff team

For the full role description please download the attached PDF