Volunteer at St. Luke's Hospital - Cedar Rapids
It’s the Greatest Gift You Can Give!
There are many reasons St. Luke's Hospital has such a strong corps of volunteers. Some volunteer for the opportunity to meet new people and feel connected to the community. Others want to be connected to a healthcare environment to explore careers and learn new skills. Many find fulfillment and purpose in giving of their expertise for the good of others.
For more than 50 years, St. Luke's Hospital has attracted volunteers from all walks of life. We are always looking for new volunteers age 14 years and up. Contact us to find out how you can join the St. Luke's Hospital volunteer program.
Who Volunteers?
- High school and college students
- Adults of all ages and walks of life
- Couples and families
- Those seeking on-the-job experience - a perfect "building block" on any resume or a good start to a career in healthcare
- Those seeking careers in healthcare - great experience before you declare a major in the field
- Retirees - stay active and share your knowledge, compassion and experience
Why Volunteer?
Volunteers help make dreams become reality. In a community, volunteering brings people together for a common cause and provides participants with a true opportunity to make a difference. Volunteering not only helps others...it helps you!
- Volunteering is fun and rewarding
- Meet new people & make new friends
- Get personal satisfaction from helping others
- Stay up to date with advancements in healthcare, explore careers and build a resume
- Perks of being part of St. Luke’s include: complimentary meal and beverage coupons, FitZone access, scholarship opportunities and inclusion in hospital events
Volunteer Opportunities
Our volunteers contribute to many departments around the hospital. Review our current hospital volunteer opportunities. Note the areas that interest you.
Being in the hospital can be stressful! Pet Pals is a St. Luke's volunteer program that uses specially trained dogs, cats, and their humans, to provide an opportunity for patients to benefit from animal interactions. Our talented and specially trained canine and feline volunteers have helped bring comfort and smiles everywhere they go for over 20 years.
Studies show interactions with pets can provide several benefits:
- Relieve stress
- Reduce anxiety
- Lower blood pressure
- Distract from pain
- Alleviate sadness and depression
- Encourage healing
- Promote physical activity
- Enhance physical rehabilitation and speech therapy
- Social interaction
- Offer comfort
Pet Pal Certification and Recruitment
We recruit volunteers with Pet Partners® and Therapy Dogs International® (TDI) certification.
- Pet Partners® invites prospective volunteers to attend a free informational webinar to learn about our Therapy Animal Program. Led by experienced volunteers with the assistance of Pet Partners staff, these sessions will cover the process to become a registered therapy animal team with your pet.
- Therapy Dogs International® (TDI) outlines all of the testing qualifications and rules on their website. Dogs must be evaluated by a Certified TDI Evaluator as well as passing health and temperament standards.
Steps to Becoming a Volunteer
Volunteers are important members of our hospital workforce and treated as integral contributors to our success. On-Boarding as a St. Luke's Hospital or UnityPoint Hospice volunteer is much like on-boarding as an employee. We want to make sure that our volunteers are vetted and trained to be successful members of our team. The turnaround time from application to assignment is approximately 14 days.
Requirements & Onboarding Process
- Complete the Online Volunteer Application. Once you have submitted your application, you will be contacted the next business day to schedule a two-hour new volunteer meeting.
- Schedule a Volunteer Meeting. The first half of the new volunteer meeting will consists of Volunteer Services staff asking about your experience and interests, your reasons for wanting to volunteer and the times you are available to volunteer.
- Complete a Health Screening. The second half of the new volunteer meeting will be a health screening which will consist of paperwork, assessment and a lab draw. The cost of the health screening and lab draw are covered by Volunteer Services.
– Bring a copy of your immunization records
– If you are under 18, please bring your parent or guardian - Complete Background Check Process
- Complete New Volunteer Orientation Components. Orientation information will be sent to you via email. Orientation provides an overview of polices and procedures and explains how volunteers assist UnityPoint Health in creating a positive healthcare experience. We ask that you complete all the orientation components within two weeks of your volunteer interview. Once you have completed all the orientation components you will be contacted within two business days to finalize your next steps.* Please note, if you are unable to complete the new volunteer orientation components online, Volunteer Services will provide accommodations.
Set-up your Vicnet net account. VicNet is our Volunteer Information Center hub that allows volunteers to manage their schedule, view and submit service and more. Review the instructions to set up your account. - Volunteer Assignment. Once you have completed the on-boarding components you are ready to be placed in your volunteer assignment. You will be contacted within two business days to set up your next steps, which include either scheduled-assignment training or on-the-job training.
- Complete the Online Volunteer Application. Once you have submitted your application, the Hospice Volunteer Coordinator will call you to schedule an interview, explain the Hospice Volunteer on-boarding process and what volunteer assignments are available.
- Schedule a Volunteer Meeting. The first half of the new volunteer meeting will consists of Volunteer Services staff asking about your experience and interests, your reasons for wanting to volunteer and the times you are available to volunteer.
- Complete a Health Screening. The second half of the new volunteer meeting will be a health screening which will consist of paperwork, assessment and a lab draw. The cost of the health screening and lab draw are covered by Volunteer Services.
– Bring a copy of your immunization records
– If you are under 18, please bring your parent or guardian - Complete Background Check Process
- Complete the New Volunteer Onboarding Module and Quiz. The module and quiz will familiarize you with our corporate partner, Volunteer Services at UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital, as well as with volunteering in the hospital, where our inpatient unit is located. Onboarding materials will be sent to you via email.
Animals must meet the following requirements:
- Be certified through Pet Partners or Therapy Dogs International
- Be at least one year old, domesticated, obedient, trained and housebroken
- Be with owner a minimum of six months
- Welcome, not merely tolerate, interactions with strangers
- Have proof from your veterinarian for:
- Yearly "well pet" visit
- Current vaccination records
- Pet Partner Animal Screening Form
- Not be fed raw meat
Humans must meet the following requirements:
- Be at least 16 years old and outgoing
- Complete the St. Luke's volunteer orientation process. These steps will take approximately three hours to complete.
- Application
- Interview
- Health exam, immunization and flu shot
- Background check
- New volunteer orientation
- Complete assignment training with a St. Luke's Pet Pal Mentor
- Commit to a regular monthly schedule
- Be in uniform with ID badge
Contact St. Luke's Volunteer Services
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karla Pisarik | Manager | (319) 369-7383 | karla.pisarik@unitypoint.org |
| Chessa Loushin | Volunteer Coordinator | (319) 369-7064 | chessa.loushin@unitypoint.org |
| Liv Draves | Volunteer Coordinator | (319) 369-7044 | liv.jean@unitypoint.org |