Volunteer at Methodist West Hospital - West Des Moines
Volunteer Opportunities at Methodist West Hospital
Volunteers at Methodist West Hospital make a difference for our patients, families and team members. We offer you the satisfaction of helping others along with wonderful support from our staff. Volunteers are needed in areas that range from patient and family contact, such as staffing waiting rooms, escorting or instruction; to clerical such as typing and filing; to customer service in gift shops and retail stores; to working at home on projects, such as sewing.
Volunteer assignments can be arranged on a schedule that suits you. All volunteers must go through a screening process prior to joining the team.
Volunteer Requirements
- Must be 18 or older and not enrolled in undergraduate or graduate school
- Placement interview and orientation
- Volunteer handbook review
- State of Iowa background check
- National background check (if applicable)
- Health screening
- Annual flu vaccination
- Tuberculosis (TB) test
- Currently enrolled in college
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Placement interview and orientation
- Volunteer handbook review
- State of Iowa background check
- National background check (if applicable)
- Health screening
- Annual flu vaccination
- Tuberculosis (TB) test
Adult Volunteer
We have opportunities in patient care areas and non-patient areas such as the gift shop, family waiting rooms, clerical support, and more. A typical volunteer assignment is once a week for 2-4 hours and can be arranged on a schedule that suits you. We ask our volunteers to make a six-month commitment.Would you enjoy interacting with the public in a fun retail environment? Do you have great customer-service skills? We are looking for individuals to help in our Gift Shop. Volunteers assist customers, ring up sales and help keep the shop organized. Various shifts are available as well as substitute spots. Please join us in a fun-filled environment! A great place to learn retail skills and be a part of a great retail team.
College Student Volunteer
We have opportunities to support patients, families and hospital staff in a variety of areas, including our patient comfort cart program, pediatric and adult emergency departments, hospital elder life program (HELP) and more. A typical volunteer assignment is once a week for 2-4 hours. We ask our volunteers to make a two semester commitment.
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)
Animal assisted therapy is available for patients and families during their stay. We understand the unique bond between humans and animals and how it can enhance a positive attitude and assist in the healing process.
Animal assisted therapy volunteers are required to commit to visiting our facilities a minimum of once per month. A typical volunteer assignment is once a week for 2-4 hours and can be arranged on a schedule that suits you. We ask our volunteers to make a six-month commitment.
Upon evaluation by the animal assisted therapy program volunteer trainers, the animal must demonstrate behavior that it: is reliable; is controllable; is predictable; inspires confidence in the person s/he is interacting with; and the animal actively solicits interactions with people and is accepting and forgiving of differences in people's reactions and behavior.
Handlers must demonstrate they are reliable, confident, and natural in their interactions with people and animals; have control of their animal; inspire confidence in the person they are interacting with; and actively engage in interactions with people and accept and forgive differences in people's reactions and behavior.
Volunteer Materials
Education & Orientation
Contact UnityPoint Health – Des Moines Volunteer Services
| Hospital Campus | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Blank Children's Hospital, Iowa Methodist Medical Center and John Stoddard Cancer Center Volunteer Services | (515) 241-6414 |
| Iowa Lutheran Hospital Volunteer Services | (515) 263-5227 |
| Methodist West Hospital Volunteer Services | (515) 343-1645 |
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Mindy Brightman | Office Manager, Volunteer Services | Melinda.Brightman@unitypoint.org |
| Maci Andersen | Volunteer Coordinator, Iowa Lutheran Hospial | Maci.Andersen@unitypoint.org |
| Caroline Baker | Volunteer Coordinator, Iowa Methodist Medical Center and John Stoddard Cancer Center | Caroline.Baker@unitypoint.org |
| Megan Delanty, CCLS | Volunteer Coordinator, Iowa Lutheran Hospital | Megan.Delanty@unitypoint.org |
| Maria Gifford, CNP | Volunteer Coordinator, Blank Children’s Hospital and Iowa Methodist Medical Center | Maria.Gifford@unitypoint.org |
| Sheri Vining | Volunteer Coordinator, Methodist West Hospital | Sheri.Vining@unitypoint.org |