WORK ENGAGEMENT AMONG HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS

Background: Work engagement is defined as a positive, fulfilling, work-related state of mind characterized by vigor, dedication, and absorption. Even though volunteers at hospitals are deeply engaged in their unpaid work, there are no quick tools for measuring work engagement among these volunteers. The Ultra-short UWES-3 is a valuable research tool to measure engagement, indicating the need for its validation among volunteers. Several recent studies have explored the role of work engagement in volunteer work, mostly focusing on volunteers working in social and nonprofit settings. Little is known about how work engagement contributes to the well-being and quality of life of volunteers working in hospitals. Furthermore, in this context, the relationship between work engagement and burnout, referred to as a psychological syndrome of emotional exhaustion, is poorly understood. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to examine the factor structure of the UWES-3, and to undercover possible associations between work engagement, well-being, quality of life, and burnout among volunteers. Methodology: This cross-sectional study collected self-reported anonymous data from adults connected to volunteer organizations in Guadalajara, Mexico. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the scale’s unidimensional structure. While well-being and quality of life were positively associated with work engagement, exhaustion showed the strongest negative relationship to work engagement. Discussion: Our results support the validity of the UWES-3 and suggest that work engagement contributes to well-being and quality of life, while exhaustion is negatively associated with work engagement. From a wider perspective, results from this study provide important insights to guide stakeholders, such as hospital administrators and volunteer organizations. Conclusions: Our findings support the validity of the UWES-3 among hospital volunteers, suggesting that the scale is an appropriate work engagement measure in this setting. This study provides a new understanding of the relationship between work engagement, burnout, and psychological variables among hospital volunteers.

The challenges of formal volunteering in hospitals

The role and tasks performed by hospital volunteers (HV), their relationship with other stakeholders and the management of volunteers, are controversial topics, not widely explored in literature. Through an exploratory study, which incorporated the collection and analysis of qualitative data, involving 46 interviews with volunteers, staff and hospital administration from three hospitals in Portugal, we analyze hospital volunteers, as well as the tasks they perform, how these tasks are assigned, and how they relate to other stakeholders. As a result, we conclude that the job definition of HV is generic, open to different interpretations and that the assigned functions of HV are not known from all stakeholders. This problem can have negative repercussions in the relationship between volunteers and health professionals, potentially fostering conflict. Nevertheless, most respondents are satisfied with the current format of volunteer management.

Nurse-Led Call Back Program to Improve Patient Follow-Up With Providers After Discharge From the Emergency Department

Phone calls to patients after discharge from the emergency department (ED) serve as reminders to schedule medical follow-up, support adherence to discharge instructions, and reduce revisits to already-crowded EDs. An existing, nurse-administered, call-back program contacted randomly selected ED patients 24 to 48 hours following discharge. This program did not improve patient follow-up (48.68%) nor reduce the ED revisit rate (6.7% baseline vs 6.0% postimplementation). Plan-Do-Study-Act methodology tested a modification to the existing program consisting of a second, scripted phone call from a trained volunteer at 72 to 96 hours postdischarge. Volunteers utilized a patient list and script, and nurses provided expertise to eliminate identified barriers to follow-up. Follow-up rate and ED revisit were monitored through the electronic medical record. A total of 894 patients participated between October 2017 and June 2018. Follow-up increased from 48.68% to 65.5% ( P < .0001) and ED revisit decreased significantly (4.5% vs 8.6%, P < .001). This innovative nurse-led, systematic postdischarge call-back program utilizing hospital volunteers increased patient compliance with post-ED medical follow-up while significantly reducing the rate of patient revisit to the ED within 7 days of discharge.

Impact of volunteers in the emergency department

Background: Fundamental aspects of patient experience have been reported as substandard in emergency departments. Hospital volunteers can improve the patient experience in inpatient settings. However, evidence is limited on their impact in emergency departments. Aims: To determine whether emergency department volunteers could enhance patient experience through assisting with the psychological aspect of patient care and patients' nutritional needs. Methods: Patients attending an emergency department responded to a questionnaire as part of a cross-sectional study. Comparisons were made between when the volunteer scheme was running and when there were no volunteers. Outcomes included patient experience of emotional support from staff and access to food and drink. Results: Patients present when the volunteer scheme was running reported obtaining food and drink more often (96/124 vs 20/39, % rate difference 26, 95% CI 10–42, P=0.002) and that a member of staff offered them something to eat and drink more frequently (96/146 vs 19/52, % rate difference 29, 95% CI 14–45, P<0.001). There was no difference between patient responses when the volunteer scheme was running and not for emotional support from staff (49/68 vs 14/21, % rate difference 5, 95% CI -17-28, P=0.63). Conclusions: Hospital volunteers made a substantial contribution to providing food and drink to patients in the emergency department. Emotional support from volunteers was limited.

23 The Implementation of a Hospital “Buddy Walking Programme” to Improve Access to Mobility for Acute Hospital in-Patients

Background An acute hospital admission often means that patient’s mobility can decline if not maintained and encouraged throughout their inpatient stay. The “Buddy Walking Programme” is a joint initiative between the physiotherapy department, nursing department and hospital volunteers. The aim of this research was to implement a hospital “Buddy Walking Programme” within a teaching hospital in Cork to allow the provision of accompanied walking sessions by members of the hospital’s volunteer team. Methods Ward based physiotherapy staff and nursing staff identify suitable patients and add their bed number and mobility status to a list each morning. Patients are identified who are independently mobile or can safely mobilise with the supervision of one person, with or without a mobility aid and who are cognitively capable of simple commands. Physiotherapists and nursing staff are made aware of the programme at induction. Volunteers partake in an educational session and manual handling training prior to offering supervised walking sessions. Results A standard operating procedure has been developed for the “Buddy Walking Programme”. Training has been rolled out hospital wide amongst nursing staff, physiotherapy staff and hospital volunteers. Conclusion This programme will help encourage a culture of physical activity within the hospital in-patient setting and improve mobility levels. Further research is warranted to explore the beliefs and perceptions of hospital staff and volunteers regarding the initiative and to examine barriers and facilitators to the programme.