Hello,

 To date, we are not changing or limiting volunteer presence at our hospitals.  I have had 7 volunteers, so far, take leaves of absence until after the COVD-19 situation resolves.  Therapy Dogs International, the certification we require for our Pet Therapy Volunteers, sent out recommendations last week for them to suspend visits until it is over.  

I did receive a call a few minutes ago from a local Veteran's Affairs office - he stated the VA (on the federal level) just told them to stand down all volunteers in any VA Hospitals. 

Thanks,

Jill

as of last week we have suspended our volunteers from going in patient rooms all together. this includes our daily rounds, meal ticket distribution for companions, imagination library sign up and chaplain visits. for the chaplain visits and daily rounds, they are calling the room to check in on our patients. for the meal ticket distribution and the imagination library sign up, we are leaving that information on the door so that the next visit of a clinical person they can take it to them. this helps limit access to patients all together. our volunteers are going to be screened as the employees are, once that rolls out. we have increased our cleaning of volunteer desks and wheelchairs as well as I'm keeping a log of the volunteers travel plans out of state as well as out of country.

We have initiated a temporary interventional discontinuation of Eucharistic Ministry for our pastoral volunteers.  We have interrupted student clinical rotation by not permitting students or pastoral volunteers in patient ISOLATION rooms to conserve Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which is under strict conservation due to the high demand.  

I have 5 volunteers in higher risk areas who requested LOA during this time due to their personal health treatments.

Although we have no cases (yet), all patient contact volunteers have been asked to stay home. Also, anyone under the age of 18 cannot volunteer at this time (Maryland Governor's remarks prompted that).  

Some volunteers have decided to not  come in at this time, but it is their choice.

We have a triage tent set up outside our ED for anyone presenting with symptoms.  

We have established a child care plan for our employees who do not have alternate plans for their children because all our schools are closed  for the next two weeks. 

I am hoping all this proactive planning pays off, but think  it will eventually come our way. Since we are so rural, we have not yet been impacted like other areas in Maryland.

We decided the load would be more than we could handle in-house so we have an agreement with a local church run daycare program. We are referring our staff who may need such services to them.  This removed the burden from the health system.

Additionally, an update (things seem to be changing rapidly here) we have NO volunteers on our premises.  I had  to send  everyone home Monday. Our  gift shop remains open with the single employee who manages it.  Just this morning we closed our lobby  entrance.   Who knows what the  day will bring.