Practicum #1 Discussion Activity with Staff The discussion that I had with a member of staff in the nursing care facility was on volunteering in the activity department. We discussed the role of v ...

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Practicum #1
Discussion Activity with Staff
The discussion that I had with a member of staff in the nursing care facility was on volunteering in the activity department. We discussed the role of volunteers in the department and the impact that they have on the residents and other staff members. The following is an outline of the content discussed:
Introduction
Understanding of volunteering
Volunteering management in the department
Department needs
Staffing issues in the department
How volunteers can help meet staffing needs of the department
Volunteer motivations
Volunteer plan
Its importance in the department
What is included in the volunteer plan
Recruiting volunteers
Recruitment strategies
On boarding
Training
Impact of volunteer program in the department
Evaluation KPIs for successful volunteer programs in the department
Summary
The meeting allowed us to discuss on matter related to volunteer in the department. Staff members created a better understanding of what volunteering entails and how volunteers in the department should be managed. The meeting touched on the needs of the organization such as the low staff numbers compared to the residents that are served by the activity professionals. It also identified the role that volunteering plays in eliminating such staffing gaps and thus improving on the overall, wellbeing of the residents.
The meeting helped create an appropriate volunteer recruitment program that was based on evidence from various research and practice examples through other departments in the facility. Members in the meeting understood the essence of volunteer orientation and training as it helped them understand the roles of the organization better.
The meeting was therefore success as it brought out knowledge about volunteering in the department. It helped identify the best practices that would increase the satisfaction levels of the volunteers in the department and thus motivate them towards achieving the best in the tasks assigned to them.