Hospice Volunteer Training
Learn more about the training requirements for Hospice of Mercy volunteers.
Types of training for Hospice Volunteers
Training for new hospice volunteers is offered at least three times each year. The 15-hour course is filled with valuable information, which will be used in your work as a hospice volunteer and can also be applied to your personal life.
- Training is facilitated by the Hospice of Mercy Volunteer Coordinator
- It includes presentations by professionals in the health and social service fields
- It is required for all patient/family, bereavement and office volunteers before assignments are made
Training Topics
Topics covered during volunteer training include:
- Hospice philosophy
- Attitudes toward death
- Communication skills
- Preparing for death at home
- Role of physicians
- Role of nurses
- Role of family services
- Role of spiritual care
- Role of volunteers
- Grief and bereavement
Volunteer Training & Requirements
We ask our volunteers to:
- Make a commitment to hospice
- Volunteer an average of three hours a month or 36 hours annually
- Be a good listener and maintain strict confidentiality
- Be comfortable with varied spiritual beliefs and lifestyles
- Have personal transportation
- Prospective volunteers are encouraged to wait a year after experiencing a life-changing event or loss of a close friend or family member
