To the volunteers at YRMC

The reason that more then 340 volunteers give up their personal time to help others at Yuma Regional Medical Center varies from person to person; but they all say at the end of the day they feel very satisfied.
 
According to YRMC, during fiscal year 2009, volunteers, from age 15 to 96 donated 2,050 volunteer hours at the hospital, which they say is equal to having 30 full-time employees.
 
Volunteers donate their time throughout YRMC on patient floors, information desks, offices and on the grounds as cart drivers.
 
Tammy Heidrich volunteers once a week in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
 
"We hug and rock the babies, take their temperatures, change diapers, and in certain cases feed them," Said Heidrich. "We also care for them as procedures are being done by the nurses. One of these is when they change the I.V.s which causes the babies to become irritated. We want to make the babies less stressed.
 
"There are some days that the babies are too sick to be held, and in those cases I will stand next to their bed and comfort them by placing a hand on their head or on their arms to let them know someone is with them.
 
She says that at the end of the day, she feels fulfilled.
 
"Volunteering gives me great pleasure. I absolutely love it. I have found my niche and I have been doing it for five years. I love children and I really enjoy babies. At the end of the day I feel wonderful."
 
Heidrich says it is very easy to bond with the babies.
 
"You can get attached to the babies if they are here for an extended time. It causes tears of joy when a baby moves out of the NICU, but it is also sad to see them go. You get hooked."
 
Heidrich, who co-owns the Shangri-La RV Park, says that she got the idea to volunteer during a visit to YRMC.
 
"I had gone on a tour of the hospital and visited the NICU and saw the nurses rocking the babies and decided I wanted to get involved. This is a way I can nurture children in a very comfortable place. There is just so much love and care in here."
 
Working with the babies at the hospital is good for her too, she says.
 
"Volunteering is for my own good and it is a win-win situation. I would like to thank the staff for allowing us to be in the NICU, and I encourage anyone with spare time to find their own niche. You get back so much more then you give."
 
Elizabeth Hammonds, Volunteer Service Officer, says that if someone is interested in volunteering, there are simple procedures to follow.
 
"There is a process to volunteering," said Hammonds. "People must apply for it. After submitting an application I will interview the potential volunteer.
 
"A background check will follow. There will be blood tests for Tuberculosis, and the candidate will be screened by a health nurse to see if they are immune to certain childhood diseases.
 
"During the interview process, we will match them to a department where they can be best utilized. After the candidate is given the green light, the volunteer will train with another volunteer in that department for at least 28 hours before they can go out on their own."
 
If you are interested in volunteering at YRMC call Hammonds at 336-2005 or e-mail her at www.EHAMMONDS@YUMAREGIONAL.ORG.
 
Jamie Keim, who has volunteered in the East Lobby Information Desk, says he began volunteering after he suffered injuries in a serious car accident to give him something to do .
 
It is his job to answer phones, direct people where to go, handle mail, and call for courtesy carts on the radio.
 
He says he volunteers every Wednesday for five hours.
 
"This makes me feel good, and when I tell people how long I have volunteered, they look at me like I am crazy because I'm not getting paid. I think I have only missed two shifts in the last five years, if that."
 
Bill Edwards and his wife Sandra work together when they volunteer at the Corner Stork Cafe, of which Bill is the proprietor.
 
"I stock the store, keep the food fresh, and run the cash register. We are retired and this gives us something to do," he said.
 
"After volunteering we are tired, but it is one of the few jobs we have had that we look forward to coming back to the next week.
 
"We had been coming to the hospital to visit a family member and saw signs asking for volunteers and thought it was a good idea to volunteer.
 
"I believe people should volunteer. It is one of the better things we've done, and we enjoy it a lot. There is a big difference in volunteering as opposed to having to go to work."
 
Sandra says that volunteering is one way to hold on to your youth.
 
"I enjoy meeting the young people here at the hospital; they just revive me. I look forward to coming in on Thursdays and seeing all the smiles. It just revitalizes me.
 
"This makes us feel young again, and sometimes we can help people if they look down. It is wonderful here and we have learned a lot."