By joining our team, you can have the opportunity to gain valuable experience and use your interpersonal and administrative skills in a leading health care facility.
Our greatest need for volunteers is during business hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. Limited opportunities are available evenings and weekends at PMH, TGH, TR and TWH.
Clinical Patient Support
Examples – Endocrinology, Fracture, Endoscopy, Medical Imaging, Head and Neck Clinic, GI, GU, Transplant, Bariatric, Cardia, Spinal Cord, MSK, Neurology
- Greet and welcome patients and visitors
- Assist with various administrative tasks including photocopying, filing, phone calls
- Assist patients with general inquiries and information needs
- Prepare the Exam Room and escort patients to the Exam Room
Inpatient Support
Examples – Patient Visiting, Unit Support, Therapeutic Recreation, Wellness, Dotsa Bitove Wellness Academy, Palliative Care
- Provide activities for patients – examples include providing reading material, playing cards, board games, puzzles, talking, reading to patients, writing letters, arts and crafts
- Communicate between patients/families and nursing/health professions staff – inform nursing/health professions staff about patients and visitors who wish to talk with medical staff. Keep staff informed of any questions or concerns raised.
- Escort patients for walks
- Provide companionship when requested
Specialized Patient Support
Care & Connect Virtual Program
The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has a trained team of volunteers who work directly with cancer patients and their supporters as part of the Care & Connect program. Care & Connect volunteers offer emotional support and participate in friendly conversations by phone or video chat with patients and caregivers who are under care at PM. Care & Connect volunteers can help answer questions, connect patients with services and assist with practical problem-solving.
Call 416 946 4501 ext. 3311 or email care.connect@uhn.ca for more information.
Administrative Support
Examples – Human Resources, Volunteer Resources, Clinical Administration, Health Records, Spinal Cord, MSK, Nutrition, Outpatient Clinics, Program Support
- Greeting and welcoming patients, visitors and staff
- Phoning patients to confirm upcoming appointments
- Filing, faxing and photocopying
- Errands to other departments
General Patient and Family Support
Examples – Navigator, Information Desk, Waiting Room Support, Critical Care Units, Emergency Department
- Assist with way-finding, direct and escort patients and other clients (e.g., family members, visitors) to different areas in the hospital
- Provide information pertaining to a patient's visit to the hospital
- Greet and welcome visitors
- Provide activities for patients – examples include providing reading material, playing cards, board games, puzzles, talking, reading to patients, writing letters, arts and crafts
- Assist family members and visitors with general inquiries and way-finding
- Liaise between visitors and medical staff
Rehab Therapy Support
Examples – Lyndhurst Spinal Cord Centre, Rumsey Neuro, Rumsey Cardiac, University Centre Geriatrics and MSK, Bickle Centre Complex Continuing Care, LTLD
- Assist in fostering a friendly environment for patients through social interaction
- Under the direction of the rehab therapist, assist patients to use "low-risk" equipment
- Assist in maintaining a safe and tidy patient by wiping down mats; main gym; changing pillows; returning equipment to appropriate rooms; and tidying walker and weight rooms
- Assist with clerical tasks such as: taking inventory; filing; literature searches; and photocopying
Mentorship Programs
Examples – Peter Munk Cardiac Mentorship, Transplant Mentorship, Prostate Mentorship, Breast Cancer Survivorship, Liver Mentorship, Aneurysm Mentorship, Peers Fostering Hope-Stroke Mentorship, Diabetes Mentorship, Rumsey Cardiac Centre, Rumsey Neuro Centre
- Former patients who mentor current patients experiencing the same diagnosis