The hospice volunteer: A person of hospitality

Abstract

Volunteers are integral members of the hospice interdisciplinary team. They are distinguished from other members of the team only by role, not by expectation. The distinction is not between “volunteer” and “ professional, “because every team member is to be professional in the best sense of that word. Ifa distinction is to be made, it is that some hospice staff members are salaried while others donate their services. Volunteer staff members are expected to be as responsible and accountable asevery othermember of the team. ALL staff members must realize the importance of taking care ofpersonal needs in order to be able to care for others. Even though the following article deals primarily with the volunteer hospice staff member the points outlined canjust aseasily be applied to the salaried staff member