Volunteer Service Areas

The Volunteer Department offers the opportunity for members of the general public to provide community service, gain experience in a health care setting, acquire new skills and make new friends. We have immediate openings for volunteers in many areas. Contact Ange Peebles, Site Coordinator, at (408) 851-1717 if you are interested in volunteering in any of the following areas. Volunteers are scheduled usually 2 to 4 hours per week and offer compassion and support in the following areas:

Service Areas:

Blood Pressure Screening
Volunteers assist members in monitoring their blood pressure. Qualifications:
  • Complete blood pressure training.
  • Able to interact well with people
  • Able to record clear information to the nursing staff
  • Flexible, punctual, reliable
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 -12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30 & 4:30 - 8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Ambassador/Escort Guide / Host / Greeter
    Volunteers will welcome and escort patients being admitted to and discharged from the hospital or MOB, and will escort members from one location to another within the facility.
    Qualifications:
  • Physically able to push a wheelchair
  • Be able to work well in busy, demanding situations while maintaining a high level of customer service
  • Able to handle busy phones with efficiency, accuracy and courtesy
  • Work well in a team situation
  • Comply with dress code
  • Able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
    Scheduled Shifts in Hospital:
    Times: 8:30 am-12:30 & 12:30 pm-4:30 & 4:30-8:30 pm Days: M-F
    Times: 9-1 & 11-3 Day: Sat.
    Times: 9-1 & 1-5 Day: Sun.
    Scheduled Shifts in MOB:
    Times: 8:30-12:30 & 12:30-4:30 & 4:30-8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Ambassador/Hospital Greeter / Director
    Volunteers will provide assistance and support to our patients and will enhance nursing services in the various hospital inpatient floors.
    Qualifications:
  • Enjoy interacting with patients, staff, and visitors
  • Have good organizational skills, listening skills, and excellent customer service skills
  • Able to follow directions of nursing staff
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30-12:30 & 12:30-4:30 & 4:30-8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Gift Gallery
    Volunteers provide an enjoyable experience for Health Plan members, visitors and staff to purchase unique gifts.
    Qualifications:
  • Have excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrate a consistent highlevel of customer service
  • Be willing to learn computerized cash register/inventory control system.
  • Able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs.
  • Have knowledge of cash handling
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30-12:30 & 12:30-4:30 & 4:30-7:30
    Days: Daily
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    Health Education / Women's Health / Resource Center
    Volunteers will assist Health Plan Members with accessing information on a variety of heath related topics.
    Volunteer will also assist in organizing and stocking education materials.
    Qualifications:
  • Ability to communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of Health Plan Members.
  • Ability to follow instruction given by staff
  • Willingness to uphold hospital standards of ethics and confidentiality.
  • Have excellent telephone and communication skills
    Scheduled Shift Times: 9:00 - 1:00 & 1:00 - 5:00
    Days: M-F
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    Information Desk
    Volunteers will assist members, visitors and staff in locating provider offices, patient room numbers, appointments, and other services throughout the Hospital and Medical Center
    Qualifications:
  • Have the ability to give clear information in a friendly, professional manner while working in a very busy, sometimes highly stressful environment
  • Have computer skills (willing to learn).
  • Be able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
  • Excellent customer service skills
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30 & 4:30 - 8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Pharmacy Information Resource / Greeter / Blood Pressure Screener
    Volunteers act as a resource and provide information to members utilizing the pharmacy.
    Volunteers assist members in registering on the KP Online system, learning to email their doctor, and directing them to the appropriate line for help.
    They also take blood pressures.
    Qualifications:
  • Be comfortable with computers and online search.
  • Be physically able to stand and walk during shift.
  • Be able to work in a busy demanding situation.
  • Be able to work in a team situation.
  • Be willing to follow guidelines for safety, and comply with the dress code. Be outgoing and people-oriented and welcome interaction with age specific needs
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30 & 4:30 - 8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Laboratory Information Resource / Greeter / Blood Pressure Screener
    Volunteers act as a resource and provide information to members utilizing the pharmacy.
    Volunteers assist members in registering on the KP Online system, learning to email their doctor, and directing them to the appropriate line for help.
    They also take blood pressures.
    Qualifications:
  • Be comfortable with computers and online search.
  • Be physically able to stand and walk during shift.
  • Be able to work in a busy demanding situation.
  • Be able to work in a team situation.
  • Be willing to follow guidelines for safety, and comply with the dress code.
  • Be outgoing and people-oriented and welcome interaction with age.specific needs.
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30 & 4:30 - 8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Memory Assessment Clinic
    Volunteers will receive referrals from the Social Workers and will contact patient/caregiver and will listen to issues concerning their well being.
    Will also help organize and set up training sessions.
    Qualifications:
  • Make a one year commitment to the program after being trained.
  • Have a pleasant phone voice and clear communication style.
  • Good listening skills.
  • Have a genuine interest in working with older individuals.
  • Participate in continuing training as provided.
  • Adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs.
    Scheduled Shifts: varies
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    Mended Hearts
    Volunteers will visit patients with heart disease, and their families or caregivers, offering encouragement and support.
    Qualifications:
  • Ability to work with minimal supervision.
  • Good communication and listening skills.
  • Have professional appearance and demeanor.
  • Able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs.
  • Meet requirements set by the Mended Hearts Association.
  • Walk and stand for ling periods of time.
    Scheduled Shifts: to be determined by Mended Hearts Organization
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    Knitting of Baby Booties, Hats, Blankets
    Volunteers will provide knit items for patients.
    Qualifications:
  • Ability to knit or crochet, and work at home


    Jim Wilson/The New York Times/4-17-2008)
    A premature infant with knitted cap in an incubator at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center in Santa Clara, Calif.     Return to top

    Newborn Club
    Volunteers will assist Newborn Club staff with the flow of patients (new parents and their infants).
    Qualifications:
  • Have good communication and customer services skills.
  • Be a self-starter.
  • Be able to work within guidelines of service.
  • Be able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs.
  • Work well with parents and newborns.
  • Excellent customer service skills.
    Scheduled Shift Time: 7:30 - 12:30
    Days: Daily
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    Pediatrics
    Volunteers will provide assistance and support to our pediatric patients and to help maintain the playroom environment.
    Qualifications:
  • Desire and ability to interact with children.
  • Experience interacting with children of different ages.
  • Comfortable in the hospital setting
  • Flexibility, a willingness to learn, and the ability to function as part of a team
  • Ability to follow directions of nursing staff
  • Willingness to follow HIPAA guidelines and infection control
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30 & 4:30 - 8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Pet Therapy
    The Pet Therapy Visitation Program is designed to help patients adjust to the stress of hospitalization by providing a familiar, non-threatening focus of attention in the hospital environment.
    Qualifications:
  • Pleasant, able to be understood, and have good listening skills
  • Have a genuine interest in working with hospitalized patients of any age and staff
  • Comply with the administrative policy on Animal/Pet Visitation
  • Follow HIPAA guidelines, infection control policies and participate in continuing training as provided
  • Able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30 & 4:30 - 8:30
    Days: Daily
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    Reach Out and Read Program
    By reading to children waiting for appointments, volunteers will promote literacy and encourage children and their families that reading is fun and educational.
    Qualifications:
  • Must be fluent in English and able to read aloud with clarity
  • Have an interest in interacting with children of all ages
  • Must have good communication skills with a sensitivity to cultural differences
  • Self starter
  • Very customer oriented
  • Willingness to approach children and their parents
  • Work well in a team environment
  • Follow safety and universal precautions guidelines
  • Comply with the dress code
  • Be able to work in busy and demanding situations
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30
    Days: M - F
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    Special Projects
    Volunteers will complete special request assignments from various departments.
    Qualifications:
  • Work well own and under direct supervision
  • Have good communication skills and work well in a busy environment
  • Be able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
    Scheduled Shifts: varies
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    Volunteer Services Office
    Volunteers will assist with the daily functions of the Volunteer Services Office.
    Qualifications:
  • Self starter
  • Work well on your own and under direct supervision
  • Have good communication skills and work well in a busy environment
  • Able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
    Scheduled Shift Times: 8:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30
    Days: M -F
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    Surgical Liaison
    (Minimum age: 21) Volunteers will act as liaison between the surgical area staff and the waiting families and visitors.
    Qualifications:
  • Be detail oriented and able to keep track of surgery patient's status
  • Have the ability to interface with a large number of people under stressful conditions while maintaining a high level of customer-focus and patient confidentiality
  • Have the ability to give clear, accurate information to staff, visitors and families
  • Able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
  • Must commit to a two-year service term
  • Service requires a lot of walking
    Scheduled Shift Times: 7:30- 12:00 & 12:00 - 4:00 & 4:00 - 8:00
    Days: M - F
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    Ambulatory Surgical Liaison
    (Minimum Age: 21) Volunteers will act as liaison between the admitting clerk, surgical staff and families in the waiting areas
    Qualifications:
  • Be detailed oriented and able to keep track of surgery patient's status
  • Have the ability to interface with a large number of people under stressful conditions while maintaining a high level of customer-focus service
  • Have the ability to give clear, accurate information to staff, visitors and families
  • Able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
    Scheduled Shift Times: 7:30 - 12:30 & 12:30 - 4:30
    Days: M - F
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    ”Smile”
    Inpatient specific unit volunteer. (Currently a pilot program that may be expanded to Mother/Baby and Medical/Surgery units.
    Volunteer supports unit staff with discharge, dietary trays, and newspapers.
    Qualifications:
  • Have good communication and interpersonal skills and an excellent customer service focus
  • Be able to maintain strictest confidentiality and security rules
  • Be able to adapt communication and interaction to age specific needs
  • Be able to push wheelchairs
    Scheduled Shift Time: 9:30 - 11:30 Days:
    Daily
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    Hospice

    Hospice Volunteering is a different type of volunteer work. It involves going to peoples homes and providing respite care, for a family member who is taking care of a dying patient at home. This is not hands care, you are like a friendly visitor coming into the home, bringing some new engery and new life into a difficult situation. Many of our patients are able to get up and move around and enjoy meeting new people. If you have a car, and are willing to give about 4 hours of time per week and you have the interest and desire to provide this special kind of volunteer care, please give Steve Pankratz, the Hospice Volunteer Coord. a call: (408) 342-6631. We will provide you with the training and the ongoing support to do this work. Come and join our team of 40 volunteers who are committed to providing end of life volunteer support and care. You just may meet some wonderful people along the way.
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