Volunteering at Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Children's Hospital, and associated entities
Volunteers are considered a valuable part of our patient care teams. Volunteers must be reliable, dedicated to their roles, and available for their per-determined schedules. Please see below for more information, and consider the commitment before applying.
Is there a time commitment?
Volunteers must commit to 6 months of volunteering. Volunteers serve at least one 3-4 hour shift per week in the same department, on the same day, and at the same time each week. If volunteers are seeking a letter of confirmation concerning the number of hours they served as a volunteer, they must complete at least 6 months and a minimum of 3 shifts per month.
How old do you need to be to volunteer?
Volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Teens under 18 years old are required to have a parent’s or guardian’s written permission. Please note that teens are not accepted in all of our departments due to the type of clinical or business setting.
What does the clearance process involve?
Volunteers are considered part of our patient care team and must therefore complete our standard clearance process. This process includes: an interview, criminal background check (for anyone 18 years and older), health service clearance (medical history and receipt of immunization records), and general volunteer orientation. Some areas require that you attend a unit specific orientation before starting. You would be notified of this requirement during your interview. Volunteers must wear a badge and uniform.
Can I perform court-appointed community service at Baystate?
Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate adult or juvenile court-appointed community service.
What can volunteers do?
Volunteers have many different roles that are not direct patient care. Your assignment will depend on information gathered during the interview, your personal preferences, types of assignments with openings, and your availability.
How do I start the process if I want to volunteer?
Please call 413-794-4210 to request a 30-minute interview appointment. By the end of the session you will know where and when you will be volunteering. The actual clearance process may take 3-4 weeks.
VOLUNTEER CLEARANCE
INTERVIEW WITH THE VOLUNTEER MANAGER
The typical interview is 30 minutes long. By the end of the interview, you will know when and where you are volunteering. We will provide you with information about health services requirements. We'll also give you a reference form to be filled out on your behalf.
BACKGROUND CHECK
Applicants 18 and older are required to go through a national criminal background check. The actual process is handled by a 3rd party – the same company that does background checks for new employees. You will receive a link requesting you to complete an online background check. Once you respond, it usually takes 2-10 business days to receive your background clearance.
HEALTH SERVICES
You will be required to complete a medical history form and provide proof of immunization. Clearance includes a TB test and all required immunizations and annual vaccines. Any tests or procedures performed during the clearance process by health services or under their direction will be done at no cost to the applicant.
GENERAL VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION
Once you are cleared by health services, you will be scheduled to attend a volunteer orientation. Orientation is held once a month and will run no more than two hours. The volunteer orientation is an interactive session which will help to ensure that you are fully prepared to volunteer at Baystate Health in a safe and effective manner.