At Hocking Valley Community Hospital, volunteers are an essential part of the hospital’s ability to provide exceptional care to the community. Their time, energy, and commitment allow us to serve our patients more efficiently and help create a welcoming, compassionate environment.
Volunteers at HVCH contribute in a variety of important ways. They assist with administrative tasks, help patients navigate the hospital, deliver messages, gardening and provide much-needed companionship to those in our care. Volunteers are a valuable support system, enabling staff to focus more on clinical responsibilities while helping to ensure a smooth and positive experience for patients and visitors.
In addition to their service to the community, HVCH volunteers also help save the hospital significant resources. According to Serve Ohio, the value of volunteer time in Ohio is $31.18 per hour in 2025. When applied to the 3,536 hours volunteered annually, this translates to an estimated savings of $110,635.68 each year. These savings are reinvested into the hospital, ensuring that HVCH can continue to provide high-quality care, improve services, and meet the needs of our community.
The work volunteers do at HVCH extends far beyond financial savings. Volunteers help create a caring, supportive environment that enhances the experience for patients and families. Their contributions help ease the stress that often accompanies hospital visits, offering emotional
support and comfort during challenging times. Volunteers are an essential part of the hospital, helping to foster a community spirit that positively impacts both staff and patients.
We currently have several volunteer opportunities available at HVCH, including:
- Information Desk: Greets the public; escorts patients and visitors, responds to telephone inquiries, delivers patient mail and floral arrangements; provides directional information.
- Messenger Services: Picks up, sorts, and delivers inter-departmental correspondence throughout the building and transports U.S. mail to and from the mailroom.
- Patient Pal: Serves as an advocate to patients and visitors in a specific patient care unit by rounding to patient rooms to ensure needs of patients and visitors are met.
- Pet Therapy: Visits patients with a registered therapy dog. Your dog must be registered through an acceptable organization with all paperwork on file to proceed.
- Registration: Greets patients arriving for outpatient procedures; assures these patients get through the registration process in a timely and orderly manner; escorts patients to testing locations; delivers paperwork to patient units.
- Materials Management: Works with department to assist in inventory and shelving.
- Clerical Support: Volunteers provide clerical support in a variety of departments, such as Accounting, Administration, Contracts and Collections, Community Relations, Human Resources, Education, Outpatient Therapy Services.
- Courtesy Cart: Visits various patient and waiting rooms with courtesy cart that is stocked with books, magazines, cookies and/or refreshments
- Crafters: Volunteers will create handmade items for patients and visitors. Can be done at home or as a group setting onsite.
- Chaplain Services: Visits patient bedsides to identify the patients’ church affiliation, and with permission of patient notifies church of hospitalization. Provides spiritual support if requested. All volunteer chaplains must be ordained ministers.
- Courtyard Caretaker: Helps water and maintain planters and flower beds in the HVCH courtyard and around the hospital. Also may help fill bird feeders in courtyard and around patient windows.
- Urgent Care assistant: Assisting nursing staff with patient needs. Transporting samples to the lab.
We believe in recognizing and rewarding the valuable contributions of our volunteers. Some of the benefits we offer to our volunteers include:
- Free Lunches: Volunteers enjoy a complimentary lunch on the days they volunteer.
- Annual Recognition: Volunteers are honored each year for their dedication and service.
- Gifts and Awards: Volunteers receive special gifts and awards as tokens of appreciation for their hard work.
- Pharmacy Privileges: Volunteers have access to pharmacy privileges, including discounted prescriptions.
These benefits are just a small way we show our appreciation for the dedication and hard work of our volunteers.
To accommodate the schedules of our volunteers, HVCH offers 4-hour shifts that provide flexibility, allowing volunteers to sign up for shifts that work best for them. The volunteer schedule is updated regularly and is available to all participants, ensuring that their time commitments align with both the hospital’s needs and their availability.
If you’re interested in joining our volunteer team and making a meaningful impact, please visit the volunteer page for more information on how to get involved. Together, we can continue to strengthen our community and ensure that HVCH remains a place of compassionate care for all.