This article first appeared in the Rushville Republican on September 19, 2017.
Rush Memorial Hospital has been partnering with the Rushville Consolidated High School Community Service class for many years. This class offers upperclassmen the opportunity for onsite volunteering experiences within the confines of the class day. During the Community Service class block those students come to the hospital and perform their volunteering. Hours are kept in record and students must communicate to the instructor about their volunteer experience. Karen Brashaber is the Community Service instructor and coordinates the students with RMH Volunteer Coordinator Faith Mock through the Rush Memorial Hospital Foundation.
“We at Rush Memorial are always excited to host the students. They go through our volunteer orientation and learn about HIPAA guidelines, customer service, and work responsibility. We make every effort to match the student to areas within the hospital that the student has interest in someday working. The students gain valuable job/employee lessons and we gain good volunteers. It is a wonderful opportunity for all involved. The worst part is losing the student volunteers at the end of the school semester. The best part is the student gains firsthand experience in the healthcare setting,” shared Faith Mock, RMHF Director.
Brian Bane, V.P. of Human Resources at Rush Memorial Hospital, shared, “With over half of the fastest-growing professions just in the healthcare industry alone, we recognize that students may be interested in a career in either medicine, in a health related field or even in a hospital setting. If a student is interested in one of these careers, being a hospital volunteer will give them better insight in a healthcare environment. A major motivator for young people is the opportunity to gain work-related experience, skills, and qualifications that can help them in their education and careers. While being a hospital volunteer is hard work, it has many benefits. They will meet like-minded and generous people who are donating their time and skills to help others. We have found that volunteering can enhance students’ academic development, personal skills development, and a sense of civic responsibility. Benefits are also associated with career choice and employability after graduation. Volunteering at the hospital is also a great experience for their college applications, especially if they are interested in a career in healthcare. Being a hospital volunteer shows colleges that you’re serious about pursuing a career since you’ve already dedicated time to working in a hospital. We have had many examples of our past students coming back to Rush Memorial Hospital to start their careers.”
“Moving forward our H.R. department will be overseeing these students to give them the best possible multi-level experience at the hospital. The community service class is just another example of working together with our hospital, schools, and community to encourage and prepare our local young people for a positive and practical experience in health careers. We hope someday they will return to work here at RMH and establish themselves back into the community. It’s a win-win for everyone”, declared RMHF Director Mock.
