Jordan Herst has been a volunteer at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital (GNCH) since 2014. She has brought meals and blankets and provided companionship to patients, as well as assisted the nursing staff with light administrative duties.
When she saw a posting for a Covenant Partner in the break room during one of her volunteer rounds, she knew she had to apply.
Covenant partners volunteer their time by providing insights and unique perspectives that come from their personal experiences. They contribute to how health care services are planned, delivered, evaluated and improved. At Covenant Health, that could include working with a program or site, or participating in councils, committees and focus groups.
Jordan is a partner with the Covenant Health’s Patient Resident Family Advisory Council, the GNCH Surgery Quality Council and the Covenant Partner Orientation Workgroup.
“My grandmother had complex health issues, and my family members were in and out of hospitals. I saw a lot of things that were good, but also what could be improved on – so this was a perfect opportunity to share some of my experiences.
“It’s very different seeing things from the patient and family perspectives than from the medical side,” says Jordan, who is a second-year medical student.
She says little things can make a big difference in a person’s hospital experience. And because healthcare workers are busy, she wanted to share and offer her feedback to help improve patient care, which has been well received.
“The advisory council is excited to hear from partners; it’s so rewarding to see their feedback and our partner feedback make a difference in policies and incorporated into actual patient care.”
April 24-30 is National Volunteer Week. We are grateful for all our Covenant volunteers who serve with compassion.