Sentara launches program for non-clinical team member volunteers to help hospitals during COVID-19 surge

This week we rolled out a first-of-its-kind program at Sentara Healthcare called the Non-Clinical Resource Pool. This program was developed to support our frontline and bedside caregivers who have been working tirelessly throughout the current COVID-19 surge which has seen the highest number of patients yet.

The program uses a survey distributed to Sentara team members working in corporate, hospital support, and health plan divisions to gather a list of employees willing to volunteer in non-clinical roles at our hospitals during this challenging time.

We are grateful to share that we received volunteer interest from nearly 500 non-clinical team members. In the first week of the program, volunteers covered more than 380 shifts throughout most Sentara hospitals! A dedicated team has been working hard to match available roles and volunteer interest with open shifts at all participating locations. The use of non-clinical team member volunteers will be used throughout the system through February 12 and then decided on a weekly basis depending on our frontline team member needs.

Sentara’s clinical caregivers have been going above and beyond for nearly two years now. Many are, and have been, picking up additional shifts and training to work in different environments to meet our patients’ needs. This creative program is another way Sentara leadership is stepping outside of the normal operational process to do all we can to support our dedicated team members.

Take a look at some photos and testimonials from our team members involved in the first week of this program!

“For me it’s been humbling, it’s been eye-opening, and it’s been gratifying. For us that work from home, I think it’s a great opportunity to break us from the routine and to come out and help.”
- Bridget Frazier, Optima Health Claims Processor

“It’s a very warm and welcoming feeling to know we have others in the system who say, ‘let me jump in, let me help’ and really just having someone here to help distribute the meal trays has been a big benefit.”
- Tracey McMiller, SLH Food Services Director

“I wanted to share how grateful I am to be a part of this organization and working towards such an incredible mission… I was honored to wear those scrubs and to help out in any way that I could. The pace at which the clinical staff works, the situations they deal with, the risk and the exhaustion of it all.  What an incredible sacrifice they give every day to help others.”
- Taylor, Program Manager, IT Communications

“I volunteered today at Obici on my day off and I absolutely loved it!”
- Demeatrice Moore, Optima Claims Processor

“It feels good to give back to my workplace. I feel like everyone who has been working in the hospitals are superheroes… we can’t thank them enough for their hard work and truly they are the backbone to keep us going.”
- Jillian Ouyang, Corporate Strategic Planner

“It’s great having the volunteers here because they can fetch things that you need really quick… just the little things, it adds up and it helps a lot!”
- Laura Burnett, SNGH LPN

“Having that volunteer help has been wonderful.”
- Jessica Saavedra, SNGH Equipment Resource Associate

(Bridget Frazier, Optima Health Claims Processor, volunteering with the Food Services Division at Sentara Leigh Hospital)

(Volunteer Tasha Ringo (L), Optima Health Claims Processor, helping Evith Taylor (R), Environmental Services Technician, clean rooms at Sentara Leigh Hospital)

(Jillian Ouyang, Corporate Strategic Planner, volunteering by stocking equipment shelves Sentara Norfolk General Hospital)

(Volunteer Cristian Alvarez (L), Optima Health Claims Processor, helps Laura Burnett, LPN, (middle) and Tashara Snowden, RN, (right) as a runner at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital)