Tappahannock, Va. - Riverside Tappahannock Hospital volunteers recently donated sound machines and hug lights to create a better patient experience in the hospital’s Intensive Care and Medical/Surgical Units. The donation, valued at $250, is intended to help ease stress and provide a more restful environment for patients.
The sound machines will help create a continuous white noise that will help diffuse many of the common sounds of a hospital unit, including alarms that often disrupt a patient’s rest. The hug lights are designed to be worn around nurses’ necks and emit a low level of light. This allows the staff to check on patients at any time of day or night without the need for overhead lights that can be disruptive to resting patients.
“Anyone who has been a patient understands the difficulty most patients have to fall and stay asleep in the hospital,” said Frances Boykin, a volunteer at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital and a member of the Patient Experience Committee. “Something as simple as white noise or less intrusive lights can mean more rest for patients at a time when they probably need it the most.”
For the volunteers at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital, giving back takes many forms. The team of nearly 60 adult, junior and student volunteers play an integral role in providing service and care for the hospital’s patients, visitors and staff. With over 11,000 hours of volunteer time collectively given each year, these familiar faces help transport visitors from the parking lot to the hospital’s front door via golf cart, they greet, check in and provide information to hospital visitors, they staff the gift shop, visit patients and help staff with a variety of tasks.
Each year, the gift shop, vendor sales and other fundraisers help the volunteer team raise valuable funds that support hospital programs.
“Our volunteers are dedicated members of the team and they serve a vital role in the operation of our hospital,” said Liz Martin, Riverside Tappahannock Hospital President. “We appreciate their hours of service and their commitment to our mission to care for others as we would care for those we love.”
To learn more about Riverside Tappahannock Hospital volunteer program, visit riversideonline.com/rth/volunteer-opportunities.
Published: February 6, 2020