Wayne Hospital Auxiliary/Volunteers
The 120 active volunteers at Wayne Hospital are an important part of patient care. From admission to dismissal, volunteers are on hand to make the patients' stay in the hospital as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
The Sunshine Nook, Wayne Hospital's gift shop, is managed by the volunteers. They are responsible for buying and stocking all the special gifts, stuffed toys, magazines and other items. Volunteers also make all the silk flowers and the flower arrangements found in the Sunshine Nook. Working with the Dietary Department, volunteers pass out menus and can even help the patient make meal choices. Volunteers also man the reception desk for a few hours in the morning and afternoon to help patients and visitors find their destinations. The main desk is also where volunteer "escorts', wait to receive their next duty, which could be anything from helping a patient into a wheelchair to delivering mail, flowers or gifts to assisting a patient to the car. They also knit baby caps for all the newborn babies in "Special Beginnings." Over 7000 hats have been given to Wayne Hospital newborns.
The volunteer group is a member of the Ohio Hospital Association, Ohio Society Director of Volunteers Services (OSDVS). All the active volunteers are members of the Wayne Hospital Auxiliary. Wayne Hospital honors its volunteers for their hard work and dedication at its annual spring recognition luncheon. The Wayne Hospital Auxiliary, comprised of over 200 members, holds several fundraisers throughout the year with all proceeds going back to the hospital. The Christmas bake sale and bazaar, quilt raffles, croissant and book sales enabled the Auxiliary to donate money to the hospital for new medical equipment, such as the portable heart monitor in the Emergency Room; renovations and redecorating in areas such as the main lobby and the dining room. Recently, glider rockers were added to the "Special Beginnings Department" for the new moms, dads and babies to use. Eight pulse oximeters were donated to respiratory, 2N, 3N, 4N/ICU. Vital signs monitors were also purchased and given to four nursing units.