Celebrating the return of the Junior Volunteer program

LMH Health is excited to welcome back the Junior Volunteer program after a four year hiatus. Junior volunteers are high school students who spend their free time giving back to their community. Generally, these students are interested in a better understanding of how a hospital runs or a career in healthcare. The program at LMH Health provides an opportunity to build valuable skills in leadership and communication while gaining professional experience.

Prisha Patel and Erin Jackson

“Hospitals are intricate places with lots of moving parts,” Basehor-Linwood High School senior Prisha Patel said. “Since becoming a junior volunteer, my self-confidence has grown for future opportunities in similar environments.”

The Junior Volunteer program, formerly known as the candy striper program, began in 1966 with young women who worked under clinic nurses. Today, junior volunteers can be found throughout the hospital working with a variety of administrative and clinical staff.

For Mridula Boopeshkumar, a Free State High School junior, being a junior volunteer means being selfless in her work and putting others’ needs above her own. She finds gratification in helping others and making an impact in her community. In the future, Boopeshkumar hopes to become a nurse and continue to grow her passion for caring for others.

The junior volunteers are here for the summer, helping to provide coverage while many volunteers are on vacation or are gone for the summer.

Once selected, volunteers go through orientation and training similar to employees. They are then placed in different departments throughout the hospital. The volunteers work in many departments in the hospital including:

• Acute Rehab and Transitional Care
• Endoscopy
• Gift Shop
• Lab
• Lawrence General Surgery
• Lawrence GI Consultants
• Lawrence Neurology Specialists
• Lawrence Pain Specialists
• Lawrence Urology Specialists
• LMH Health Cancer Center
• Palliative Support Services
• Pharmacy
• Surgery
• Surgery Waiting
• Therapy Services

The junior volunteers’ responsibilities vary clinic to clinic and include assisting with patient transportation, stocking supplies and keeping the patients company. These tasks may seem simple, but they are essential to running the hospital smoothly and providing a “patient first” experience,

“The junior volunteers have a positive impact on our unit each shift they work,” said Jean Munsch, a recovery room nurse in the Endoscopy Center. “I remind them all the time, every task they perform would have to be done by a staff member, on top of all the many responsibilities the nurses already have to perform. They provide the nurses more quality time with their patients.”

Celebrating outstanding young people

The junior volunteers have an impact in multiple areas of LMH Health. However, the one that is the most obvious is on those with whom they interact.

“There is a natural mentorship that happens across generations between the high school students, college students, and older adult volunteers all working together,” said Lauren Cobb, volunteer services manager. “Teaching and learning from one another helps the volunteers grow regardless of their age.”

Junior volunteers have established strong relationships with other staff members and help build culture in the hospital every day. They work with the staff to ensure everything runs smoothly throughout the unit and help with whatever is asked of them.

James Holt, a registered nurse in the Endoscopy Center, discussed the tremendous benefit of having the junior volunteers in his unit. He was surprised at their level of maturity, especially in the gastrointestinal unit which can be off-putting at their age.

“I’m grateful to know there are kids out there that are willing to give back to the community at such a young age,” he said. “A simple conversation or smile can go a long way for a patient or visitor on what could be one of their worst days.”

LMH Health Volunteers come from all over. Some, like Patel, drive more than 30 minutes to volunteer. LMH Health is thankful to have so many volunteers who are willing to dedicate their time and make a positive impact on the community, patients and LMH Health employees.

“I love being able to interact with patients. It is meaningful to be a part of someone’s healthcare journey even in small ways,” Patel said. “Volunteering at LMH has allowed me to understand how much of an impact you can have on someone in just a day.”

The healthcare industry has faced a major crisis throughout the past few years. According to LMH Health leadership, during a time of nationwide healthcare worker burnout and staffing challenges, the volunteers brought a refreshing energy back into the environment at the hospital.

Gavin and Greysen Koonce

Graysen and Gavin Koonce, freshmen at Free State High School, learned about the Junior Volunteer Program from their mom, Allison Koonce, LMH Health community outreach and engagement supervisor. Having children of LMH Health staff give their times brings a family feel to the program and the hospital.

“Originally, I joined the program because my mom works in the hospital and I wanted to see what she did, but now I get to help all different kinds of people every day,” Graysen Koonce said. “I’m not set on working in healthcare in the future, but I’m excited to be able to volunteer without having a diploma or degree.”

For some junior volunteers, their journey with LMH Health does not end in the summer. The impact of the program continues to be felt as many former junior volunteers, from clinical to administrative staff, continue to work with the organization.

“I started volunteering as a junior volunteer in 2003,” said Alyssa Austin, clinical manager with Lawrence OB-GYN Specialists. “I made the best friends, acquired the sweetest mentors and LMH became like my family.”

Austin had such a positive experience that she chose to start her career in the same place. When Austin was a junior volunteer, she was placed in the OB-GYN clinic. Twenty years later, she manages the same clinic where her healthcare journey began.

“My passion for women’s health began with my junior volunteer experience at Lawrence OB-GYN Specialists,” she said. “The first-hand insight and experience solidified my interest in the field and directed me towards my current role.”

Year-round volunteering

The Junior Volunteer program is the perfect opportunity for young students to get a foot in the door in the healthcare industry while giving back to the local community. The program has a variety of placement options for the volunteers which allows them to get insight into different careers and often solidifies their interest in the healthcare field.

“I chose to volunteer at LMH Health because of the variety of department options, flexible hours and patient interactions,” said Patel. “It is the most beneficial and engaging environment I could find.”

Moving forward, the Junior Volunteer program will be open year-round. We welcome all ages of volunteers, from 14 to 114. If you or your child are interested in volunteering, please contact Volunteer Services Supervisor Shane Heiman at Shane.Heiman@LMH.org.

Participants must be:

• At least 14 years old   
• Available to work at least one two to four hour shift a week
• Interested in helping in your community, and
• Possibly interested in a healthcare career 

Cobb said that the junior volunteers have touched many lives throughout the years and the program will continue to grow and evolve to benefit both the Lawrence community and LMH Health.

Natalie Terranova is a marketing and communications intern at LMH Health.