Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The role of volunteers at an outpatient cancer center: how do volunteers enhance the patient experience?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to describe the role volunteers play in the cancer patient experience at the BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver Island Centre, and opportunities to enhance the services they provide.

Methods

Using an action research approach, methodological triangulation of data from the viewpoints of patients, volunteers, and staff was used to first understand the unmet needs of patients and then how volunteers are able to address some of those needs.

Results

Patients, volunteers, and staff all agreed that volunteers enhance the patient experience, specifically by working with professionals to meet patients’ emotional, practical, and informational needs. Physical needs were indirectly met by guiding patients to the appropriate personnel. Additionally, this study elucidated important organizational information such as gaps in care, how to screen for volunteers, and perceptions among interdisciplinary staff about the role of volunteers in cancer care.

Conclusions

Volunteers provide an essential complement to the professional healthcare team by tending to the non-medical needs of patients, thereby enhancing the patient experience. By better understanding the role and resulting benefits of involving volunteers in cancer care, healthcare professionals and volunteers can work synergistically to improve the quality of care for patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hotchkiss RB, Fottler MD, Unruh L (2009) Valuing volunteers: the impact of volunteerism on hospital performance. Health Care Manag Rev 34(2):119–128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Sandhaus S, Zalon ML, Valenti D, Dzielak E, Smego RA Jr, Arzamasova U (2010) A volunteer-based hospital elder life program to reduce delirium. Health Care Manag 29(2):150–156

    Google Scholar 

  3. Browne P (2000) Volunteers. Time is money. Health Serv J 110(5690):28–29

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Kinnane NA, Waters T, Aranda S (2011) Evaluation of a pilot ‘peer support’ training programme for volunteers in a hospital-based cancer information and support centre. Support Care Cancer 19(1):81–90

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Handy F, Srinivasan N (2005) The demand for volunteer labor: a study of hospital volunteers. Nonprof Volunt Sec Q 34(4):491–509

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Nissim R, Regehr M, Rozmovits L, Rodin G (2009) Transforming the experience of cancer care: a qualitative study of a hospital-based volunteer psychosocial support service. Support Care Cancer 17(7):801–809

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Steinberg ML, Fremont A, Khan DC, Huang D, Knapp H, Karaman D, Forge N, Andre K, Chaiken LM, Streeter OE Jr (2006) Lay patient navigator program implementation for equal access to cancer care and clinical trials. Cancer 107(11):2669–2677

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Macvean ML, White VM, Pratt S, Grogan S, Sanson-Fisher R (2007) Reducing the unmet needs of patients with colorectal cancer: a feasibility study of the pathfinder volunteer program. Support Care Cancer 15(3):293–299

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Claxton-Oldfield S, Claxton-Oldfield J (2008) Some common problems faced by hospice palliative care volunteers. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 25(2):121–126

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Claxton-Oldfield S, Hastings E, Claxton-Oldfield J (2008) Nurses’ perceptions of hospice palliative care volunteers. Am J Hosp Palliat Care 25(3):169–178

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Bonevski B, Sanson-Fisher R, Girgis A, Burton L, Cook P, Boyes A (2000) Evaluation of an instrument to assess the needs of patients with cancer. Supportive care review group. Cancer 88(1):217–225

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Akechi T, Okuyama T, Endo C, Sagawa R, Uchida M, Nakaguchi T, Akazawa T, Yamashita H, Toyama T, Furukawa TA (2011) Patient’s perceived need and psychological distress and/or quality of life in ambulatory breast cancer patients in Japan. Psychooncology 20(5):497–505

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Urbaniec OA, Collins K, Denson LA, Whitford HS (2011) Gynecological cancer survivors: assessment of psychological distress and unmet supportive care needs. J Psychosoc Oncol 29(5):534–551

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Hodgkinson K, Butow P, Hunt GE, Pendlebury S, Hobbs KM, Wain G (2007) Breast cancer survivors’ supportive care needs 2–10 years after diagnosis. Support Care Cancer 15(5):515–523

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Harrison JD, Young JM, Price MA, Butow PN, Solomon MJ (2009) What are the unmet supportive care needs of people with cancer? A systematic review. Support Care Cancer 17(8):1117–1128

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Parsons J, Servage L (2004) Preparing for site-based research. Royal Roads University, Victoria

    Google Scholar 

  17. McNiff J (2013) Action research: principles and practice. Routledge

  18. Lingard L, Albert M, Levinson W (2008) Grounded theory, mixed methods, and action research. BMJ 337:a567–a567

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Butlers S, Rosenblum B (1991) Cancer in two voices. Spinsters Book Company, San Franciso

    Google Scholar 

  20. Dosdall C, Broatch J (1998) My God I thought you’d died. One man’s triumph over cancer. Kromar Printing Limited, Winnipeg, Manitoba

    Google Scholar 

  21. MacPhee R (1994) Picasso’s woman: a breast cancer story. Douglas & McIntyre, Vancouver, BC

    Google Scholar 

  22. Smith D (2003) Surely not me? A year in the life of a victim of prostate cancer. Vancouver Island Prostate Cancer Research Foundation

  23. Smith A (2004) Bearing up with cancer. Second Story Press, Toronto, Ont

    Google Scholar 

  24. Houlker J, Standeven G, Rickaby M (2009) Choosing to smile. choosing to smile publications

  25. Young K (2000) The gemcitabine blues. Samco Printers Limited, Vancouver, BC

    Google Scholar 

  26. Eaton B (2004) Letter to the editor. J Palliat Care 20(1):62

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Hagmann CE (1996) A need to study utilization of inhospital volunteer manpower for hospitalized adult cancer patients. J Tenn Med Assoc 89(2):56–57

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Handy F, Srinivasan N (2002) Costs and contributions of professional volunteer management. Lessons from Ontario hospitals. Canadian Centre for Philanthropy. www.nonprofitscan.ca/pdf/SR/Handy-SR1-English-Web.pdf

  29. Handy F, Srinivasan N (2004) Valuing volunteers: an economic evaluation of the net benefit of hospital volunteers. Nonprof Volunt Sec Q 33(1):28–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. McQuellon R, Hurt GJ, DeChatelet P (1996) Psychosocial care of the cancer patient. A model for organizing services. Cancer Pract 4(6):304–311

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Rovinski CA (1981) Cancer care at the volunteer level. Cancer Nurs 4(6):475–477

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. House JS (1987) Social support and social structure. Sociol Forum 2(1):135–146

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Ussher J, Kirsten L, Butow P, Sandoval M (2006) What do cancer support groups provide which other supportive relationships do not? The experience of peer support groups for people with cancer. Soc Sci Med 62(10):2565–2576

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Butler SS (2006) Evaluating the senior companion program: a mixed-method approach. J Gerontol Soc Work 47(1–2):45–70

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Streubert HJ, Carpenter DR (1999) Qualitative research in nursing: advancing the humanistic imperative, 2nd edn. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, PA

    Google Scholar 

  36. Merrell J, Williams A (1999) Synergy: working together with volunteers in community well woman clinics. J Adv Nurs 30(2):489–496

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Koshy E, Koshy V, Waterman H (2010) Action research in healthcare. Sage

  38. Lorhan S, Wright M, Hodgson S, van der Westhuizen M (2014) The development and implementation of a volunteer lay navigation competency framework at an outpatient cancer center. Support Care Cancer 22(9):2571–2580

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Lorhan S, Dennis D, van der Westhuizen M, Hodgson S, Berrang T, Daudt H (2014) The experience of people with lung cancer with a volunteer-based lay navigation intervention at an outpatient cancer center. Patient Educ Couns 96(2):237–248

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the patients, volunteers, community members, and BCCA-VIC staff who took the time out of their busy lives to participate in the interviews and focus groups of this study. A special thanks also to Johanna den Duyf, Phil Cady, Lorraine Leitz, Jane Hurtig, and Jan Tew for their support in making this project comes into fruition.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no financial relationship with the organization that sponsored the research. The authors also have full control of all primary data and agree to allow the journal to review their data if requested.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. BC Cancer Agency, 2410 Lee Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8R 9Z9, Canada

    Shaun Lorhan, Michael van der Westhuizen & Stacey Gossmann

Authors
  1. Shaun Lorhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Michael van der Westhuizen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Stacey Gossmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shaun Lorhan.

Appendices

APPENDIX A: Patient interview form

Before proceeding with the interview, I will review the purpose of the study, the anonymity and confidentiality commitment, the right to withdraw at any time, the use of audiotape and the time expectation. The interview will be semi-structured with the list of questions below being the guide.

A written questionnaire will be provided at the conclusion of the interview asking the following demographic and social information: type of cancer, current treatment, gender, age, support system, and any previous experience with cancer.

Questions:

  1. 1.

    Can you tell me about your cancer and where you are in the treatment process right now?

  2. 2.

    I’d like you to take a moment to think back to your first visit at the centre, and then your subsequent visits. I’m going to ask you to describe any needs you had outside of the need for medical care?

    1. a)

      Practical needs

    2. b)

      Informational needs

    3. c)

      Emotional needs

    4. d)

      Physical needs

    5. e)

      Spiritual needs

  3. 3.

    Can you describe your experience with having these needs met?

  4. 4.

    Of the needs you identified, which did you and/or would you anticipate being met through the healthcare and volunteer team at the cancer centre?

  5. 5.

    I’d like to ask you now about your experience with volunteers at the cancer centre. Can you please describe any experiences or services you have had with volunteers?

  6. 6.

    How have these experiences/services impacted your experience with cancer?

  7. 7.

    As you think about your earlier description of your needs since coming to the cancer centre, could volunteers potentially meet any of those needs?

    • If so, what are the skills/training/experience you feel are important for volunteers providing those services?

  8. 8.

    Is there anyone you know, who has had a different experience than you? Would you feel comfortable asking them if they would be interested in participating in the study?

APPENDIX B: Staff focus group tool

Thank you for agreeing to participate in today’s focus group. Your input will be very valuable as I look at how we can/do meet the non-medical needs of patients. I’m going to ask you to draw on your experiences here as a staff member and the encounters you have had with patients or other experiences you may have had with cancer patients and share that information with the group. It is anticipated that you may each have different perspectives of patient needs based on the lens of your contact/relationship with patients. As you share information, I would like you to keep in mind every patient’s right to confidentiality – so please, do not share any identifying information (i.e. this was my brother’s experience). Before we begin I’ve provided a consent form for each of you to sign. If you could please read the form now. I will be audio taping today’s session. For ease of transcription, and confidentiality, please before you speak refer to your first initial (i.e. this is “M” and…) and then speak into the recorder. I will also use a flip chart to capture our thoughts as we go.

  1. 1.

    What do you perceive as the non-medical needs of patients coming to the centre? (emotional, physical, practical, spiritual, informational)

    • Once list completed, share information from research, adding to the list as necessary

  2. 2.

    In what ways do we meet those needs?

  3. 3.

    In what ways do you think volunteers meet those needs?

  4. 4.

    In any of the areas where we are not meeting patient needs, do you see a role for volunteers?

  5. 5.

    What training would be required for volunteers to meet those needs?

  6. 6.

    What do you see as the limitations to volunteer involvement?

APPENDIX C: Volunteer focus group tool

Thank you for agreeing to participate in today’s focus group. Your input will be very valuable as I look at how volunteers can/do meet the non-medical needs of patients. I’m going to ask you to draw on your experiences here as a volunteer, or other experiences you may have had with cancer patients and share that information with the group. As you share information, I would like you to keep in mind every patient’s right to confidentiality – so please, do not share any identifying information (i.e. this was my brother’s experience). Before we begin I’ve provided a consent form for each of you to sign. If you could please read the form now. I will be audio taping today’s session. For ease of transcription, and confidentiality, please before you speak refer to your first initial (i.e. this is “M” and…) and then speak into the recorder. I will also use a flip chart to capture our thoughts as we go.

  1. 1.

    What do you perceive as the non-medical needs of patients coming to the centre? (emotional, physical, practical, spiritual, informational)

    • Once list completed, share information from research, adding to the list as necessary

  2. 2.

    In what ways do volunteers meet those needs?

  3. 3.

    In what ways do you think volunteers could meet those needs?

  4. 4.

    What training would be required for volunteers to meet those needs?

  5. 5.

    What do you see as the limitations to volunteer involvement?

APPENDIX D: Patient focus group tool

Thank you for agreeing to participate in today’s focus group. Your input will be very valuable as I look at how we can/do meet the non-medical needs of patients. I’m going to ask you to draw on your experiences as a patient, or other experience you may have had with cancer patients and share that information with the group. It is anticipated that you may each have different perspectives of patient needs based on your own experiences. It is the variety of experiences I am looking for. As you share information, I would like you to keep in mind every patient’s right to confidentiality – so please, do not share any identifying information (i.e. this was my brother’s experience). Before we begin I’ve provided a consent form for each of you to sign. If you could please read the form now. I will be audio taping today’s session. For ease of transcription, and confidentiality, please before you speak refer to your first initial (i.e. this is “M” and..) and then speak in to the recorder. I will also use a flip chart to capture our thoughts as we go.

  1. 1.

    As you think back to the time of treatment, what do you recall as your non-medical needs during the treatment phase? (emotional, physical, practical, spiritual, informational)

    • Once list completed, share information from research, adding to the list as necessary. Is this consistent with your experience?

  2. 2.

    In what ways do we meet those needs?

  3. 3.

    In what ways do you think volunteers meet those needs?

  4. 4.

    In any of the areas where we are not meeting patient needs, do you see a role for volunteers?

  5. 5.

    What training would be required for volunteers to meet those needs?

  6. 6.

    What do you see as the limitations to volunteer involvement?

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Lorhan, S., van der Westhuizen, M. & Gossmann, S. The role of volunteers at an outpatient cancer center: how do volunteers enhance the patient experience?. Support Care Cancer 23, 1597–1605 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2505-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2505-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation