Although you are not an employee, you should still be professional.  Show up to work on time, treat patients and visitors with respect, report any unsafe conditions, and do not use your cell phone while you are volunteering. Your professional conduct contributes to a safe environment for both you and the hospital patients, visitors, and employees.  Also avoid giving your contact information to patients and visiting with them outside of the hospital. Professional boundaries can become blurred when you share your personal information with patients. Crossing this boundary can cause patients to become dependent on you, make you feel burdened or stressed, and cause you to be less objective when helping the patients and families.  Unless you are required to touch the patients as part of your job, you should avoid any physical contact. Refraining from physical contact is for the safety of both you and the patient. You do not want to pass germs back and forth between you and the patients. Most hospitals require volunteers to wear a uniform. Your uniform will let patients, visitors, and hospital staff know that you are a volunteer. Keep your uniform neat and clean. You are representing the hospital when you are wearing it. Your name badge should always be visible as well.  If you lose your badge, let your supervisor know. There may be other dress code guidelines in addition to your uniform such as wearing flat, close-toe shoes. Be prepared to pay for your own uniform. As a volunteer, you must respect the privacy of all the patients at the hospital. Do not share any patient's medical information, name, address, phone number, or any other identifying information with anyone. You are also responsible for knowing and following the other policies and procedures (e.g. emergency procedure, infection control, etc.)  If you are ever unsure about something, consult your volunteer handbook, your supervisor, or the volunteer office. If you want to tell someone a story about some of your work at the hospital, be careful not to include the patient's name or any specifics in your story. When you volunteer on a regular basis, you will begin to develop friendships with some of the patients and families. Patients and families will be grateful for all the help that you provide and may try to show their gratitude by giving you a gift.  However, volunteers should never accept gifts from patients.  If a patient gives you something, try saying "This is very nice of you, but I cannot accept this" or "You are very kind, but no thank you."  If a patient insists that you accept something, take the gift and give it to your supervisor.  Let your supervisor know that you politely declined the gift, but the patient insisted that you take it. Although you are not a paid employee, you are still considered a professional.  Accepting gifts can compromise the relationship between you and the patients.  For example, some patients may expect special treatment or favors from you after you accept a gift.  Some hospitals have strict policies around this.  You could lose your volunteer position at the hospital.
كن محترفًا طوال الوقت. ارتدِ زيك الرسمي وشارتك. اتبع القواعد. لا تقبل الهدايا.