Volunteer at Methodist West Hospital - West Des Moines

Volunteer Opportunities at Methodist West Hospital

Volunteers at Methodist West Hospital make a difference for our patients, families and team members. We offer you the satisfaction of helping others along with wonderful support from our staff. Volunteers are needed in areas that range from patient and family contact, such as staffing waiting rooms, escorting or instruction; to clerical such as typing and filing; to customer service in gift shops and retail stores; to working at home on projects, such as sewing.

Volunteer assignments can be arranged on a schedule that suits you. All volunteers must go through a screening process prior to joining the team.

Adult Volunteer

We have opportunities in patient care areas and non-patient areas such as the gift shop, family waiting rooms, clerical support, and more. A typical volunteer assignment is once a week for 2-4 hours and can be arranged on a schedule that suits you. We ask our volunteers to make a six-month commitment.

College Student Volunteer

We have opportunities to support patients, families and hospital staff in a variety of areas, including our patient comfort cart program, pediatric and adult emergency departments, hospital elder life program (HELP) and more. A typical volunteer assignment is once a week for 2-4 hours. We ask our volunteers to make a two semester commitment.

 

Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)

Animal assisted therapy is available for patients and families during their stay. We understand the unique bond between humans and animals and how it can enhance a positive attitude and assist in the healing process.

Animal assisted therapy volunteers are required to commit to visiting our facilities a minimum of once per month. A typical volunteer assignment is once a week for 2-4 hours and can be arranged on a schedule that suits you. We ask our volunteers to make a six-month commitment. 

Upon evaluation by the animal assisted therapy program volunteer trainers, the animal must demonstrate behavior that it: is reliable; is controllable; is predictable; inspires confidence in the person s/he is interacting with; and the animal actively solicits interactions with people and is accepting and forgiving of differences in people's reactions and behavior.

Handlers must demonstrate they are reliable, confident, and natural in their interactions with people and animals; have control of their animal; inspire confidence in the person they are interacting with; and actively engage in interactions with people and accept and forgive differences in people's reactions and behavior.

Contact UnityPoint Health – Des Moines Volunteer Services