No One Dies Alone

Operations Manual

by Susan Keane Baker

Sandra M. Clarke CCRN was making rounds at the start of her shift when a frail, elderly man asked her to sit with him. He was DNR and near-death. She promised to return just as soon as she had checked on her other six patients. When she was able to get back to him, he had died – alone. Sandra wanted to find a way to make sure that patients didn’t die alone, and created a program for employees to volunteer to sit with dying patients.

The program has been in operation at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon, for over ten years. As word continues to spread about the program, health care organizations around the country ask for more information. In response to those requests, the entire operations manual for the program has been replicated.

The Operations Manual is quite robust and includes:

Steps to get started
Brochure explaining program and how to sign up to volunteer
Volunteer recruitment and retention strategies
Program assessment criteria
Nursing staff expectations
List of supplies provided
Web technology used to support program
Phone coordinator position description, monthly tracking forms, sample communications
Orientation packet for new volunteers
Volunteer and staff evaluations
Information on palliative care

To order, visit http://www.peacehealth.org/Oregon/NoOneDiesAlone.htm

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