<![CDATA[
<BODY
BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF
LINK=#0066ff
ALINK=#0066ff
VLINK=#660000>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<!--======================-->
<!--=== START: Content ===-->
<!--======================-->
<CENTER>
<FONT SIZE=6>
<B>Volunteers help hospital</B><P>
</FONT>
</CENTER>
<!--====================-->
<!--=== START: Photo ===-->
<!--====================-->
<TABLE
CELLPADDING=0
CELLSPACING=0
BORDER=0
ALIGN=RIGHT>
<TR>
<TD>
<IMG SRC="/art/97/spacer.gif"
ALT=""
HEIGHT=1
WIDTH=20><BR CLEAR>
</TD>
<TD>
<IMG SRC="01girl.gif"
ALT="Photo"
WIDTH=230
HEIGHT=150
BORDER=1><BR CLEAR><P>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<!--==================-->
<!--=== END: Photo ===-->
<!--==================-->
<FONT SIZE=4><B>By Haili Wu</B><BR></FONT>Staff Writer
<HR>
They read to patients, color with children, and assist families having difficulties with hospital policies. The volunteers of the UK Hospital Auxiliary Program have been helping people for 34 years.<P>
This program incorporates three groups of individuals - adults, college students and teens - to volunteer around the hospital.At the beginning of each semester Bonnie Thornton, director of UK volunteer programs, accepts about 80 college students for different volunteer positions.
<P>
"We enjoy our college students," Thornton said. "It's a win-win situation, because not only are they gaining what they need, but we also get the help they give us to enhance the experience for our patients and families at UK Hospital."
<P>
Students volunteer for various reasons. For some it is a rewarding and much-needed experience to take them a step closer to various medical careers. For others it is a requirement for a social work class. Of course, there are also those who volunteer just to give something back to the community.
<P>
"I wanted an experience in a hospital to see what it's like," said biology sophomore and first-time volunteer Johnna Shipp.
<P>
The most popular departments for students are the emergency room and the newly established children's hospital.
<P>
"The new children's hospital is a big draw; a lot of folks enjoy working with children," Thornton said.
<P>
Shipp, who has been working at the UK Children's Hospital since February, described her job as "a great experience.
<P>
"I play with the children, help them to be in a good mood," Shipp said. "It's great to help people."
<P>
Shipp has not yet worked outside the children's hospital, but she expressed interest in working in the emergency room and operating room.
<P>
Ninety-three percent of all students who apply for volunteer positions are UK students. But students from surrounding colleges and universities also work for this program.
<P>
Students who are accepted to the auxiliary program go through orientation and training to prepare them for the work ahead. All students are required to work two to three hours per week for each semester, but many students work more than that. For Shipp, though, the required number of hours is just fine.
<P>
"I come here every Monday from 3 to 5," Shipp said.
<P>
Volunteers also have to go through tests, such as the TB test, just like regular employees.
<P>
What is so great about this volunteer program?
<P>
"I just got experience of being around patients and sick people, (learning) how they act, how to act around them," Shipp said. "They are not that different from us."
<P>
<!--=========================-->
<!--=== START: Photo text ===-->
<!--=========================-->
<HR>
<B>Photo: </B><B>HELPING OUT</B> Volunteer Johnna Shipp keeps patient Teresa Caudill company as part of her job at the UK Children's Hospital. Ninety-three percent of students who apply for volunteer positions are UK students.
<FONT SIZE=2>
<B>TIFFANY GILMARTIN </B> Kernel staff<BR>
</FONT>
<!--=======================-->
<!--=== END: Photo text ===-->
<!--=======================-->
<!--====================-->
<!--=== END: Content ===-->
<!--====================-->
<HR>
<P>
<CENTER>
<FONT SIZE=5>
[ <A HREF="welcome.html">Contents</A>
| <A HREF="http://www.kykernel.com/">Home</A>
| <A HREF="/archive.html">Archives</A>
| <A HREF="/feed.html">Feedback</A> ]<BR>
</FONT>
<P>
<B>© Copyright 1997, Kernel Press Inc. All Rights Reserved</B><BR>
<!--#include virtual="/ssi/editor"-->
</BLOCKQUOTE>
</BODY>
]]>