Volunteers & Friends of Regional West

Regional West Medical Center
4021 Avenue B
Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69361
308.630.1271

At Regional West, committed volunteers have been a proud part of our heritage for over 60 years. Our volunteers come from all corners of the community and represent a variety of professions, age groups and physical abilities, as well as ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Over 300 volunteers donate approximately 40,000 volunteer hours to the hospital each year.

Regional West offers a wide variety of opportunities for those wishing to volunteer their time and talents. Volunteers work at hospital information centers and the surgical waiting room; deliver patient mail, magazines and flowers; buy for, manage and clerk in the Gift Shop; work in the acute rehab unit; buy for and create silk flower arrangements to sell in the Gift Shop; work at the immunization clinic; work at the Cancer Treatment Center and the Breast Health Center, do creative seweing, and provide clerical, non-clinical, technical support for a number of departments. Volunteers also make Pediatric Pals for pediatric patients and Alzheimer patients, make lap robes, and knit baby booties and crib blankets.

Why should I volunteer?
The Volunteers and Friends of Regional West organization is dedicated to furthering the education of future health care professionals in the region. The group annually funds $15,000 in RN scholarships for students enrolled at the western division of the Nebraska School of Nursing in Scottsbluff. The number of scholarships range from 10 to 15 with amounts from $500 to $1,000. A total of $2,100 in scholarships is awarded to students in their second semester of Western Nebraska Community College LPN School. The money is awarded in three scholarships of $700 each.

The organization pledged $15,000 in a campaign to raise funds to provide new radios for hospitals and ambulance services throughout the Nebraska panhandle. The campaign is being conducted by the Western Nebraska Emergency Care Connection on behalf of emergency services providers in 16 western Nebraska counties. The $15,000 contribution from the Volunteers and Friends of Regional West was designated for Scotts Bluff County and was awarded January 1, 2013.

The Volunteers and Friends of Regional West also pledged $30,000 to the development of a new Learning Center, which will be housed on the second level of the main lobby at Regional West Medical Center.

Proceeds from The Gift Shop, book and jewelry sales, the craft fair, and the coffee cart all contribute to the success of the volunteers’ efforts.

How to get involved
The role of the volunteer is to be of support to families, patients and staff, but not to replace staff. Volunteers are bound by the same code of ethics and confidentiality as paid staff and are also required to take the same annual Joint Commission and HIPAA tests. Before beginning work at Regional West, volunteers are required to go through a volunteer orientation, which covers all codes and policies. Volunteers need to be at least 14 years old and willing to take a short orientation course. They must also have TB test, blackground check, and flu shot (during flu season). All these are provided at no cost by the hospital.

Janelle Debes is the Assistant Director of Volunteer Services at Regional West Medical Center. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information about Regional West's volunteer program, contact Janelle at 308.630.1271.