Volunteer orientation at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital lasts a few hours, but learning doesn't stop there. This resource library is intended to provide you continuous education about the hospital, its resources and patient/family care.
Learn at your own pace as you read and watch these materials. Check this page often as we'll be adding new materials as they become available.
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Quick Instructions
Using the Blue Phones (Cyracom®) to Access a Telephone Interpreter
- Pick up the left handset.
- Press the blue button above the keypad.
- When prompted for i.d., press the white button.
- When finished, simply say, “End of call, thank you,” and hang up.
Watch these videos to learn how to use the Blue Phone in patient rooms – these phones act as interpreters for non-English speaking families.
Communicating with family, friends and co-workers experiencing sorrow
Expressing condolences to someone experiencing sorrow is often difficult and uncomfortable. If done in a thoughtful and heartfelt manner, these often simple acknowledgements can make a lasting and treasured impact on those who are grieving.
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Cultural Diversity and Sensitivity Awareness Video
As a volunteer, you are an ambassador of the hospital, and everything it stands for. At St Jude, we value and respect ethnic, cultural, religious, and lifestyle differences, and it is your responsibility to uphold these values in everything you say and do. You should never treat patient families, staff, or visitors differently based on their race, sexual orientation, or gender identity. All who enter the St. Jude campus should be treated with mutual respect.
St. Jude Cares about LGBTQ patients
St. Jude does not discriminate against patients, families, companions, or visitors based on sexual orientation, gender identity, identification as LGBTQ, or any sex stereotype.
Recommended Articles
Looking for a great article on Diversity and Inclusion? You've come to the right spot. This page provides a reading list sharing the best articles in various categories based on many hours of reading and research.
Recommended Books
Are you searching for a good book? Check out these recommendations from the Diversity and Inclusion team.
Recommended Short Videos and Podcasts
Watch recommended videos and podcasts on a variety of topics such as diversity, inclusion, and leadership.
Recommended Film/TV Series
Check out our movie recommendations related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and/or justice.
Amish Culture
Many volunteers have expressed that they would like to know more about the Amish families and their culture. St. Jude does not have specific materials about this, however, we found several links online that do a good job of explaining the culture and breaking it down. We hope these websites will help answer your questions.
Links to general information about the Amish culture:
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Empathy vs. Sympathy video
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There are three different types of dogs a person might encounter at St. Jude. Please read these flyers to better understand the differences. Remember: No matter the dog’s role, if they are at St. Jude, they are serving a purpose, so please do not approach or pet these animals.
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Inpatient Training
Volunteers must be properly trained to work in the inpatient unit. This video will teach you what you need to know.
Reporting Suspected Patient Abuse and Neglect
Harvey Team
Have you ever wondered what it means when a Harvey Team is called? A Harvey Team occurs when a patient’s heart has stopped beating or they have stopped breathing. What should you do?
Hand Washing
Did you know that hand washing is the number one way to prevent the spread of infection? Please watch this informative video about proper hand hygiene and hand washing techniques.
Super Sani-Cloth® Wipes
(Purple top containers)
Super Sani-Cloth® Wipes should be used on all toys and surfaces. This product has a 2-minute wet time. Watch the video below for instruction on proper use of the wipe. Note: Your area may still use the blue-top Clorox Wipes. Please refer to the Clorox Wipes information for usage instruction.
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Spiritual Conversations
Many people frame their illness experience within a spiritual or religious model. It is how they assign a language to, explore meaning of, and cope with the drastic changes occurring in their life. It is possible, that as a volunteer, a patient or family member may say something of a spiritual or religious nature to you. This video presentation will assist you in knowing how to appropriately respond should you find yourself in that situation.
If you have any questions about this subject or would like to discuss in more detail, please feel free to contact St. Jude Director of Spiritual Care, Brent Powell, at 901-595-3672 or brent.powell@stjude.org.
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Volgistics, an online volunteer management software, is used to manage all St. Jude volunteer records. Volunteers are expected to check their record regularly and update as needed. Features of Volgistics include: Access to contact information, add volunteer hours, self-schedule for shift, upload a profile photo, and much more. Volgistics is very mobile friendly so you can control your records from anywhere at any time.
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St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is a Joint Commission Accredited hospital. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission (TJC) accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting certain performance standards.
To maintain accreditation, an organization must undergo an unannounced, on-site survey by TJC every 18 to 39 months. TJC is constantly revising and improving the standards as they become aware of safety and quality concerns for hospitals and patients. With few exceptions, JC standards are operationally sound and focused on the delivery of patient care that keeps the patient safe and improves the patient's healthcare experience.
As a volunteer in the hospital, you may be included in the on-site survey. If included, you could be asked questions by TJC surveyor regarding topics learned throughout this manual and your training. Throughout your service here, you will receive TJC tips and reminders. You will also be allowed to have staff's assistance to answer any question a JC surveyor asks of you. To ensure you are knowledgeable on all policies and procedures, you will be required to complete a competency quiz every two years of your volunteer service.