What do crossword puzzles, coloring pages and word searches have in common?
Each can provide a much-needed distraction for patients and families who may be spending weeks in the hospital undergoing intense treatments or anxiously awaiting answers.
Thanks to a grant from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Staff Advisory Council, Vanderbilt’s Volunteer Services created an activity book to hand out to patients and families as volunteers visit rooms and waiting areas. From Sudoku puzzles to mazes, the book’s 18 pages contain activities for participants of any age.
Katharine Urmy, associate program manager for Vanderbilt Volunteer Services, speaks from personal experience when she says the stress and emotional toll of a lengthy hospital stay can make it easy for families to lose touch with the outside world.
“You forget that ‘This too shall pass,’” said Urmy. “You start to feel like the crisis in your lap is all there is.”
Beyond creating a fun diversion, the delivery of the books by friendly volunteers provides patients and visitors a chance to have a normal conversation with someone who isn’t there to discuss medical treatment.
Volunteer Services first learned of the idea for an activity book from the volunteer coordinators at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). UCSF connected Vanderbilt with the designer of their book to create a version specifically for VUMC.
Since the activity book was launched in 2019, volunteers have handed out more than 2,000 copies. Some patients have reported finishing all the puzzles and expressed interest in a sequel.
Beyond creating a fun diversion, the delivery of the books by friendly volunteers provides patients and visitors a chance to have a normal conversation with someone who isn’t there to discuss medical treatment.
“There’s value in the activity book, but more than that, there’s value in having a human distribute them. If they were just stacked up in the corner of the unit, they’d still be fun, but it’s not the same as having a person who’s trained to actively listen and show compassion and who knows where to get coffee or what the Wi-Fi password is,” Urmy said. “Adding that human touch to a patient or family member’s experience normalizes their situation by providing human connection and gives them a break from their stress.”
Volunteers also offer decks of cards, journals, board games and toys for children during their room-to-room visits. A new partnership with the John P. Holt Brentwood Library offers patients gently used books, including new releases, to pick from and keep, which has proven a solid conversation starter.
“I think making a room feel more like home can be done with a book, some magazines, hand lotion and a box of Kleenex. It helps families know they’re cared for.”
“You start talking about books, but then you begin talking about movies and life, and it provides a sense of normalcy in a high-stress situation,” said Urmy, who noted some patients don’t want any items but do want to talk.
It also allows patients some autonomy, says Urmy, as they are often told what needs to be done to follow their care plan, leaving them with few choices of their own.
“When you push a book cart in front of a patient’s room and ask if there’s anything they’d like, you’re giving that person a little power over their situation again.”
Urmy recalled bringing the book cart to a cancer patient who spent 45 minutes picking up each book to read the sleeve and talking with Urmy about the authors. When the visit ended, a nurse told Urmy she had never seen the patient speak more than a few words to anyone else.
“That’s what our volunteers are here for — to provide those opportunities for patients and family members. Sometimes, volunteers will spend their entire shift with one person. Every day they come in is different,” said Andy Peterson, director of Volunteer Services.
The volunteers also keep a stock of toiletries such as deodorant, toothpaste, laundry detergent for onsite washing machines and snacks to help families feel more comfortable.
“I think making a room feel more like home can be done with a book, some magazines, hand lotion and a box of Kleenex. It helps families know they’re cared for,” Urmy said.
Vanderbilt’s volunteer program enlists between 300 to 400 volunteers at any given time. Volunteers are trained in the same communication and service recovery skills required by VUMC employees, and their onboarding process involves two interviews to ensure they are placed according to their talents and personality.
The VUMC volunteer program relies on donations. Click here for a list of the items that are most often needed.
