Volunteer Stress and Burnout: Issues for Administrators

SUMMARY

Although research on hospice volunteers is increasing, there is a dearth of literature regarding the stress hospice volunteers face providing direct patient care. Using data collected from in-depth discussions with volunteers in varied settings, this article identifies the four major sources of volunteer stress: role ambiguity, status ambiguity, patients and families, and personal circumstances. The authors provide administrators and volunteer coordinators with suggestions for alleviating volunteer stress and potential burnout.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lenora Finn Paradis

Lenora Finn Paradis, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Allied Health Education and Research, Albert B. Chandler Medical Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. She has been conducting research in the area of hospice care since 1980 and completed her dissertation on hospice program integration into the traditional health care system in 1983. In 1985 she edited a book on hospice entitled Hospice Handbook, A Guide for Managers and Planners available through Aspen publications. She also has been a member of the National Hospice Organization’s research and evaluation committee.

Beverly Miller

Beverly Miller is Volunteer Coordinator at Hospice of the Bluegrass, Lexington, KY. She has served in that position for several years and has developed and conducted numerous training workshops for hospice volunteers.

Vicki M. Runnion

Vicki M. Runnion, MR, is Director of Volunteers at Hospice of Louisville, Louisville, KY. She has served in that capacity for two years and previously worked for Hospice of Southern Indiana. She has a masters in religious education from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.