Baycrest - End of Life Volunteer Manual
13
UNDERSTANDING THE BOUNDARIES OR LIMITS OF THE
VOLUNTEER'S ROLE
Volunteers must walk a fine line between being a person's/family's
friend and being a member of a care team that is accountable for
their conduct, practice and quality of care. In the course of their
work, volunteers may find themselves in situations that test the
boundaries of their role. For example:
• What if the person or family offers the volunteer a gift or some
money?
• What does the volunteer do when the person is uncomfortable
and asks for more pain medication?
DO NOT:
• Accept or lend money from a patient or family
• Do the person's banking
• Agree to be a person's power of attorney or to witness a
patient's will
• Discuss a patient's diagnosis or prognosis with other family
members or others in the community
• Provide medical care (e.g. give medications) to a patient who is
uncomfortable
• Discuss assisted suicide with a patient
• Gossip about other members of the care team
• Preach, proselytize or attempt to save or convert a patient
• Counsel or advise the person or family member
• Become romantically involved with anyone in the family
• Buy a gift or lend things to a patient or family member
• Break down emotionally in front of a patient or family (It's okay
to be human but the patient and family should not be
comforting the volunteer)
• Attend a patient's medical appointment
• Provide opinions or advice to a patient/family
