A lot can be lifted with your help
Kidney Companions Team Roles
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Advocates
The advocates will be persons who listen fervently
Recommended skills: excellent listening skills, good note taking, good time management and attention to details, compassion, time flexibility to be away for 3-5 days and then scheduled 1-day commitments for clinic appointments, weekly for first 4 weeks, then bi-weekly for another 4-8 weeks
Duties
Attending team get-togethers
Reaching out to the patient at least every few weeks to check in (could be telephone, text, in-person)
One-on-one meeting with the dialysis social worker
Attend pre-op appointments
Being with the patient in the hospital, at time of transplant (3-5 days)
Helping with admission to hospital and pre-op (e.g. emergency contacts, admission documentation)
Understand the medication regimen of the patient (listening and note taking)
Receive education regarding restrictions, activities, diet (again, requires good note taking)
Post-transplant
Attending post-transplant clinic appointments (weekly appointments for first 4 weeks, then bi-weekly for another 4-8 weeks)
Check-in with the patient daily for the first two week to ensure needs are being met
Expected time commitment (to be split among 2-3 people)
2-3 hours/month pre-transplant for various meetings
3-5 consecutive days during transplant
1 day/week for 1st 4 weeks post transplant, then bi-weekly for another 4-8 weeks post transplant
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Team Coordinator
The coordinator will be persons who maintain team communication and organization; organize schedules, prompt meetings, ensure back-up coverage
Recommended skills: organization, online software familiarity (e.g. google calendar, sign-up genius), logistical planning
Duties
Attending team get-togethers
Communicating updates with the team
Coordinating monthly/bi-monthly team meetings
Reaching out to the patient every at least every few weeks to check in (could be telephone, text, in-person)
Receive and seek out updates regarding the patient’s transplant status (primarily via patient communication)
Know of any upcoming appointments/requirements
Ensure patient has a plan to achieve those requirements
Facilitate reimbursements among the team
Expected time commitment (1 person)
2-4 hours/month to arrange, attend, and facilitate meetings and activities
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Drivers
The drivers will be persons who ensure the patients and advocates are transported to the transplant center for transplant-related activities
Recommended skills: flexibility (able to give 2-3 day blocks of time where you may be called to drive), good driving record
Duties
Attending team get-togethers
Reaching out to the patient every at least every few weeks to check in (could be telephone, text, in-person)
On-Call (2-3 day blocks of time): during the on-call period, the driver will be expected to be able to drive the patient and advocate(s) to the transplant center, at any time of the day
Make reservations for hotels/overnight stays
Driving the patient and advocate to the post-transplant appointments (weekly appointments for first 4 weeks, then bi-weekly for another 4-8 weeks)
Expected time commitment (to be split among 3-6 people)
1-2 hours/month pre transplant for various team meetings
2 consecutive days during transplant
1 day/week for 1st 4 weeks post transplant, then bi-weekly for another 4-8 weeks post transplant
ready for a smaller bite?
We have an endless list of important, finite jobs where we would love your support. This could be walking a pet while someone is at the hospital, stocking their fridge to have fresh food when they come home from a hospital stay, preparing “go bags” for urgent travel to the hospital, or it could be moving and clearing out boxes of no longer needed medical supplies. The list goes on and expands where you would provide tremendous value.
Volunteer Orientation
Session #1 (1-2 hours)
Introduction
Overview
Kidney Services in Region
Transplant Process
Vision for the Program
Sessions #2 (~1 hour)
Intro to Kidney Disease and Dialysis
Rules of the Road
HIPPA/ Confidentiality Considerations
Session #3 (1-2 hours)
Tour of Dialysis Facilities (Traverse City)
Kidney Diet Overview
Next steps
Volunteer Forms
Rules of the Road
Be present. What you offer is your friendship and you need to be present for that friendship to grow. Certainly, things will come up, they do for everyone, but make being together a priority.
Be Friends (or at least friendly)! Remember that you are there to be friendly with the patient and other members of the circle. Offer moral and emotional support, discuss life issues and offer your insight and counsel, share jokes and funny stories, be yourself. We are about creating community, and through the power of that community being with the patient as he or she walks the difficult path of living with kidney failure.
Break bread together. There is a world of difference between sitting down for a meeting and sitting down for a meal. Even if it’s just light snacks, try to make your time together a time of breaking bread and fellowship.
Confidentiality. Simply put, what happens in the circle stays in the circle. The patient’s health conditions should not be discussed in any capacity outside of the circle. In fact, federal law prohibits the sharing of any personally identifying health information.
Consensus. All decisions made in the circle / all actions taken by the circle are made by consensus. If the circle talks through an issue and cannot arrive at a consensus, then the issue should be tabled and brought back for discussion at a later date.
Listen Fearlessly. Be open to what is said in the circle. Don’t be thinking about what you’re going to say next, or how you are going to respond; listen. Don’t argue, don’t engage in cross-talk. Listen.
Boundaries. Establish clear boundaries for your relationship with the patient and communicate them openly to the patient and the rest of the circle.
Medical Professionals. Respect the roles of the medical providers and other professionals. Their relationship with their patient is different than yours. Do not criticize or agree with criticisms of the patient’s medical team or other support professionals. Likewise, your role is not to provide nor give medical advice.
Material Support. No member of the circle or collection of members should provide direct material support to the patient. This includes cash, clothes, furniture, bus passes, or any other material items. It is acceptable to pay for the patient’s tickets and/or meals when the circle is engaged in an outing.
