Allegheny Valley Hospital seeks empathetic volunteers

Rosemary Musolino retired in 2009 after 30 years working as a reading specialist at New Ken-Arnold School District.

Within three weeks, she had a new gig volunteering a couple of times a week at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, a role she called “totally outside her comfort zone.”

“I always volunteered when my kids were young, with Scouts, athletics, you name it,” Musolino said.

“I’m still on the board at Peoples Library in New Ken. I just wanted to do more.”

Although she felt intimidated at first, Musolino said she quickly fell in love with the “job.”

“It’s been such a good part of my life,” she said.

The hospital is seeking more people like Musolino to fill specialized volunteer roles. People are needed for the surgical services unit, an area where good-natured engagement is a must.

“We’re a welcoming face,” Musolino said. “We’re there to help try to make things better for them.”

Hospital spokesperson JoAnne Clobus said duties include greeting patients and their families and serving as a liaison between patients and the surgeons and nursing staff.

“It’s an opportunity for those who truly wish to make a difference in the patient experience,” Clobus said.

Applicants should enjoy a good chat and be able to deliver a smile. They also should have a gift for empathy.

“It’s amazing how many people need to share,” Musolino said.

“For as much as I like to talk, I’ve learned to be a listener.”

Four-hour shift options are available. Anyone interested must be 18 or older.

Responsibilities revolve around making families comfortable while in the waiting room.

That can include making coffee, offering them a magazine or lending an ear.

Musolino said she gets as much from the role as she gives. She has made great friends at the hospital, she said.

“No matter how difficult your morning might be, you go to lunch with fellow volunteers and it’s just fun,” she said. “There’s no other word for it. We go to lunch right before we go home, and we can drag that half-hour into a lot longer.”

Anyone interested in volunteering can visit ahn.org/volunteer or contact Kimberly Giovannelli at avhvol@ahn.org or 724-226-7370.