NMF NATIONAL VOLUNTEER NETWORK VOLUNTEER JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Emergency Medicine Campaign Outreach Worker

Report to: Director of Education and Awareness Programs
  800/862-7326 x 16

Time Commitment/Frequency: 
Varies.

Location: Local community.  Predominantly working from home.  Telephone work and possible in person meetings with local hospital personnel.

Goals and Objectives of this job:

• Research services/procedures at local hospitals to determine their readiness to properly handle a possible aortic dissection
• Assist in identifying the appropriate hospital representative that would be interested in receiving the NMF Emergency Medicine Campaign materials (in as many local hospitals as possible)

Type of work:  

 Telephone research, possibly in-person meetings with hospital personnel.

Volunteer skills/attributes: 

• Strong communication skills
• Personal connection or contact at hospital helpful
• Understanding of Marfan syndrome and aortic dissection
• Respectful demeanor toward emergency physicians/nurses despite personal feelings

Benefits to volunteer:

• Will obtain valuable information regarding hospital’s ability to properly diagnose and manage a possible aortic dissection
• Local Emergency Departments (ED) more likely to be prepared to handle emergency situation
• Potential to save lives of people who don’t know they have MFS and show up in the emergency department

Job responsibilities and tasks:

• Identify local hospitals with EDs
• Identify appropriate contact (education or grand rounds coordinator, ED chairperson, etc.)
• Initiate contact, conduct brief telephone questionnaire
• Offer to have the NMF resources sent to them directly. Materials include professionally produced educational video (CME accredited) on emergency diagnosis of aortic dissection and numerous supporting posters, pamphlets, booklets, etc
• Obtain complete mailing address and permission to send materials
• Submit complete information to Director of Education and Awareness Programs to send materials to hospital
• Follow up with hospital

Special training required: 

• Coaching with Director of Education and Awareness Programs or Volunteer Coordinator before commencing local contacts
• Study and understand relevance of questions on Hospital Interview questionnaire
• Assure sensitivity of relationship with physicians/nurses —no accusatory language in contacting hospitals
• Must have good understanding of issues surrounding aortic dissection and Marfan syndrome

Related policies/evaluation:

• Must be well-spoken, since you will be representing the NMF.  Representatives must assure that they are offering resources, not “educating hospitals or doctors.”  This is important for maintaining ongoing relationship.
• Basic Evaluation:  Successful outreach to a hospital will result in
  • Completion of Hospital Interview form, with a copy returned to the NMF.  This results in…
  • Placement of Campaign materials in the hospital.   (Evaluation of materials themselves will be handled separately.)

The NMF office will distribute surveys or evaluation forms at appropriate times.  It is part of the volunteer commitment to return these forms as requested.