From Hesitation to Leadership: Learning to Lead in the Emergency Department as a Volunteer

When I arrived at UVA, I wanted to participate in a meaningful volunteer experience, so I joined Madison House, UVA’s student-run volunteer center. Madison House offers a variety of unique volunteer experiences for students focused on Animal and Environmental Services, Education and Youth Services, Health and Medical Services, and Human Services. Students can pursue a range of volunteer opportunities, such as assisting community members with their taxes, or helping an occupational therapist teach pediatric patients through play.

Through the Medical and Human Services pathway, I became part of the Emergency Department (ED) Lobby Liaisons. Before selecting my volunteer role, I carefully reviewed the available opportunities. When my sign-up time arrived, I felt strongly about volunteering in the Emergency Department, or being a “Friendly Visitor” in one of the hospital’s inpatient units. What pulled me to join the ED Lobby Liaisons was the strong emphasis on communication–specifically, the opportunity to act as the vital bridge between patients, their families, and hospital staff during moments of uncertainty and stress.

As ED Lobby Liaisons, we play a crucial role in supporting both patients and their families throughout their time in the ED. Our primary responsibility is to assist families in locating their loved ones within the ED, helping to reduce confusion and anxiety in what can often be an overwhelming environment. By guiding visitors directly to the room and conversing as we do so, we help families feel more at ease and in control during difficult situations. We also relay information accurately and respectfully, whether from visitors to hospital staff to patients, or vice versa, ensuring that patients and their loved ones feel seen, heard, and accommodated. The hospital staff volunteers who collaborate with our volunteers include Hospital Unit Coordinators, nurses, EMTs, and other healthcare professionals. With these individuals, volunteers support effective communication and workflow within the department. By collaborating with staff and responding to the needs of patients and families, we contribute to the overall patient experience, high-quality care, and foster trust and reassurance.

Some of my fondest memories of volunteering in the ED involve the handoff of the visitors to the patient. The transition of friendly conversation with visitors to their entrance into the room and reunion with their loved one is a warm feeling for everyone involved. Occasionally, patients and visitors want to continue engaging in conversation with me, giving me the opportunity to share a meaningful moment with them.

When I was a first-year volunteer in the fall of 2024, I was trained by the Program Director of the ED Lobby Liaisons with a few other students. We learned how to sign out the ED Lobby phone and were handed maps of the ED. At 18 years old, I’d never been in an emergency healthcare setting, so this was incredibly new to me. I wasn’t sure what to expect as we walked towards the big, red “EMERGENCY” signs. What I remember shocking me the most was how expansive the department was… I’d also only ever heard the phrase “Emergency Room” before, so I assumed it was one large open space with healthcare workers visiting the patients behind curtains.

To my surprise, the Emergency Department had 70 beds, all assigned to specific units within the ED. During my training, I learned about the department’s different units. The “200s” were designated for Behavioral Health Patients, while the “500s” had three trauma rooms. These rooms housed patients in critical condition, and it was important that I recognize these room numbers and that visitors meet with a social worker before their visit. I walked away from my training understanding where each of the seven units of the emergency department was located, how to call the nurse while maintaining patient confidentiality, and how to accommodate patients in the waiting room. From there, I had one more training session, during which I was quizzed on my ability to find specific rooms and reminded of unit-specific rules.

No amount of training could prepare me for the unknown of each shift. My weekly shifts began on Thursdays, from 1-4 pm. Within my first few solo shifts, I learned just how volatile situations can be, with each person in the ED dealing with unique experiences in their own way. My job was to ensure they didn’t face yet another obstacle. Working in an environment with such variability, high emotions, and many moving parts made uncertainty unavoidable. At first, this was intimidating. Not every request warranted a quick, easy solution, but I adapted to this environment and transformed from a hesitant volunteer to a confident standout.

The connections I formed with visitors as we walked to their loved ones’ rooms became some of the highlights of my week. Conversations about football teams, Charlottesville’s best hiking spots, or jokes about the cafeteria food made a meaningful difference, not only for me as a volunteer but for the visitors as well.

This year, the department recognized me as a volunteer who consistently went above and beyond and promoted me to Program Director. As Program Director, I train volunteers to become “GPSs of the ED”. I ensure they emphasize compassionate, empathetic interactions with visitors and patients, reassure new volunteers, and help them adapt to unexpected situations–whether that may be reassuring a frantic family awaiting ambulance arrival or helping a visitor who mistakenly came to the wrong hospital navigate next steps.

Seeing others grow through the same guidance I once received is incredibly fulfilling. The volunteers in my unit have expressed comfort in their roles and received wonderful feedback from staff. I’ve recognized how my initial feelings of anxiety as a new volunteer, with time, effort, and learning, transformed me into a confident leader for others. It’s shown me that I can do intimidating things and have an impact even in the most subtle ways.