title: Should I stay or should I go: a study of hospice palliative care volunteer satisfaction and retention.
abstract: Forty-one hospice palliative care volunteers (from 6 community- and 3 hospital-based programs) participated in informal group discussions regarding (1) what aspects of their work provide them with the most (and least) satisfaction; (2) why they continue to volunteer; and (3) why they might stop. In 5 of the 9 programs, volunteers said that feeling appreciated by the patients/families they support gave them great satisfaction. Boundary issues and/or role ambiguities were among the least satisfying aspects of their work, mentioned by volunteers in 4 programs. Volunteers in all 9 programs mentioned that they continue to volunteer because it makes a difference/helps others/meets a need in other people's lives. Among the reasons given for potentially stopping volunteering were a family crisis, burnout, old age, and other commitments.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. sclaxton@mta.ca
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Claxton-Oldfield
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Claxton-Oldfield
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology*