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Working with volunteers: key issues for gerontological nursing – Future challenges
Author(s) -
Cornes Michelle
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
international journal of older people nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.707
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1748-3743
pISSN - 1748-3735
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-3743.2007.00079.x
Subject(s) - workforce , voluntary sector , nursing , public relations , project commissioning , context (archaeology) , work (physics) , medicine , independence (probability theory) , turnover , service (business) , psychology , business , political science , publishing , marketing , management , mechanical engineering , paleontology , law , biology , engineering , statistics , mathematics , economics
To ensure that older people have access to all the advice, information and support they need nurses are increasingly expected to work with volunteers and the wider Voluntary and Community Sector. This article charts some of the current issues facing the sector so that nurses can collaborate more effectively, respect the contribution that volunteers can make and ultimately deliver well being, independence and choice. The focus is on recent policy in England which has sought to modernize and equip the Voluntary and Community Sector to meet National Health Service priorities. However, the underpinning themes and issues are likely to have broader resonance for volunteering in an international context. Trends in commissioning (service procurement) are identified which are likely to influence the future role and numbers of volunteers working in health and social care. Throughout this article key issues for nurse practitioners are discussed: What is the changing role of the volunteer? Can volunteers deliver significant extra capacity? What are the workforce implications? What are the risks and outcomes for older people?