Volunteer Team Members
Volunteer doctors, nurses and allied health professionals contribute their own time and finances to take part in the project.
Team members include specialised medical personnel according to the individual project and host country resources. Members can include surgeons, cardiologists, plastic surgeons, anaesthetists and intensivists, perfusionists, physiotherapists, intensive care, operating theatre and ward nurses and technicians, pathology and radiographers, and engineering personnel. The number of team members varies according to the needs of the project, and can range from fifteen to forty people for a two to three week surgical visit.
We are constantly amazed by the number of people who wish to volunteer with our teams, and currently have more demand than we have places available.
Volunteer FAQ
Do I have to work at Sydney Adventist Hospital to be a volunteer?
HealthCare Outreach is an initiative of Sydney Adventist Hospital. However our teams are comprised of people from all over Australia.
It would be impossible for all team members to come from the one hospital as it would likely shut down surgery at one hospital!
What positions are available for your teams?
Surgeons, Cardiologists, Anaesthetists, Theatre nurses, Intensivists, ICU nurses, Ward nurses, Laboratory/Pathology Scientific Officers, Physiotherapists, and Biomedical Engineers are all used.
Patient management from cardiac surgery requires the input from so many different specialists and departments for a good patient outcome to occur.
Do you have work for non-clinical staff?
We do not currently accept applications for non-clinical staff. On each trip there may be some non-clinical staff involved in the team for some specific reasons. These people are included and recruited for specific roles on an ad-hoc basis.
How do I get selected as a team member?
To be considered for a position on a team you should make an application to us.
If you are applying in relation to Operation Open Heart, you can do this online at www.ooh.org.au.
If you are applying in relation to any other project, please contact us.
What is your selection process?
When selecting a team, suitable team members from the previous trip to the country are invited to return. These team members have first priority to fill the spaces on the team.
Once they have advised their intentions, we know what vacancies exist in the team. We then review our database to find interested volunteers with the right skills and experience for that specific vacancy.
We also review your travel interests and take those into consideration as well.
If you are matched with a specific vacancy we will make contact with you to discuss your availability.
I have made an application, when will I hear from you?
This is a difficult question to answer. It depends on the vacancies on each trip and also our travel schedule.
What happens after I make an application?
You are added to our database of interested people. We will contact you based on vacancies.
What costs are involved?
There is no cost to be included in our database.
If you are selected for a team, you are required to make a financial contribution to the project. This amount varies depending on the location, and currently ranges from $1,700 to $4,000.
You are able to personally pay this yourself or fundraise this amount.
Can I bring my partner or family?
We would prefer that you do not, as this puts additional resource demands on us and also on the local partners and accommodation suppliers.
In some cases it does also change the team dynamics.
Do you accept registrars or nursing students?
We do not accept applications from registrars or nursing students. The primary reason for this we are trying to engage, train and teach the local staff in the countries where we work. The use of registrars, we feel, diminishes the teaching and training opportunities for the local people.
Depending on the individual situation within the country we are visiting, registrars and / or nursing students may be used where this enhances the team’s ability without reducing the opportunities for local staff to be involved in the project.
Where this occurs, our policy is to approach the relevant consultants who are volunteering in that area about a registrar they would like to nominate.
Is it competitive to get a place in a team?
We are always looking for the best possible staff on our trips. This is in terms of clinical experience and also your passion and flexibility towards working in the developing world.
In some nursing disciplines we have more demand for places than we have positions in any given year, and we then must decide on which people would be most suitable for our teams.
What do you expect from your volunteers?
We expect that our volunteers abide by our code of conduct:
- Provide the best possible care to patients at all times.
- Model Australian healthcare best practice and encourage local staff to continually improve their skills and knowledge.
- Acknowledge that the local staff we work with will watch and mimic our behaviour.
- Represent HealthCare Outreach and Sydney Adventist Hospital in a professional manner at all times – within the hospital environment as well as in the country of travel.
- Respect the Christian ethos and values of Sydney Adventist Hospital and HealthCare Outreach.
- Be respectful of local culture, healthcare processes and procedures.
- Respect and abide by the decisions made by team leaders and project leaders.
- Be on time, attend team meetings, and play an active role in the team. Avoid activities and actions that could disrupt, interfere or negatively impact on other volunteers.
- Maintain a flexible approach and a sense of humour to adapt to the challenges associated with working in developing countries.
- Enjoy the camaraderie and opportunity to network with like minded professionals from around Australia.
- Be an advocate of the work of HealthCare Outreach in your local community.
Will I receive further information?
If you are selected for a trip, you will receive an information pack with more specific information about the project and country that you will visit.
How do I find out further information?
Please contact us.
