"I was truly pleased with the amount of conversation that took place in my third volunteer visit.  We talked for an hour on topics such as baseballs, planes, and flying.  He talked about his belief in God, and we listened to gospel music on the radio."

     These words reflect the thoughts of a Samford nursing student after a visit to a hospice care patient.

     "I took him a bag of chocolates," the student continued, writing in a journal.  "Whenever I visit, he talks about the food in the nursing home and his dislike of it.  Next time I come, I will bring him a barbecue sandwich,m and we will plan to have our own picnic in the courtyard outside weather permitting."

     The student is one of more than 100 involved in a program offering visits to hospice patients around Birmingham during the past two years.  Directed by the nursing professor Janet Alexander, the program is funded by a three-year Vision Grant of $46,700 from the 3M Company.

     Dr. Alexander has worked previously with hospice and oncology patients in her clinical practice.  She created the proposal leading to the 3M grant to improve the amount and quality of clinical exposure for students caring for hospice patients.  "I was particularly interested in finding a way for nursing students to better understand and appreciate the needs of caregivers whose family member has chosen to die at home, and the importance of volunteerism in a community," she said. 

     The nursing school's partner in the grant is New Beacon Hospice of Birmingham.  The grant is designed so that three or four senior nursing students are assigned a hospice patient for the semester.  They work with the patient, family or other caregivers as well as the New Beacon volunteer director, Cheryl Acton, and its nurses to determine short and long-term patient needs that students can meet. 

     "They might offer services such as reading to the patient, taking them out to a meal, checking out videos or books from the library, cutting grass or assisting with light chores around the house, such as washing dishes, filling a bird-feeder or picking up groceries," said Alexander.

     "They also bring patients their favorite foods, play cards or chess, or just listen and talk with the patient about life or current event", she said.

     Students submit a reflective journal of their visits and how their faith has impacted the experience.  "The reflective journal has been more insightful than I anticipated," Alexander said.  "Several said they thought the visits would help the patient, but that they were the ones who were really helped."

     One student wrote, "I feel better prepared to give emotional support to patients and their families after this service-learning experience.  My faith played a big part in this experience. {It gave} me the strength I needed to offer emotional support to a dying patient."

     A total of 117 students, 39 patients and 60 other caregivers have benefited from this volunteer learning experience, said Alexander.  "The goals for increased understanding and appreciation of the needs of hospice patients and caregivers have been realized."

     The grant will continue for one more year, she said, adding, "I hope what the students have learned and the desire to be a volunteer will last a lifetime."