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Volunteer Nurses Plug Back Into Career They Loved

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By IRENE MAHER, Channel 8 Medical Editor

Published: November 30, 2007

Debbie Ismer of Plant City retired from nursing after 30 years at Tampa General Hospital to travel and spend more time with her family. But just two years later, she's back at Tampa General, only this time doing the kind of nursing she used to only dream about.

"How often does a nurse who has a patient load sit and hold someone's hand or talk to them?" she asks.

Not very often, according to Ismer. But now she has plenty of time to spend with patients and their families. Ismer is part of a new program at Tampa General that puts retired and former nurses back in patient care roles as volunteers who help staff nurses.

"As a volunteer nurse," the 53-year-old Ismer says, "you do the kinds of things with patients that you usually don't get a chance to do when you're working."

Tampa General started its volunteer nurse program in October. Volunteer nurses must have a current or inactive license as a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse. Denise Haas, assistant administrator for Patient Care Services, says the idea isn't to replace staff nurses, just to place skilled volunteers who can lend a helping hand. Candidates are interviewed, participate in an orientation program and undergo a background check.

Not all volunteer nurses are retired like Ismer, Haas says. "Some nurses leave nursing to care for young children at home; others leave to pursue higher education."

As volunteers, they can reconnect with the career they loved, without the stress of paperwork, procedures or medical orders. Their schedule is completely flexible; they can work as much or as little as they wish. And they can request placement in any area of the hospital.

Ismer usually puts in two to four hours, two days a week, in one of the hospital's intensive care units. Haas says other areas where volunteers are most needed include labor and delivery, pediatrics, trauma and the rehab center. Currently, there are six active volunteer nurses at Tampa General. Most of them are former TGH nurses, but Haas wants to make it clear that's not a prerequisite.

"They can be from any hospital, anywhere in the world." About 20 applicants are currently under review. Haas believes Tampa General's is the first such program in the state.

Ismer worked as an LPN for 15 years and as an RN for another 15 years. She says she loved her work and her patients. In fact, she married one. Her husband was a patient in the hospital's cardiac transplant program in 1999. Bill Ismer, 63, received his new heart in October 1999 and married Debbie in April 2000.

She says he frequently points out that people get paid for the work she does as a volunteer. Ismer just laughs. She says the volunteer nurse program was tailor-made for someone like her, and she feels blessed to be back.

"Actually, I prefer to volunteer. I would prefer to be a nurse the rest of my life and not work. It's very, very rewarding."

For information on the volunteer nurse program at Tampa General, contact Denise Haas at (813) 844-8607 or dhaas@tgh.org.

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