Our health care system learns from your experience. Help us shape the future.
Nova Scotia Health Authority’s Renal Program is looking for patient and family volunteers to contribute in a variety of ways to help improve renal care for all Nova Scotians.
If you are interested in becoming a patient or family volunteer for Nova Scotia Health Authority’s Renal Program, please send us a letter telling us why you are interested and how you would like to be involved. Send the letter to nsha.renalprogram@nshealth.ca or give it to your renal program manager.
Volunteer opportunities for patients and families
Have you ever wondered how you could use your experiences to help kidney patients and their families? Whether you have been living with kidney disease for years or are a new patient, family member or caregiver, we have patient and family volunteer opportunities that you might enjoy.
The patient and family volunteer role
Patient and family volunteers can reside anywhere in Nova Scotia. They represent a broad range of ages, backgrounds and experiences from across Nova Scotia, having been a patient receiving renal services or a caregiver to a renal patient. By sharing their unique perspectives and experiences, volunteers help us improve the lives of people living with chronic kidney disease. Patients and family members volunteer to work with our staff and provide direct input into the design, delivery and evaluation of policies, projects and services that affect patient care. We frequently seek their advice when we need to understand the patient, family and caregiver experience to improve renal care. Patients and families are at the centre of everything we do.
How you can contribute
As a volunteer, you can take part in many different ways. It all depends on how you would like to be involved. Some common ways to volunteer are by:
- Joining a Renal Program committee or working group. These include a local committee or working group in either the Central\Northern, Eastern or Western Zone renal programs, or a provincial NSHA renal program committee or working group. It may be just one meeting or a regular meeting that occurs monthly, quarterly or once a year.
- Examples: Quality Improvement and Safety Committee, Kidney Patient Advisory Committee.
- Examples: Quality Improvement and Safety Committee, Kidney Patient Advisory Committee.
- Participating in a Renal Program focus group to provide feedback on some aspect of patient care, which is usually a one‐time occurrence.
- Taking on activities such as:
- Peer support by speaking one‐on‐one with other patients or family members about your experience with kidney disease or your treatment choice.
- Public speaking by talking to a group of patients or family members about your experience with kidney disease or your treatment choice.
- Providing feedback by reviewing patient education materials, new policies, etc.
- Giving advice by providing input into patient feedback surveys or focus group activities.
Who can contribute?
No special knowledge or skills are needed. We are looking for individuals who:
- Have had personal or family/caregiver experience in NSHA’s Renal Program within the last 12 months.
- Are 18 years of age or older.
- Can look at issues from more than one point of view.
- Can share honest points of view in a respectful way.
- Are reflective of diverse populations and perspectives in our community.
- Are interested in making a positive contribution to renal services.
Additional requirements
- Sign a confidentiality agreement.
- Have or be willing to obtain a Criminal Background Check.
- Declare any potential conflicts of interest.
- Be available based on your commitment.