1. Keep confidential all information about clients, their families
    and volunteers.
  2. Clients and their families have the right to privacy. We do
    not identify they as our clients to anyone or press for information about their
    lives.
  3. Use discretion in giving the client your own home phone number. Do not
    give out any other volunteer’s home phone number without their permission.
  4. Clients need to know that information may be shared with other hospice volunteers
    and health care professionals on their health care team.
  5. When responding to
    specific family or outside inquiries, use a gentle refusal such as this for
    a family member or a friend..….

“I’m not free to discuss our conversation, as I have told (the client) that what we share is confidential but if it would help you to share your concerns, I would be glad to listen”.

Let the inquirer express their concerns if they choose to.

  1. If confidentiality is broken with the client to a family member or friend,
    the client will very likely hear about what was said. This will negate any
    trust between you and the client.
  2. When you need support with regards to
    hospice clients, please speak with the coordinator. If this does not prove
    helpful, together you and the coordinator will seek outside professional guidance
    from a bereavement counsellor.

You can talk about your feelings (but not names or details) with someone close to you.

You can share with another volunteer involved with this client what is happening for you, because all information that is shared with hospice is confidential.