Get Involved

• Food Pantry: Non-perishable food items: granola bars, soup cups, peanut butter crackers, cereal boxes, packaged crackers, etc.
• Blankets: 3’X3’
• Sibling Support: Crayons, washable markers, colored pencils, coloring books, children’s books
• Family Needs Closet: Hygiene items: small shampoos, body wash, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, and sanitary pads. Clothing: Robes, house shoes, socks, etc.
• Monetary donations: You may make monetary donations to the Tiny Hands Auxiliary Fund at UAMS. Donations help to directly support:
• Funding of the NICU Graduate Reunion
• Purchasing holiday meals for families: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas
• Providing care cards for meals
• Purchasing gas cards for those in need
• Purchasing small equipment such as cribs, swings, mobiles, sound machines, etc.
• Supporting the expansion of the NICU Virtual Wall of Hope

A volunteer who has been background checked, screened and fully trained to perform the following tasks: holding stable babies, reading to babies, talking or singing to babies, providing therapeutic touch, or softly playing a musical instrument in the baby’s room. If you are interested in volunteering in the NICU, please review the requirements, fill out the application and attend the orientation.

Hospital volunteers can be assigned to a variety of roles.

Volunteers in the NICU can help our babies and staff in several ways:

• Holding babies
• Reading, singing, talking to babies
• Playing musical instruments (if appropriately trained)
• Helping with laundry
• Distributing materials for the unit
• Helping with sibling support program and other unit projects
• Helping with parent education and activity hours
• Visiting with parents to provide support and comfort

Attention NICU graduates! Every year, there is a reunion for all those who have graduated from the NICU at UAMS and their families to attend.

If you would like your child’s photo to be a part of our virtual Wall of Hope, you can email a picture of them when they were in the NICU and one of them now! You can also send a picture of them now, holding a picture of when they were in the NICU (how cute)! UamsNicuReunion@uams.edu

Advisors are patient and family volunteers who work with UAMS healthcare providers and staff to help them understand and improve the overall experience patients have within the UAMS healthcare system. Advisors can help with program/policy review and facility design, serve on hospital committees, and participate in group discussions focused on a particular project or event.

Patient and family advisors use their experiences and insights to improve the NICU and the hospital. While personal experiences and stories are valuable, it’s equally important that advisors are able to listen to others, respect diversity, and see beyond their own personal experiences, as the group works together on solutions.

Most recently, the NICU Family Experience Council has helped re-design the communication boards and mailboxes in NICU rooms, update the discharge planning checklist, helped staff determine what educational topics are most important to parents, and provided input on website content and design.

Advisors typically commit to a two-year service of monthly meetings in a virtual setting (Zoom), working in partnership with UAMS NICU staff to enhance quality and safety, and create exceptional patient and family experiences. Any parent or guardian of a NICU baby can become an advisor; all potential advisors must complete volunteer training and advisor training prior to attending any advisor meetings.

If you are interested in joining theNICU Family Experience Council, please contact the UAMS Office of Patient Experience at 501-686-6369 for more information.