What to do for a whole year?

Work as a CNA?

Is it important for you to study or work? If you have a year to kill why not travel for a while? I did it whilst waiting to get into nursing school and would thoroughly recommend it.

Certified Nurse Assistant/Aid. This would get you to the patients bedside.

How to become a CNA depends on the state you live in. Some states require an actual certification test, others will allow facility training. Check with your local healthcare facilities.
I was a home health aide during nursing school (basically a CNA that does home care) and it definately can get your "feet wet" in the medical field and help you become more comfortable with the basics of patient care, like that dreaded first bed bath.
I was also an EMT before going into nursing and that exposure to medicine is what drove me to become a nurse. It also helped make alot of those strange medical terms more familiar to me.
I think you are smart for looking for something to do to help you prepare! Good luck!

I would definately listen to the other posters and try to get a job as a CNA someplace. You will definately learn alot. If I had it to do over again I would have done more CNA stuff before graduation. JMHO

I don't know if you would get much out of volunteering, I mean you wouldn't have any direct patient care so if you were going there to get some experience that probably wouldn't be the way to go. Now if you were looking to just find a way to fill time, hospitals would be more than happy to take you on as a volunteer.