Anyone volunteer at a hospital?

[markuskristian]

I just got back from my urinalysis and getting my security pass made. I finish orientation on March 9. From what I can tell, I'll be mainly transporting patients to their vehicles after discharge, but they also said because of my interest in anesthesia that I can be allowed to observe in the OR duing surgery. So has anyone been a volunteer while doing pre-reqs? How was your experience? I'm all disheveled right now wondering what it will be like :heartbeat

[freesia29, ASN, RN]

:redpinkheWow. For the first time and couple careers later, I know I'm on the right path and where I am meant to be in life, even if I don't know all the ins and outs of nursing yet and certainly won't by volunteering and being in pre-nursing.

That is exactly how I feel....I feel like I could cry half the time....cuz it finally feels like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing!

I just had my orientation on Friday, and tomorrow I have to call to set up my first shifts for training....they have us shadow a more experienced volunteer for 4-6 shifts first. I will be a float/runner.....so bringing specimens to the lab, delivering flowers, wheeling patients around....

I can't wait to get started!!

[freesia29, ASN, RN]

Found a great article about volunteering if anyone is on the fence about it....

http://www.newsweek.com/id/45354/page/1

[PacoUSA, BSN, RN]

That is exactly how I feel....I feel like I could cry half the time....cuz it finally feels like I am doing what I am supposed to be doing!

I just had my orientation on Friday, and tomorrow I have to call to set up my first shifts for training....they have us shadow a more experienced volunteer for 4-6 shifts first. I will be a float/runner.....so bringing specimens to the lab, delivering flowers, wheeling patients around....

I can't wait to get started!!

You're definitely right, freesia29 ... I sometimes get frustrated why this "calling" never came to me when I was younger but I am trying to accept the fact that I was not meant to start on this path until now. I suppose my pre-nursing career was meant to take me to this point of realization in my life and for that I should be grateful. Though in hindsight, I seem to see little signs everywhere that this was on its way (like, the only textbook I ever really unexplainably kept from college and grad school was my Human Anatomy & Physiology - the same course I am retaking this summer as a prereq because they need it taken within the last 7 years).

I do a similar job @ my local hospital, called messenger service. I don't run lab specimens but I do deliver flowers and discharge patients. It's really great, you get a lot out of interacting with patients. They really enjoy the friendliness. I volunteer @ a community hospital because it's the only closest one to me so things are generally pretty calm - the BSN I hope to enter next year is affiliated with a trauma 1 medical center so that should make things more exciting for clinicals!