Volunteers

meandragonbrett · Mar 5, 2003

The nurses that I worked with loved me. One word of advice...take some initiative on whatever unit you're on. Be serious about being there and don't goof off. If you do play around they won't like you. I know people who did that and were thrown out of the program. Ask questions when the pop into your head. Good luck!

Brett

PennyLane, RN · Mar 5, 2003

The nurses were really happy to have me, too, if only b/c there was an extra pair of hands to deliver food trays, get water, talk to patients, etc. Luckily I had some really great nurses who taught me a lot and let me watch whenever a procedure was being done. One day that I was there a guy was having tachycardia, and afib, and there was everyone and their grandma in that room trying to decide what to do. The nurses seemed to think he may have been severely dehydrated b/c he was on lasix. And they told me all about the heart, how it works, what was happening, etc. (At this point all I had taken was A&P I).

They were sad to see me go, and even sent me a beautiful hand-made card that they had signed!

I asked one of the nurses to write a recommendation for me. It was a wonderful experience.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 5, 2003

I find them PRICELESS and truly appreciate their services whenever offered. Especially during busy times, we are so glad to have them. They are truly a treasured member of our patient care team!

nurseman · Mar 5, 2003

When I was a student I volunteered at a walk in clinic. I helped do the odd jobs that everyone else was too busy to do or had to do on the fly. Filling up the exam rooms, checking expired meds. transferring patients to the lab . As I was a volunteer and not covered under the schools insurance I was not permitted to do the procedures I was doing in the clinical rotations.

I'm now working for a private company and we do not have volunteers only students on placements.

jude11142 · Mar 5, 2003

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes
I find them PRICELESS and truly appreciate their services whenever offered. Especially during busy times, we are so glad to have them. They are truly a treasured member of our patient care team!

I agree with you, they are priceless!! We are lucky enough to get nursing/cna students/volunteers, etc.......and the majority are blessings, the few that are not serious about learning are tossed out early on. It's wonderful to have "extra hands" but more importantly it's a wonderful opportunity to "teach" and what a feeling when you do so and they "get it"....lol.............Our patients also love the "extra attention" that they get, let's face it, we don't have enough time to sit and talk with our patients so students/volunteers give our patients that extra time.

JUDE:)