Hospice Volunteering counts for pre-req for Nursing School?

[LoveSickHero]

So I recently became certified to become a hospice volunteer because I thought I could get clinical experience to fulfill experience and hour requirements for nursing school and going through the volunteer training, I realized that it's mostly going to patient's homes and helping them there. I was wondering if volunteering for hospice still counts as clinical experience for prereqs to nursing school? Or should I look for something with a more hospital-like setting? I know I could just call a bunch of schools I may be interested in (somewhere in Sacramento hopefully) and ask them if it counts but some perspectives would be nice =D

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Volunteer experience does not in any way, shape or form take the place of clinical hours in your nursing program.

In clinicals, you will be taught by a clinical preceptor and floor nurses, and guided through a curriculum set forth by your school. You will be allowed as a student to chart on patients, potentially learn a few skills (injections, IV starts, etc), and learn to see the hospital and your patients from a nursing perspective.

Clinicals are a part of your formal education as a nurse, blessed off and governed by whichever school you choose to attend.

As a volunteer, you may gain a certain amount of familiarity with the hospital setting. You may have a few friendly nurses who show you things they do. But you will not be practicing skills and following an RN as you would in clinicals. Even if you were a CNA, that experience does not transfer over to clinical experience.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

So I recently became certified to become a hospice volunteer because I thought I could get clinical experience to fulfill experience and hour requirements for nursing school and going through the volunteer training, I realized that it's mostly going to patient's homes and helping them there. I was wondering if volunteering for hospice still counts as clinical experience for prereqs to nursing school? Or should I look for something with a more hospital-like setting? I know I could just call a bunch of schools I may be interested in (somewhere in Sacramento hopefully) and ask them if it counts but some perspectives would be nice =D

Is the nursing program you're interested in requiring some kind of clinical experience PRIOR to entering their program? As SoldierNurse said, there is no volunteer program that would replace any part of any nursing program....in any way.

Perhaps your school requires CNA experience first? If so, hospice volunteering isn't the same, either.....I think either we need more information in order to help you, or YOU need more information :)

Good luck!

[RunBabyRN]

I don't think any schools require clinical experience PRIOR to nursing school. Have you looked at the prereqs required for schools in the area?