Internship/volunteering US hospital

[fabienne]

Hello everybody,

I am turning to you guys with a question I have about volunteering at a US hospital.

I am a RN from Switzerland and I am interested in doing an internship/volunteer work at a US hospital for one or two months. I know I won't be allowed to do much as I am not registered as a nurse in the US but I am still interested in doing some volunteer work so I get to see a little bit about what it is like to work in the health care field in the US.

I was wondering if anybody on this site has ever done something like that and what your experiences are. Does anybody know a hospital that offers something like that to foreign trained nurses?

I would be very glad to hear from you guys and I hope someone can share their experience.Thanks!

fabienne

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

I would contact a hospital that you are interested in, all have volunteer programs, pretty much to delivering mail and flowers. You will be responsible to living and all other activities.

If you are in school, why not try for a semester abroad, the school will arrange a place to live and an internship.

[Fiona59]

Doesn't some of the public health units in poorer areas like the Appalachins have programmes like this?

[fabienne]

thank you guys!

@Ginger's Mom: I am not in school anymore, graduated in nursing 7 years ago and work in the emergency room now. So I will have to arrange all this by myself)-:

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

thank you guys!

@Ginger's Mom: I am not in school anymore, graduated in nursing 7 years ago and work in the emergency room now. So I will have to arrange all this by myself)-:

There are privacy laws in the USA, no way will you be allowed to visit a hospital ER without a school or organization giving you access to a hospital. Even being a volunteer, you need a health and privacy training, I don't think a hospital would do that for a month commitment.

If you belong to a nursing organization like an Emergency Nursing they may have a CEU program in the USA, but I doubt they will have access to a hospital.