Is there volunteer work for pre-nursing students?

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I'm doing nursing prerequisites and haven't applied to nursing school yet. I'm looking for ways to improve my chances of getting in, and a friend of mine suggested I might be able to volunteer at a hospital or something even though I'm not qualified for anything (I'm not a CNA or anything.) Is there something that someone without any kind of certification can do? I can't imagine that they'd let me do anything that would look particularly good on a resume. I mean I wouldn't be allowed to work with patients or anything, and what school would care if they let me mop the floor at some hospital?

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I have volunteered on and off at one of the hospitals where I live at. Some things I have done is file paper work, enter data into computers, take patients to their appointments like if they had to get an EKG or something, deliver things to various parts of the hospital, stuff like that. You dont have to be certified in anything. Hospitals usually have a volunteer department so you need to check with one of your local hospitals and speak to someone about volunteer opportunities.

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Specializes in LDRP.

If you live in California, look up the Cope Clinical Care Extender volunteer program. You don't have to have any hospital experience - you just have to be enthusiastic about volunteering and genuinely seeking a career in healthcare. You get to observe and help with A LOT in this program, and it will give you a good idea if the healthcare field is right for you. :)

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It's about getting your foot in the door, and networking.

I volunteer in the ED and the Oncology Floor at a Level 1 Trauma Center. No I can't do on hands patient care, but I do care for patients and visitors.

In the ED, I am an Emergency Visitor Services volunteer. I do the same job as someone who gets paid, so it is valid healthcare experience. I assist the visitors in going back to see the family, to which I have to check with the nurses first. You'd be surprised at what kind of communication skills you quickly learn when faced with an irate visitor. Plus, I do interact with the patients, nurses, and doctors. I don't see the PCA's much.

On the oncology floor, I spend my entire time with patients. I sit with them during peak visiting hours. I sit with the ones that do not have visitors so they are not lonely. I help them eat, we talk, play games, watch tv. Whatever they want to do. Pretty much anything to help them deal with the pain. I interact with the nurses as well.

Patient care doesn't have to be medical care. I'm taking care of them emotionally. I strongly believe emotional support helps a person heal.

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At my local hospital I volunteer in the nursery, and I'm allowed to feed the babies with formula and change their diapers. I also prepare beds, make hats and help file. I didn't need any kind of certification. Maybe you could volunteer in the nursery at your hospital?

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Thanks for the input. I'm going to contact some local hospitals and try to find something.

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At my local hospital I volunteer in the nursery, and I'm allowed to feed the babies with formula and change their diapers. I also prepare beds, make hats and help file. I didn't need any kind of certification. Maybe you could volunteer in the nursery at your hospital?

Is there any age requirement to volunteer in a nursery? I'm 17, soon to be 18, and I think I'd really enjoy doing that.

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Is there any age requirement to volunteer in a nursery? I'm 17, soon to be 18, and I think I'd really enjoy doing that.

This could vary with the area but hospitals around me usually require you to be 21 if you're going to be working with children or babies.

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Is there any age requirement to volunteer in a nursery? I'm 17, soon to be 18, and I think I'd really enjoy doing that.

I think all the one's around me require you to be 21 as well. But, there is also a waiting list to do stuff like this at all of the hospitals by me.

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Specializes in LDRP.

I tried volunteering with local hospitals in my area and they actually had waiting lists!! There are also other options if you have trouble getting into an acute care facility. You could try a nursing home, or a visiting nurse association. I am starting my orientation with a visiting nurse association working with the hospice division this month.

good luck.

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Thank you, happy2learn and guiltysins! =)

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Specializes in NICU Nurse.

I am going to orientation on the 13th to hopefully volunteer in the NICU but if they don't have any slots available for that, I will take what ever else I can get.

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