New Grad RN looking to volunteer

Sour Lemon · Dec 7, 2020

1 hour ago, jm9621 said:

Hi everyone! I recently passed my boards and am starting to apply to jobs. However, since my school is a diploma school, I realize I may have a difficult time finding an RN job off of the bat. Since I am still currently working as a PCA and have an income, I think volunteering would be a great way for me to gain experience and have another thing to put on my resume. I think it would also help me feel comfortable and confident and will help me learn new skills. Any experience will help, and it doesn’t have to be an RN position. Anything to get my foot in the door and get my feet wet would be amazing. Does anyone have any insight on any volunteer work I can do as a new grad RN? Possibly something temporary to help with the covid outbreak? Any suggestions or insight would be appreciated. TIA! ?

That will be a tough sell, as anyone non-essential doesn't make it through the door these days. Volunteers tend to be very limited in what they're allowed to do, too- most likely for liability reasons. The ones I've seen did things like bring patients magazines ...and that's not the sort of experience you need.

You might be able to "volunteer" at a low-paying (or otherwise undesirable) job. Keep looking and good luck!

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Dec 7, 2020

4 hours ago, Sour Lemon said:

That will be a tough sell, as anyone non-essential doesn't make it through the door these days. Volunteers tend to be very limited in what they're allowed to do, too- most likely for liability reasons. The ones I've seen did things like bring patients magazines ...and that's not the sort of experience you need.

You might be able to "volunteer" at a low-paying (or otherwise undesirable) job. Keep looking and good luck!

This is so true. When the initial shutdown happened, I tried to volunteer at both an animal shelter and an essential worker daycare- both ideas were shot down because of COVID.

RNperdiem, RN · Dec 7, 2020

In a hospital environment, we tend to go with paid workers. Volunteers are becoming rarer. The ones that still exist, they do things like collect magazines to put in the waiting room. For nurses and nursing management, volunteers are invisible. At least your PCA job gets you income and direct patient care experience.

Nunya, BSN · Dec 7, 2020

Are there any free/income adjusted community clinics near you? I bet they need volunteers. I worked at a crisis helpline/health clinic in college, the NP there probably would have loved a RN, even one with no experience, instead of just nursing students.