Pre-Nursing: Where to volunteer?

[soviyana]

Hi everyone,

I'm finishing up my first semester in pre-nursing (BSN - returning adult student) , so far earning an A in A+P, B in Chem, and A's in other LER's (Liberal Education Requirements). I've always wanted to be a nurse but believed everyone in my life who told me I was too dumb or too deaf (literally) to do it. Well, now that I'm older and have figured out that I've got a good head on my shoulders *and* an implant - I can finally work toward what I want.

I want/need to be sure to keep my GPA up in order to get accepted into the full nursing program at Kent State - but I also want/need to do some volunteer work to give myself some practical experience and hopefully references. Are there any suggestions on where the best place to do this would be? Eventually I want to be in public health nursing - what should I look/ask for in a volunteer experience?

P.s - if anyone has any specific suggestions about the Akron/Cleveland OH area that would be even better.

Thanks so much to everyone who has ever posted here - I've learned so much just by mostly lurking!

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Well, contact your county public health dep't and ask if they have volunteer opportunities. And LTC facilities are generally really happy just to have someone come and visit with the old ones.

Congratulations on following your dreams! I'm mildly HOH, but not to such a degree than I can't function in the hearing world without a hearing aide - although it's much difficult.

:)

[soviyana]

Thanks so much for the advice. Silly of me not to think of contacting the Public Health Dept.!

Also thanks for the congrats. I know it's not enough to just have the dream, I have to be able to make the dream happen - and only with the assistance of technology, can I. Well... the way I see it... everything about our bodies are technological/Gd like miracles... so what's the big deal if I (or you, or anyone) needs some help to make things right?

If you do find yourself with a mild hearing loss, and feel it's affecting you... why not get an aid? They really do make things so much easier, because you can concentrate on listening... not hearing. And if you're shy about it, no one even needs to know.

Best of luck and thanks again!

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Oh, I got the HA, and I don't care who knows it. But until I got it I thought the world was full of rude people who mumbled. Now it's being replaced because I lost it and I never realized how much compensation I did for my deafness!

[soviyana]

Oh, I got the HA, and I don't care who knows it. But until I got it I thought the world was full of rude people who mumbled. Now it's being replaced because I lost it and I never realized how much compensation I did for my deafness!

Isn't it amazing? It's one of those things where you don't know what you're missing 'till it's gone.. or, err... what you're hearing.

Thanks again... I've got to get busy not hearing/listening to the noise around me while I'm studying (at least right after I'm off of allnurses) :)

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

I got my volunteer position through networking- the owner of a yoga studio I go to is also a nurse practitioner and works at an infectious disease clinic that focuses on HIV/AIDS patients. I LOVE it and it's given me a really great sense of what advanced practice nursing is like. And I've been able to exercise my A&P and micro knowledge

[Jersey Nursing Girl]

many new jersey nursing schools actually recommend becoming a certified nursing assistant (cna) first before being accepted into their nursing programs. brookdale community college in lincroft nj, i believe, actually requires it.

i work in a nursing home and find it a great way to see if you have the fortitude to become a nurse. we have many volunteers and they get a snap shot of what nursing is like. at ocean county college (occ) in toms river nj, they do not require you to be a cna first but highly recommend it. their one day per week (odpw) nursing program was actually designed for people who need to work. they give a special preference to those who work or volunteer in health care. my bosses were thrilled when they found out that i was a pre-nursing student and was applying to the odpw nursing program.

for anyone close to new jersey, they still have seats open for january 2009 for students who have finished their pre-requisite courses.

http://www.ocean.edu/nursingone.htm

back to volunteers: nursing homes, i find are grateful for whatever you can give as far as volunteering. i feel that that patients look forward to seeing you each day and are genuinely appreciative of the help that you give them. you are really helping to make the world a better place by volunteering your time here. in many case you become their friend and a trusted friend of the family as well. i love being there. you see some real heartbreaks but you feel great that you have made a difference in some small way.

thanks

jersey nursing girl