Volunteer to Help Nurses

[hewert]

Hi there - I'm a retired pharmacist who would like to volunteer at a hospital. Please bear with me as I might have some trouble articulating this, but my idea would be to volunteer to aid floor nurses (rather than specifically the patients). I'd do anything that would help the nurses, such as running for water, blankets, snacks. Answering call buttons to see if there was anything I could do for the patients that did not need a nurse. Anything that would help the nurses out.

In case you are wondering why I have this interest, I worked some on the floors in my hospital career, and I always felt the nurses were the hardest-working people in the facility. I always did whatever I could do to support nurses (and I miss that aspect of work).

I'd appreciate any comments before I approach the hospital volunteer office.

[TriciaJ, RN]

When reading your list of tasks, my first thought was "That's paid CNA work". Then I remembered the last hospital I worked in, and I believe a lot of those tasks were on the list of things we could have the volunteers do.

The problem I had with volunteers was that they were mostly young people jumping through a college entrance hoop. In other words, hide out and read magazines on the unit while logging "volunteer" hours. Even a motivated person often lacked the confidence to be self-directed. A mature person who is actually interested in providing a service should be more than welcome at most hospitals.

[Golden_RN, MSN]

At least a couple of hospital systems in my city have volunteer programs that include similar tasks to what you're talking about, but they are programs open only to nursing students. It is not nursing assistant work, but simple tasks - answer lights, pass waters, help pts with phones, bringing them blankets, offering coffee to visitors, etc.

Definitely reach out to your hospitals - there might be something available. Good luck and thank you!

[Daisy4RN]

Thank you so much for your post and willingness to help overburdened nurses! It is nice to hear that someone notices. I would just contact your local hospitals/SNFs, explain how you would like to volunteer and see what they say. We mostly had volunteers like Tricia stated but i would have loved one like you! Thank you and hope it works out, some lucky nurses will really appreciate you!!

[Forest2]

1 hour ago, Golden_RN said:

At least a couple of hospital systems in my city have volunteer programs that include similar tasks to what you're talking about, but they are programs open only to nursing students. It is not nursing assistant work, but simple tasks - answer lights, pass waters, help pts with phones, bringing them blankets, offering coffee to visitors, etc.

Definitely reach out to your hospitals - there might be something available. Good luck and thank you!

Sounds great, beats having the RN does this.

[Forest2]

3 hours ago, hewert said:

Hi there - I'm a retired pharmacist who would like to volunteer at a hospital. Please bear with me as I might have some trouble articulating this, but my idea would be to volunteer to aid floor nurses (rather than specifically the patients). I'd do anything that would help the nurses, such as running for water, blankets, snacks. Answering call buttons to see if there was anything I could do for the patients that did not need a nurse. Anything that would help the nurses out.

In case you are wondering why I have this interest, I worked some on the floors in my hospital career, and I always felt the nurses were the hardest-working people in the facility. I always did whatever I could do to support nurses (and I miss that aspect of work).

I'd appreciate any comments before I approach the hospital volunteer office.

God has a special place for you, I didn't think there was a soul in the world that gave a crap.