Volunteer Nurse

[WinterFairyRN]

Hi! I passed the NLE, NCLEX and IELTS,done with some the trainings (IVT,BLS,1st aid etc) submitted my resumes to hospitals and right now I am still UNEMPLOYED! I am also a full time volunteer nurse in one the hospitals in Manila(mon-fri 6am- 2pm) and yes, I also paid just to get in to this hospital as a volunteer. I do not regret what I am doing right now, even if I know that it will not count as a work experience in my resume and even if sometimes I feel a little bad about some of the regular staff nurses who do nothing but pretend to be busy and take advantage of the volunteer nurses, I dont regret it because I am learning a lot, not just the nursing skills, nurse patient relationship but also learning more about myself; the kind of nurse I want to be... compasionate and competent.

A few days ago, I started a mini mission to help the poor patients In our ward, I am asking my friends to donate stuffs like gloves, cottonballs, masks, gauzes, digital thermometers (the hospital I am in is still using the mercury type), alcohols, liquid soaps, insytes, injections, even sterile water for injections etc. Wish me luck guys and I do hope that my mission will be a successful one. By the way if anyone here is from alabang, sucat, laspinas area and wants help in my mission just send me a pm.

[gambutrol]

@ nurseharbee

It is in the Central Block of the PGH main building just below the Alfredo Ramirez Burn Center and somewhat above the Nursing Office. It is for 100 hours per level. There are four levels.

@ red roxy

I know it is still available, but I think they are only accepting volunteers to pool only because there has been an upsurge of nurses willing to do volunteer work for them. I would like to reiterate that this is not a nursing volunteer program, but it could add to you experience, because you would witness the Philippine healthcare system at its worst (and also at its best because of the staff, hehe.. biased).

@ angelxoxo

This is common in public hospitals. We are short of supplies, staff etc. We use the same system here at PGH. The autoclave machine is an indespensible tool for us because virtually everything is re-packaged and reused. There are many instances wherein the autoclave machine overheats because of the sheer number of instruments/equipment/supplies that needs to be autoclaved.

@ husdawg

Second the mention. Same as I have mentioned above. You can result to becoming a volunteer but without any fee.

[medic8]

i think being a full time volunteer is not good, better to have a real full time job (try going into other fields like occupational health) then apply as a volunteer in a hospital (there shud be no fees as mentioned by gamutrol) at the same time. you can save and support your needs form your earnings at the same time you practice your clinical skills in the hospital. :-)

[red_roxy]

thanks gambutrol!

[gambutrol]

Glad to be of service.. I was once on the same situation as most of you. I applied in every good hospital proximate to my residence (endured the scourging heat of the sun while carrying my brown envelope jam packed with credentials). While I was waiting for call backs, I taught english to koreans (the reason behind this is to practice my english so that I would be ready to take the IELTS exam which I did and I passed it without formal reviews). While teaching koreans that was the time when I did the volunteer work. I completed level 1 ERVP and soon after call backs were already coming. I got a call from a not-so-famous private tertiary hospital near my residence, so since I am still waiting for Makati Med and PGH, I grabbed the opportunity to work there for the meantime. I was lucky because they don't have binding contracts for employees less than 6months. Just when I was already honing my skills, I got a call from both MMC and PGH. I chose PGH since I want to really hone my skills without the excess baggage of demanding relatives and patients. So that's why I am trying to help nurses like you (yes you! hehe..) in simple ways that I can. God bless all of you in all of you're applications. I don't know if this will help, but every prayer that I made in the church at Baclaran were all made into reality ( I don't know if this is just mere coincidence ). Oh no, this is off topic.. go volunteers!!! hehe.. BTW, I also volunteered in PNRC at Manila.. Back then I made a career out of volunteering (hehe..) But take note, all of these volunteer programs I joined in does not require a fee.

[yoo jin]

I once registered as a volunteer nurse for a fee too, here in my province. I was psyched to start my first shift, but I caved in the afternoon. I never went back and fortunately I was able to refund my money.

Dont get me wrong guys, it is not bad to volunteer, but for a fee? I mean Id go there everyday spending my parents money for the bus fare, lunch and other stuff Not to mention the training fee that came from my own pocket, isn't that a little too much already? AFter all of that, you get to sit in the couch again because there wereabsolutey no promise of paid employment after that.

I was feeling so morose, underappreciated and degraded that whole 8 hour shift. I feel my feet almost dragging me out the exit and never to come back again. My hands trembled while I wrote at the patient's chart. I was greatly relieved when the shift ended and went home with a smile, no, a grin on my face.

[spongebob6286, BSN, RN]

im here in the US right now and i am having a hard time looking for a new grad rn position. im planning to volunteer too..

[gambutrol]

good for you spongebob... it is better than none.. hope the system there is not like here in the Philippines wherein you would pay to become a volunteer..

Again, to my fellow nurses, as much as possible don't feed the system.. If you have a choice, don't patronize becoming a volunteer for a fee. But if you don't have a choice (this means that this is your last resort), then I'll respect your decision..