Volunteering At Local Hospital

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Hi,

I am beginning my first student volunteer job next friday and I am very! excited. :) I have completed my orientation, and did all the training but...i'm nervous! (haha i guess anyone would be for their first time). I am assigned to the a floor where I will be walking patients, helping them with food, reading to them, charting how much they eat and general stuff like refilling kleenexes and offering magazines.

But the patient contact is not that i am scared about...Its the nurses!

I do not want to bother the nurses with stupid questions, and be in the way. I know they are going to be busy a lot and I do not know how to confront them on questions like "can XXX eat this? or this? or even have water?"

so i guess it comes down to..how do I not be a pain in the butt! :o

Thanks for any help!!

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Specializes in Emergency.

Ask. Seriously, you shouldn't be "confronting" the rn's but absolutely need to know which pt's can eat/drink and what they're allowed to have. Also, just because a pt asks you to help them out of bed doesn't mean it's allowed. Check with the nurses.

Enjoy the experience.

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I am 'justavolunteer' myself. It is absolutely necessary that you ask if a pt. can have water or a particular food item. Especially for NPO patients, if they end up drinking water before a test or surgery, it may lead to a postponement of the surgery or test. No one will be happy with that, plus, the nurse may get jumped on by a doctor about it. (Some doctors think the nurse can be everywhere at once.)

I have been around long enough that I know the nurses' names. I make a copy of the shift assignment and track down each nurse to find out about water restrictions. There may be an occasional nurse who takes umbrage at my questions, but they are generally so happy for my help, that it isn't much of a problem.

I have found volunteering to be very rewarding & I hope you do too!

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Specializes in CNA in LTC, Hospital.

At the hospital i volunteered at there were signs outside the patients room that said NPO(meaning nothing by mouth or nothing prescribed orally) so i knew not to bring them anything even if they asked. As for as not bothering the nurses I did that by asking a CNA instead. If it was something that needed a nurses care the CNA would let the nurse know. Once u get comfortable in the unit u will know who to ask and who to not ask. I asked nurses when there was no CNA around. In some units i volunteered the nurses were happy to help and the in other units they seemed a little annoyed but if they seemed annoyed dont take it personally. they are usually tired and stressed. most will enjoy the help from volunteers. Good luck:) I hope u enjoy volunteering

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:) Thank ya'll. I guess I will just get over the fear of being a bother. I know when it comes to the patients health its ALWAYS better to be safe. And I will defiantly look for the NPO signs I hope we have them, it would help so much. either way, ya'll have calmed me down about talking to the nurses, even though i know they will be busy I'm sure they appreciate it when I ask and become involved. I am so excited my first shift is next friday! and today I get my badge! wooo:D

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