Volunteering at a hospital when your already licensed.

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

I've been wanting to volunteer at a local hospital. Would this be a liability to me since I already am licensed as an LVN.

[new1nursebabyea]

This is a good question. I would like to do the same as jobs are really short in my neck of the woods and I feel like I am losing my skills that I've learned in school very quickly.

[BluegrassRN]

My hospital has a nurse volunteer program. It's mainly geared towards retired nurses, but I'm sure others could participate.

They have regular volunteer duties (running errands, stocking, etc), but they can also do some other jobs, depending on their skill level and experience. All the nurse volunteers that we have can do the admission paperwork, for example, and they can do diagnosis and dietary teaching. They also do diabetic diet teaching, and insulin and lovenox administration. They can remove IVs, check blood sugars, and get vitals.

They are NOT assigned any patients, and do not have any assessment responsibilities. The assigned nurse is still responsible for the pt.

I never work with them, because I work nights, but the day shift enjoys working with them.

[new1nursebabyea]

Thank you for this information! Im from the Philadelphia area where there are a glut of nursing programs and new grads.

But Im still hopeful...

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

my hospital has a nurse volunteer program. it's mainly geared towards retired nurses, but i'm sure others could participate.

they have regular volunteer duties (running errands, stocking, etc), but they can also do some other jobs, depending on their skill level and experience. all the nurse volunteers that we have can do the admission paperwork, for example, and they can do diagnosis and dietary teaching. they also do diabetic diet teaching, and insulin and lovenox administration. they can remove ivs, check blood sugars, and get vitals.

they are not assigned any patients, and do not have any assessment responsibilities. the assigned nurse is still responsible for the pt.

i never work with them, because i work nights, but the day shift enjoys working with them.

they can remove iv's and do blood sugars ??

prasier :heartbeat

[netglow, ASN, RN]

What is wrong with that? Techs do blood sugars, d/c IVs.

[Keepstanding, ASN, RN]

but technically they are volunteers. who is liable for them if they screw up ??

praiser :heartbeat

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

why would a volunteer be doing any direct patient care?

[BluegrassRN]

It's a volunteer program for licensed nurses. Why couldn't they provide some direct pt care? I volunteer regularly at a low income health clinic. There *are* paid nurses and other staff there, but they rely heavily on volunteers. I provide direct pt care there. Nurses and other health care professions routinely provide volunteer direct pt care in a variety of settings. How is that different?

As with any volunteer situation, the liability rests with the individual and the organization. My Liability Insurance covers me 24/7 and includes volunteer activities. In the case of our hospital based nurse volunteer program, the hospital is also liable.

What, a nurse can't take a set of vitals or do a blood sugar because they are a volunteer? How is that a problem?

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

Well the volunteer program I was looking at wouldn't be asking me to do any nursing skills that I know of. I want to volunteer at this hospital so when I eventually bridge to RN I have build a relationship with them.