Volunteering at a hospital worth it?

samrusrn · Jun 18, 2012

Clearly, you need to go volunteer at another hospital, you are not getting any patient experience there. You're just becoming a free scapegoat for the paid employees to do less work. I was in your shoes once, years ago when I was a freshman in college. In my first volunteer experience, I was placed in medical records where I ended up doing the mundane clerical work that the paid employees were putting off and were happy to see me take over. Never once did I work with a patient. Well, that lasted 4 weeks - I just stopped going without notice.
ETA: I just reread your original post, and you seem to have a commitment in place. I think I did too, can't recall. At the time however, I was not doing it for a chance to secure a job at that hospital later on so I had no qualms about leaving them flat. Think about your options and whether it's worth sticking it out or just going on to better things.

Thank you for your post, this is EXACTLY how I feel. I have told my boyfriend countless times that I feel like I'm just doing the work they don't want to do. Today was the worst of all, I had to go through patient folders and look through every piece of paper to make sure there were all signed and dated. I did this for 2 hours and I was getting sick of looking down. They told me it was very boring work and that it hadn't been done in months. I barely finished a box in 2 hours and there's 3 more boxes to finish.

I already spoke to someone and I will be sent to another department. The lady was someone higher up in the volunteer services and she made it clear that I will never have patient interaction unless it's to greet them or help them get water/blanket..etc. She said that they just can't allow it. I told them I misunderstood the information on the packet; when I saw "non clinical" and "clinical" experience, I thought clinical meant patient interaction. She also reminded me of my commitment; when she found out I was a nursing student she asked me how I was going to volunteer while going to school. I was confused, I always assumed we would work around it. She then asked me for my schedule and I said it was impossible since I haven't even enrolled for classes yet.

Thanks again everyone for the input, it's really helpful!

Rednights · Jun 18, 2012

CNA, Tech, and EMT are great things to do while in school. Volunteer EMTs (non-paid) don't have such strict hours since it's not a job (but you'll be performing the same duties as a paid EMT) but still offer a constant source of patient interaction (emergent or not) that are on par / exceed (as well you may come up to full blown code scenarios while waiting for ALS) with a nursing student level. I see you can't find any CNA or EMT summer classes, I don't know I would just stick it out on the volunteer position at the hospital and see what happnes unless you can find another hospital that's closer at least.

I volunteered as a "pharm tech" student'ish level, really fun showed lots of things. Nursing homes are also good, even the physical therapy department was good for you know just light exercises and what not with the residents.

PacoUSA, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2012

So what happens if you just flat out stop going or quit on them? Are they gonna sue you? Aside from not being able to work for them later as an employee, what else is there to lose? Sorry, what you describe is just a plain waste of volunteer time for what you want out of it. Any interaction with a patient even if just getting ice for them is better than looking at docs for signatures, dang!!! At least you would be entering a patients room and seeing nurses in action.

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itzcuzimindian · Jun 19, 2012

not too sure what your background is... I got into volunteering at a hospital after 9th grade during the summers. Then I did clinicals at the same hospital when i was a senior. At first i had the same experience as you did, my unit had me sit in the utility room and re-stock, when I was done I folded papers, cleaned wires etc etc. I was so bored that I even went and told the volunteer co-coordinator I wanted to switch departments; instead she told me to stick it out a couple more weeks. Long story short I spent 3 consecutive summers as a volunteer on that unit and I learned a lot because of it. I showed them that I was trustworthy and dependable to do the small tasks, built a relationship with most of the staff and they were one of the first few people to guide me in my endeavor in the medical field. I am now working as a clerk at the same hospital on a different unit and will be starting nursing school in the fall in a bsn program. I never thought I would get in... but I had great recommendations and a great exposure to the medical field before hand... it's not as easily available for everyone, but if you have the chance to do it you should definitely volunteer... It WILL pay off in the end :)

PlumeriaSun · Jun 19, 2012

Volunteering looks great on a resume. If i was a hiring manager and was down to two applicants do I hire Nurse A, who has no volunteer exp. VS Nurse B who does? In this economy its good to do anything that will look good on a resume, go for it and do it... Plus a great way to meet staff, and get familiar w/ the facility.

Merlyn · Jun 19, 2012

Volunteering is the best thing that you can do. It will get you use to the sights, sounds, and smells of the hospital.It will make you less freaky on your rotations through the hospital because you will be use to people in pain. I have one suggestion try and see an autopsy. I will help you when you take Anatomy and make you less nervous around dead bodies.

sandyfeet · Jun 19, 2012

I showed them that I was trustworthy and dependable to do the small tasks, built a relationship with most of the staff and they were one of the first few people to guide me in my endeavor in the medical field.

This is exactly what I came here to write. While as a volunteer you are excited to offer help and care for patients, the staff has no idea of your training or skills. Don't forget that the staff will be responsible for your work, be it desk work or patient care. Doing the mundane tasks shows that you are willing to put in the hard work to get to the "fun stuff".

I was a volunteer in 2009. Sometimes I was given fun tasks like feeding patients or walking with them, or sometimes I was given the task of thinning charts. Was I disappointed and bored with desk work? HECK YES, but doing those boring jobs made a huge impact on my career. I had my "foot in the door" and I talked to everyone, I mean everyone, about my goals and aspirations. I networked like there was no tomorrow. I showed I was a hard worker.

Yesterday was my first day on the floor as a nurse in that same hospital. My volunteer experience came up in my interview because HR kept it as part of my personal file. I had a huge advantage over the rest of my nursing class because in the sea of applications, I was a familiar face. We still have volunteers at my hospital; I saw them yesterday in a patient room applying pressure to a gushing wound. The rest of the day they were restocking supplies.

I would definitely give it another chance.

samrusrn · Jun 20, 2012

I feel awful about quitting, but at the same time, it wasn't anything like I expected. I'm really not sure how this affects me if I were to consider getting a job at that particular hospital later on. I know some of you have mentioned it looking good on a resume since it's hard to get a job nowadays, but in my particular area, this is not a problem when it comes to nursing. The area is not that great though - we are in a desert and temperatures stay in the 100's during the summer. It's not awful, but it's really boring here. A lot of people end up moving to bigger cities after about a year or so.

From what I have seen, the people who volunteer do it for college or to try to get a job at the hospital. I don't really fit into any of those categories and I seem to be the only person who is volunteering to get exposure for the RN program. I'm not one to refuse a job if one was offered to me though (I have hinted it in my department), but nothing was said about it. The RN students I have spoken to aren't concerned about volunteering (let alone paid work) and everyone is telling me that I will get exposure when I do clinicals this semester. I have told the coordinator for the RN-BSN program that I was volunteering and she didn't seem very interested. When I told the volunteer services coordinator that I was attending nursing school this semester, she couldn't care less and she just wanted to know how I was going to do my volunteer hours. Point is, I'm getting a big vibe that volunteering isn't a big deal here when it comes to nursing.

Guess I should also mention that I have told someone in the nurse department of another hospital if volunteering helped me with a career there and all she said is that it only really helps me get familiar with the area; nothing else. I have told HR at the hospital I'm currently helping out at if volunteering would help me get a job and they just said it could help.

Jackfackmasta, ASN, RN · Jun 20, 2012

I personally wouldn't have quit. I worked as an ED volunteer for 1.5 years and I cleaned rooms, made paper charts, did copies, run stuff to the labs. A lot of times there was not much for me to do however I worked hard and always asked if anyone needed help. That's what got me hired. My hard work ethic. Not being a volunteer.

The thing about following a nurse and watching patient care as a volunteer is HIPPA. Unless you are directly involved in the patients care volunteers really have no business being in the room. Nurses also do not have time to teach and stuff. Put yourself in the patients shoes. I would not want a volunteer in the room watching me or my nurse. Its uncomfortable and weird. I felt the same way as you at first but quickly learned its about the patient's privacy not about learning.

It was my hard work ethic doing work I did not want to that got me a job as an ED tech. I had no tech experience and would not have gotten the job without volunteering. I have worked at that hospital for a little over 3 years and the experience I got as a volunteer and especially as an ED tech I could not match with school or anything. I learned SO MUCH, got confidence, felt comfortable working with critically ill patients and codes and strengthened my skills and thinking.

Had I not been a volunteer I wouldn't be orientation this week for a level 1 surgical - trauma ICU nursing internship. I got a lot of bs as a volunteer and tech sometimes but it made me stronger. Everyone expects volunteers to be valued and cherished and nurses wanting to teach you. Doesn't work that way. Sometimes you have to work your way up the poll because the prize is at the end and I have my prize now doing what I love in my dream job.

There are always opportunities to get into volunteering in the future but do not expect a job offer to come because of it. Ive seen many volunteers and nursing students asking the charge nurse about getting hired as a tech. None of them did get hired because they were lazy when they were there and did not leave an impression on the staff. I had 3 references from the staff that got me hired as a tech. I wish you the best.

Not Your Nurse · Jun 12, 2014

Hi, what areas in a hospital would be best to volunteer in, with hopes of getting exposure to the nurses for potential future employment? would it be clerical?

seconddegreebsn · Jun 20, 2014

Wow, my experience volunteering is a lot different than everyone elses. I was in an ER speaking with patients to see if they were satisfied with thier care (customer satisfaction is a HUGE thing in nursing right now, so I was able to talk about this on an interview and describe what I did to handle the situation - refer, escalate, do it myself, etc..). My second volunteer position was hands on patient care position targeted towards nursing students that led to a job - I changed bedpans, talked to patients, and did my fair share of cleaning and stocking. I got to shadow nurses and read patient's charts so I could understand what was going on and why they made certain decisions. It was a great decision, one that paid off in the end.