Volunteering: small hospital vs big

[mreznik1]

I've talked to an HR rep about volunteering in a hospital order to pursue being hired there. She told me it was a great way to meet nursing/hiring managers. Now, my specific question is for the purposes of interacting with and meeting these managers, is a smaller community hospital better or a big city hospital?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Are you in the United States? Volunteering in a hospital as a clinical nurse is not typical in the US most commonly due to liability issues

[mreznik1]

Yes, I am. Correct, I cannot function in the capacity of an RN. My question rather is one of networking, specifically with nurse managers/recruiters. If I want to network with these supervisors via volunteering , would a smaller community hospital be better or a large city hospital?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Neither in my area as it's rare for a volunteer to work in a patient care area nearly all are at the front desk or gift shop, a few assist in administrative offices.

[adpiRN]

I was a baby cuddler in the NICU at a large hospital.

It was great and good to put on my résumé.

But even though I felt like I got along with the nurse manager, when I emailed her during my job search (almost 2 years later) she blew me off and told me I had to go through HR.

Maybe a small hospital would have helped me out a little more.

So I would recommend a small hospital with less buerocrasy.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

I was a baby cuddler in the NICU at a large hospital.

It was great and good to put on my résumé.

But even though I felt like I got along with the nurse manager, when I emailed her during my job search (almost 2 years later) she blew me off and told me I had to go through HR.

Maybe a small hospital would have helped me out a little more.

So I would recommend a small hospital with less buerocrasy.

Not uncommon in large & small facilities all applications must go through HR & screening to reduce bias and discrimination

[dee789]

I don't have a job yet, but I did volunteer for 18 months before nursing school and now have a contact who has offered to put me in touch with hiring managers and help me get a job. However, I didn't meet him on the floor but when I interviewed for a position (not RN) that I wanted at that hospital. It was a big hospital but I was in one department. I had patient contact as a volunteer (tho obv not patient care) and did not do anything administrative.

I would think the size of the hospital would not matter... as you will be on one unit and should get to know the people on that unit over time.

[RunBabyRN]

I think it's more about the feel of the actual hospital. In a smaller hospital, you'll see fewer subspecialties, which means that each unit gets more variety. In a larger hospital, you might see higher acuity and more of the rare stuff.

I know one hospital has volunteers handling pt check ins, which is probably about as close as a volunteer gets to pt care in that area, and as close as they can get to management. Generally, volunteers are in the gift shop and other non-patient care areas.

Perhaps contact both hospitals and find out what volunteer opportunities are available. See what's most appealing.