Where are the candy stripers?

[Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN]

Early in my nursing career I remember seeing candy stripers around the hospitals, reading to patients, passing out magazines,and just spending time with them. It was a great oppurtunity for young people to come into the hospital and get a feel for nursing. But now that I think about it, I havent seen candy stripers in a long time. Maybe its the name (and uniform) thats obsolete, because obviously hospitals still have volunteers. Does anyone work at a place where they actually still utilize candy stripers?

[nurse.sandi]

Never

[caliotter3]

For years now, I have only seen adult volunteers. BTW I was a candy striper about 45 years ago.

[thebusynurse]

There's still a few teen volunteers in the hospitals around here, but I haven't seen that distinctive red & white striped uniform since I last wore one (almost 20 years ago!).

The name and uniform may no longer exist, but a google image search shows me that the concept of candy stripers still live on... just a lot more "adult" than I remember

[Crux1024]

The "candy stripers" in our facility are usually elderly volunteers. They have a candy cart that also has books and magazines and walk up and down the halls. They also deliver mail and flowers. They just wear a blue vest here though. No stripey outfits.

[caregiver1977]

In my late teens I volunteered in the medical records dept. of a hospital. I don't remember seeing anyone in a striped outfit. I don't think I have ever actually seen a candy striper. The only volunteers I know of at my local hospital are elderly women in pink smocks.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

I was a candy-striper about 10 years ago- had the red and white striped dress and everything I did enjoy it. Our hospital does still have teen volunteers, mostly in the summertime, but they don't wear the "candy-striper" outfits.

[RNperdiem, RN]

There are a few college student volunteers and quite a few more retirees where I work.

They wear polo shirts with the hospital logo.

The cute stripey jumper went extinct when nurses quit wearing tailored white dresses.

Hospitals are more wary about letting untrained people have patient contact. Where I work, volunteers are more likely to answer phones, staff the family waiting room and deliver newspapers.

I suspect students are likely to have paying jobs instead of candy-striping.

[Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN]

I am a student and also volunteer. We wear polo shirts w logo. I work in transportation (did receive a long orientation) and have loads of contact with patients. I find the experience almost as useful as clinicals.

[nursel56]

No more Candy Stripers :-( - I think I still have my Barbie candy striper jumper though. The Barbie of today wouldn't be caught dead in that outfit.

Mostly the volunteers are elderly ladies now. I remember being a volunteer at age 17. We wore a peach-colored jumper over a white blouse with "Josette" embroidered on there for St Joseph's Hospital. Many patients would call us "Josette" and think that was about the funniest thing they ever came up with.

I learned all my mad wheelchair pushing skillz as a volunteer. :)

[Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN]

There are a few college student volunteers and quite a few more retirees where I work.

They wear polo shirts with the hospital logo.

The cute stripey jumper went extinct when nurses quit wearing tailored white dresses.

Hospitals are more wary about letting untrained people have patient contact. Where I work, volunteers are more likely to answer phones, staff the family waiting room and deliver newspapers.

I suspect students are likely to have paying jobs instead of candy-striping.

I think the last time Ive seen candy stripers (with the striped pull over apron) was probably in 2005 when I worked for the VA Hospital. I remember when I worked LTC around 2002 they would come there as well and read to the patients, pour ice and things. The tailored white dresses were loooong gone by then, LoL! (Although, I did work with a couple older nurses who still wore white dresses). I dont know what made me think about them, but I do think I found a hospital that still uses them. I think that its really cool, even if the uniform has updated to polo shirts, volunteers are great(especially to get pre-college experience).

http://www.doctorsmemorialhospital.com/services/candy-stripers.php

[I<3H2O, BSN, RN]

Our Candy Stripers are now called Volunteens. Our regular volunteers which used to be women wearing pink (we called them Pink Ladies) are now just volunteers. LOL