Where are the candy stripers?

[Mrs. SnowStormRN]

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?

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I was a volunteer when i was in high school. Still see a few when I work my prn job at the same hospital - though i don't see them doing things i remember doing like transporting patients.

[CNAkt]

I was a candy striper about 9 years ago, complete with the striped smock and everything. We also had the older women, the "Pink Ladies", who I think are still around. I haven't seen a candy striper in about 7 years, but there were Pink Ladies that would come in the NICU as "cuddlers" in late 2006, when my son was a patient there. Thats the last time I've seen a Pink Lady.

[Sarah010101]

Good point!!! I havent seen them either.. but we do have "baby cuddlers" who are on the peds floor (usually elderly volunteers). I was a candystriper at an intermediate care facility in highschool to gain work experience hours. I am surprised there arent a lot more around... would be nice to have someone to talk to patients and do water runs etc for them when i am not always avaliable to do so :)

BRING BACK THE CANDYSTRIPERS!!!

[Fiona59]

I was a candystriper but our uniform was yellow. Striped skirt with a bib thing attached. Sent to the LTC side of the hospital and told to occupy ourselves. Killed my desire to nurse for over 20 years.

Now our volunteers wear smocks.

Oh, and in my hospital a "pink lady" is a particularly effective bowel routine beloved of doctors over 60.

[MommyandRN]

We have volunteers. Mostly senior citizens. Some younger ones in nursing school or hoping to be pre-med, stuff like that. But they don't wear stripes. And they don't just sit with pts.

[BabyRN2Be]

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

Ha! I did, too! I used every one even until this day!

I was a candy-striper ~29 years ago with the striped pinafore, nurses shoes and everything. I worked a surgical floor and I learned so much. At that time, I worked Sundays year round. We'd answer phones, call lights, set up new charts, pass water, made beds. I have so many memories of being a candy-striper! :redpinkhe

A few years ago (they probably still do it) the hospital I used to work out had a much sought after program for teens to work on mother-baby. It was volunteer and extremely y. They could change diapers and feed the babes in the well-baby nursery as well as stock shelves, let us know when we were running short of supplies. They weren't candy-stripers per se, but they did wear different colored scrubs that differentiated them from the rest of the staff. AT NO TIME where they involved in the transfer of mother to baby and vis versa. That was strictly the RN's role. I have to say that these girls were excellent and they should be. They beat out so many other girls for these jobs. As I said it wasn't volunteer but they had some very concrete accomplishments they could put on their resume! I was so very proud of these girls!:heartbeat

[JSlovex2]

candystripers would be so nice to have, but as with most things, i think have been pushed out due to liability issues. it's sad.

[spn2sn2eng]

I don't think it's so much liability as it is numbers, as in fewer, and those who are around have social issues.

Then there are places which would like to have such a program, but they don't have the personnel.

I was a Candy Striper in 1980-81. Our CS wore the either the store-bought traditional red and white stripes, or made their own in the bib fashion. I am presently collecting both Candy Striper, Hospital Auxiliary, and Student Nurse uniforms. My pipe dream is a museum.

[spn2sn2eng]

I would like to hear more about your yellow and white uniform. In what region of the country did you work and when?

I recalled seeing red, blue, and yellow striped pinafores, respectively, in the uniform shop when I bought my pinafore. I had been curious about the use of the yellow. Found one for sale on Etsy which had been used by the Junior League of Greater Lakeland. Such is now in my collection.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

HIPAA violations and risk of infection are two reasons why we do not want volunteers in direct patient care.

[TheGooch]

I found two hospitals online that still use them. They wear the red and white smocks.