Which hospital volunteer assignment should I ask for?

P_RN, ADN, RN · Feb 27, 2004

Check with the hospital to see if they have a nurse shadow program. You would follow a nurse on an average day.

mattsmom81 · Feb 28, 2004

Any assignment that gets you to the hospital units will give you a birds eye view of what nursing is like. Once the nurses see you are there, they will likely keep you busy...I love it when volunteers come to my unit! Shadowing a nurse is a great experience too! Hope you like it in our crazy world....good luck to you!

MEL101 · Feb 28, 2004

:) Good advice mattsmom81! You sound like a nicely seasoned person...

May I ask where Texasville is in relation to Houston? I'm still learning about TX since moving here a few yrs ago...have a good one.....:)

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Feb 28, 2004

How 'bout a floating assignment? Where you get to "work" at several different positions?

That's what I did last year when I volunteered. Spent time in the ED, transported patients to rooms, X-ray, etc., greeted families, delivered mail and lab specimens, etc. Got to meet / talk with a lot of folks and see a good deal of the hospital and its different settings.

Share your situation with the local hospital's director of volunteer services. You may get some good suggestions.

Good luck!

Mimi2RN, ASN, RN · Feb 28, 2004

As a volunteer, I worked two jobs at different times. One day a week, I was a messenger for a few hours. Delivered mail, flowers, lab specimens, took new patients to the floor and oriented them to the room.

My other position was on a small OB/Peds unit. Answered the phone and call lights, transported babies to and from the nursery, stocked the storage cupboard in each room. Helped with some of the little patients, when mom was not around. Even learned to hold for IV starts on the babies and toddlers.

I found it all very helpful when I got into nursing. I was much more comfortable on the unit....knew were supplies were kept, when I did some of my clinical at the same hospital.

I suppose that's one of the reasons I became a nurse, I kept thinking "I can do that!". Eventually I became a peds nurse, and now I work in a level II nursery.

Unfortunately, not all Hospital Volunteer organizations are as well organized, or allow you to work in such a variety of places. It doesn't hurt to ask, though.

I also received a couple of small scholarships from them while I was in Nursing school.

See what volunteering can do for you!

mattsmom81 · Feb 29, 2004

:) Good advice mattsmom81! You sound like a nicely seasoned person...
May I ask where Texasville is in relation to Houston? I'm still learning about TX since moving here a few yrs ago...have a good one.....:)

I live in Fort Worth...use Texasville as a generalization...is there really a Texasville in Texas? :coollook:

Louisepug · Mar 1, 2004

Hi, I decided to go into nursing this past year after much contemplation. I was going to volunteer at first at a local hospital to see if I wanted to get into the field, but instead, decided to become a CNA. In my opinion, if you have the time, this is the way to go if you're unsure. That way, you are really getting "in there" hands-on with patients,learning some medical terms, etc. I'll be finished with my class in May and have absolutely loved it so far!! Good luck to you. :) Louisepug