Evening ER volunteering -- shouldn't there be more to it than this?

[Chanandler Bong]

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I've just started volunteering in the ER, and am finding myself underwhelmed. Apart from my first day, it's been slow. I've completed five shifts, and no one seems to know what to do with me. When I ask the nurses and the front desk people, I get a lot of "Well, we haven't had a volunteer in the ER in a LONG time" and "I don't think we've ever had a volunteer here at night," and one memorable "You're a volunteer, so you can do whatever you want!"

When they do ask me to do something, I always follow through, but 99 out of 100 times it's stocking -- stocking to the point that I suspect I'm missing out on potential patient contact. After my first day, the head nurse said to focus more on "customer service," but whenever it's dead and I've given everyone drinks and blankets and I ask to be put to work, it's more stocking...

Is this what I should expect? I don't want to ever refuse work, but should I make sure to be (or at least look) busy with other things until there's no other option? How can I draw out my patient-contact time ("Do you need a drink or a warm blanket?" is an incredibly short interaction)? 😕

Also, is it bad form to talk to the nurses and front desk people instead of doing chores just for the sake of looking busy? Because so far, the ER seems to be social hour with occasional patients. The nurses and ER docs sit around talking about Puerto Vallarta and wedding planning and financial investments and whatever else, or they watch videos and text people. Same with the front desk people and security guards. I was told that it's very important to get to know people and gain their trust, and it's strange to interrupt these convos to ask for work when no one else is working... but I don't want to seem lazy, either. 🙁

I'm just getting frustrated trying to find a balance on my own... thanks, guys.

 

[Elewynne]

I volunteer at a local ER that is affiated with a larger hospital nearby (as in, it's in a more upscale suburban area and not where you see things like car wrecks or shootings). It was the only place accepting volunteers that could meet my schedule after work and school at up most of my time. I volunteer Sunday nights from 8pm until 10pm or so, depending on how busy it gets. It's usually SLOW like you said above, and most of the "work" is either stocking linens, cleaning wheelchairs and desks, and making sure the few patients there are have blankets and drinks when they want them. Often times the nurses and techs are reading, talking, browsing the internet, etc. just like you said above.

I try to keep busy as much as possible, and last Sunday they told me I was the best volunteer they've had there, and said that most of the other volunteers just sit around and try to socialize. So I'd take that as a sign that you should definitely try to keep being helpful and busy, and not spend a ton of time just chatting. That being said, I make a point to say hello to everyone, and have at least introduced myself and a little about myself to all the regular nurses and techs, and a couple doctors (the docs definitely seem to be the only ones always busy there, though!).

I have been able to stand in on a few minor procedures, and it's always cool to watch (even the time I got faint and had to leave, that was a bit of an ego blow!). The call nurse emphasized that I needed to be polite but persistent in asking the nurses and techs on duty if there are any procedures or exams that I could observe when I come in. Keep in mind that the nurses and techs are there working, and they usually won't think to come and ask if the volunteer needs something!

I'd suggest being very friendly and polite with the nurses, and make it clear that you'd love to have more patient contact or to observe procedures when they occur.

 

[DrMidlife]

This doesn't raise any alarms for me. You've found yourself in an ER where you don't have to bust ass.

You should be actively figuring out how to get access to senior providers (charge nurses etc) and access to physicians. I followed a lot of people around to figure this out.

A lot of what you're expected to do in an ER as a premed is just be around when something interesting happens. And when something interesting happens, knowing where the saline bags are etc. puts you in the action.

You can find more "action" at an urban level 1 trauma hospital, but you'll find you have to compete for shifts.

You might be allowed to wander the hospital when you've done what's assigned. This raises the odds of observing interesting things.

Stocking supplies was my secret weapon - I figured out where the orthopods went when there was a broken bone, and put myself there rolling bandages and making casting tubs. When an orthopod came in for a tub, out I went to observe...and hold things...and ask questions...and get access to the attendings...etc.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Dynamo24]

Most ER staff rely volunteers to keep the place clean and in order. Most of them don't trust pre-med students or volunteers to touch patients due to the fact they generally have no idea what the hell they are doing. I won't volunteer in an ER for this reason. I work with a guy who is an EMT (same credential as a tech) and he only gets to help move patients and maybe bring them food or drink. Other than that no "real" patient contact per say. I am generalizing a bit I'm sure, I bet there are some ER's that will let you help out more. But bigger, busier ones tend to push you aside. Just keep at it, build their trust and you'll start having more fun.

 

[violinist23]

I volunteered in an ED in high school (long, long ago...hehe) and they let me transport patients by taking them up one floor to minor emergency. Once in a while there would be a mother to take up to labor and delivery, which was further away and more of a chance to interact. I was too young then to think about doing much interaction/observation but I felt pretty important carrying charts around, etc. Would they let you transport? I think it was a good chance to practice talking to patients, calming them down, making them comfortable, etc.

 

[curt656]

I ran into a similar problem when I started volunteering. The ER staff basically ignored me every shift. Every now and then I got asked to do something, but basically I was a bump on a log. I grew tired of this after 4 or 5 shifts and resorted to a sure fire trick I learned from years of being on the road as a salesman. Doors open with doughnuts. It worked like a charm. After a couple weeks of doughnuts, all the nurses and doctors started calling me by name and gave me opportunites to do more. I feel like, and am treated like, one of the staff. Now I take patients to radiology, run stuff to the labs, help move a patient here and there, etc. I also make sure that I am right there to clean up when a patient is discharged so the EMT doesn't have to do it which also scores points. Some of the Doctors have allowed me to do a little following around here and there. My shift is usually slow as well and for the first time since I started a year ago, EMS brought in a patient in full cardiac arrest. We knew they were coming in advance and the Doctor told me I could stand in the corner and watch if I wanted, but I was not to move, lol.

So I recommend doughnuts. Let them see you walk through the ER to the lounge with a couple of boxes of warm Krispy Kremes and they will love you for it.

 

[NuttyEngDude]

Curt, I think I've read this before, and I chuckled both times after reading it 👍

 

[freakingoutabit]

I've had the same problem at my local hospital, so I've started splitting my volunteering time between the hospital and a small, low-cost women's clinic. The clinic has far fewer restrictions for volunteers because they don't have a legal department whispering "lawsuit!" in their ear, and as a result I get to interact with the patients and staff in a far more meaningful way.

As for chatting, I say go for it! Start by asking people about their careers to help break the ice. "Do you enjoy working in the ER?" "Have you worked on any other floors?" "What's the most amazing/scariest/most interesting case you've seen?" "What's your favorite part of your job?" This way you get the perspective of nurses who work in the ER -- important in its own right for your future career decisions -- and you can spend some of your time talking instead of stocking (bleck). Besides, people love talking about themselves.

 

[NightGod]

Social hour is the best part of volunteering in the ER! Once they know why you're there, you'll start hearing all of the interesting stories and all of the reasons you shouldn't go into medicine (these are important!) Never be afraid to sit there and join in on conversations when the scut work is done, especially if you can chat with attendings and nurses-you'll learn more about medicine in an ER (don't expect to learn any actual medicine, though you might get a pearl or two if you're lucky) that just about any other place in the world.

 

[curt656]

Curt, I think I've read this before, and I chuckled both times after reading it 👍

Lol, yeah I remember posting about that awhile ago, but I really do swear by it. It's like Spanish fly (wink, wink). More times than I can count I would go to a clients' office and could never get past the receptionist. Everybody hates salesmen. A couple $6 dozens and I would be in the break room with every officer of the company. The return on investment was exponential!

 

[vc7777]

No skip the donuts. It was bagels for me. Also, I got free credit with the cafeteria when i worked nights. But the cafe closed around ten, so the pizza hut was open and would honor the credits. So i often bought a whole pizza...pizza opens doors at midnight. 😉

Sent from my phone

 

[ehsu]

EMTs and nurses don't really do much in the ER either. I've worked in 2 trauma centers for 3 years and every shift I feel like I sit around doing nothing talking to nurses while the doctors decide what to do. Orders go up and we run to do them and we're back to sitting at the desk eating and drinking and socializing.

Another secret is to go look for nursing students or med students to bother and be able to spot them by their nametags. Generally they don't know wtf is going on either and will be more than willing to bounce ideas off you for some confirmation before doing something. Plus they can usually explain things a lot better than most doctors because they're fresh out of school.

 

[MissionalMed]

I've just started volunteering in the ER, and am finding myself underwhelmed. Apart from my first day, it's been slow. I've completed five shifts, and no one seems to know what to do with me. When I ask the nurses and the front desk people, I get a lot of "Well, we haven't had a volunteer in the ER in a LONG time" and "I don't think we've ever had a volunteer here at night," and one memorable "You're a volunteer, so you can do whatever you want!"

When they do ask me to do something, I always follow through, but 99 out of 100 times it's stocking -- stocking to the point that I suspect I'm missing out on potential patient contact. After my first day, the head nurse said to focus more on "customer service," but whenever it's dead and I've given everyone drinks and blankets and I ask to be put to work, it's more stocking...

Is this what I should expect? I don't want to ever refuse work, but should I make sure to be (or at least look) busy with other things until there's no other option? How can I draw out my patient-contact time ("Do you need a drink or a warm blanket?" is an incredibly short interaction)? 😕

Also, is it bad form to talk to the nurses and front desk people instead of doing chores just for the sake of looking busy? Because so far, the ER seems to be social hour with occasional patients. The nurses and ER docs sit around talking about Puerto Vallarta and wedding planning and financial investments and whatever else, or they watch videos and text people. Same with the front desk people and security guards. I was told that it's very important to get to know people and gain their trust, and it's strange to interrupt these convos to ask for work when no one else is working... but I don't want to seem lazy, either. 🙁

I'm just getting frustrated trying to find a balance on my own... thanks, guys.

This is a great post. Thanks for opening up the floor to discuss this issue.

I have been volunteering with a hospital that is a Level 1 Trauma. Up to now, I have been going through training doing basic patient escort for admissions, dismissals, and transfers. The volunteer coordinator told me I could choose any department I want to volunteer in after completing training. Now, having trolled SDN for a long time, I have read numerous suggestions to get into the ED for volunteering hours.

Well, my brother is an ED volunteer at a different hospital in town, and his story is the same as yours. Having now read the responses here, I am questioning whether the ED is the right place to go for patient contact volunteering.

Does anyone have other suggestions of a potentially more engaging and advantageous department in which to volunteer? I wonder if peds or surgical oncology would be better.

Thoughts?

 

[QofQuimica]

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, because I know it can be hard to find a clinical volunteering or shadowing experience. But what exactly did those of you who are stocking shelves in the ER expect? People (both patients and staff) don't go to an ER to interact with premed volunteers. You are not an essential part of the staff, and the ER would get along perfectly well without you. So the onus is on you to find ways to make yourself useful and seek out opportunities to shadow by getting to know the staff, as some of the posters here have suggested.

FWIW, I do have to agree that the nurses and techs seem to sit around quite a bit while the ER residents run their tails off.

 

[NightGod]

This is a great post. Thanks for opening up the floor to discuss this issue.

I have been volunteering with a hospital that is a Level 1 Trauma. Up to now, I have been going through training doing basic patient escort for admissions, dismissals, and transfers. The volunteer coordinator told me I could choose any department I want to volunteer in after completing training. Now, having trolled SDN for a long time, I have read numerous suggestions to get into the ED for volunteering hours.

Well, my brother is an ED volunteer at a different hospital in town, and his story is the same as yours. Having now read the responses here, I am questioning whether the ED is the right place to go for patient contact volunteering.

Does anyone have other suggestions of a potentially more engaging and advantageous department in which to volunteer? I wonder if peds or surgical oncology would be better.

Thoughts?

I've said it before (and implied it in this thread), but it bears repeating. You don't do patient contact volunteering to learn to do medicine, you do patient contact volunteering to learn ABOUT medicine. If you're sitting around doing nothing while the ED staff is sitting around doing nothing, you're doing it wrong. You need to be talking to anyone that will give you a minute of their time about their career in medicine (without being obnoxious about it, obv).

And learn about your ED before you bring in doughnuts. I was all set to do that and figured out that the entire team was on a huge health kick. People gave each other grief for bringing in strawberries because they were too sweet! No way in hell I was gonna drag in a bunch of sugar bombs to that place~

 

[Abider]

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, because I know it can be hard to find a clinical volunteering or shadowing experience. But what exactly did those of you who are stocking shelves in the ER expect? People (both patients and staff) don't go to an ER to interact with premed volunteers. You are not an essential part of the staff, and the ER would get along perfectly well without you. So the onus is on you to find ways to make yourself useful and seek out opportunities to shadow by getting to know the staff, as some of the posters here have suggested.

FWIW, I do have to agree that the nurses and techs seem to sit around quite a bit while the ER residents run their tails off.

Wow, not where I worked. But, I suppose there's natural disparity of expectation. And I was the hardest working of my cohort. If you graduate highschool and become a tech, a strong set of vitals and a strong back comprise your A game. And if you're a unionized RN and don't steal drugs or kill patients you're pretty untouchable.

Whereas a resident has to impress everyone to get their contract renewed or the whole enchilada is a bust.

So yeah, of course you work harder.

And then health care labor structure is designed, it seems to be, to remove initiative creativity and a reward system for hard work out of the incentive equation entirely. So you have narrow career trajectories that are terminal and restrictive. Therefore the well adapted participant does just what is necessary to remain in place.

Trust me, you would never make it in their shoes, you don't have the natural resignation for it.

 

[notbobtrustme]

Dude, milk this for all it's worth. You got a sweet gig just like me, especially if you don't need an LOR from anyone in the place. Show up, truck those two patients to the ICU or Radiology and just read a book. Remember, the point of volunteering is to check a box, as much as people don't want to admit it. You have the rest of your life to get "patient contact." And on SDN, patient contact = smelling a patient, so you are gold.

You aren't going to impress top20 adcoms with ER volunteering anyways, so you might as well pick your battles. There's no point in busting ass when most schools are just looking for you to have done some volunteering. Make sure you can weave a good story in interviews and you are ****ing set.

 

[startingover84]

I just started volunteering at my local teaching hospital last month, and I had a similar experience on my floor. The volunteer coordinator actually warned me that a lot of the volunteers they've seen are not hard-working and are also flaky. She said I would have to "earn their trust." Well, after two shifts where no one would even say "hello," to me, I gave them some feedback. She gave me some suggestions to improve my experience, and they are working.

I went from stocking rooms/wandering the halls to delivering meals and snacks. I enjoy that part of my day, because patients are so happy to be fed. I've had some wonderful interactions.

You have to be proactive and put yourself out there by communicating what you need. Don't be whiny like, "I don't get to see patients." I just told the coordinator, "I'm here to work, and they simply don't have enough work for me to do."

 

[Chanandler Bong]

Wow, thanks for all the great replies!

I think you're all right and it is, first and foremost, a matter of slowly gaining trust, in addition to learning what people need and just keeping busy. I'm thinking of setting myself a schedule of things to do while I'm there (ex: first make new coffee for nurses, next check in on all patients, next see if front desk/triage needs anything, next stock gloves, etc, etc) to make sure I eventually will never look lost and lurky. Considering I haven't been there very long at all, I probably just need to be more patient about everything... I'm able to easily talk to about a third of the nurses/techs, so that's probably a remarkably good thing.

... you do patient contact volunteering to learn ABOUT medicine. If you're sitting around doing nothing while the ED staff is sitting around doing nothing, you're doing it wrong. You need to be talking to anyone that will give you a minute of their time ...

You are not an essential part of the staff, and the ER would get along perfectly well without you. So the onus is on you to find ways to make yourself useful and seek out opportunities to shadow by getting to know the staff ...

Going to take both of these things to heart and try to remember them in those painfully dull moments.

Donut/bagel people: Great minds think alike! I actually brought in some super-healthy homemade baked goods a couple times prior to making this thread -- I was inspired by seeing a really sad box of donuts sitting behind the desk on my Tuesday shift, then seeing that same box looking a bit crustier on my Friday shift. Bringing people food is just a wonderful icebreaker, and if you make it yourself people will ask questions and make small-talk or at least say 'thanks.'

 

[MissionalMed]

Wow, thanks for all the great replies!

I think you're all right and it is, first and foremost, a matter of slowly gaining trust, in addition to learning what people need and just keeping busy. I'm thinking of setting myself a schedule of things to do while I'm there (ex: first make new coffee for nurses, next check in on all patients, next see if front desk/triage needs anything, next stock gloves, etc, etc) to make sure I eventually will never look lost and lurky. Considering I haven't been there very long at all, I probably just need to be more patient about everything... I'm able to easily talk to about a third of the nurses/techs, so that's probably a remarkably good thing.



Going to take both of these things to heart and try to remember them in those painfully dull moments.

Donut/bagel people: Great minds think alike! I actually brought in some super-healthy homemade baked goods a couple times prior to making this thread -- I was inspired by seeing a really sad box of donuts sitting behind the desk on my Tuesday shift, then seeing that same box looking a bit crustier on my Friday shift. Bringing people food is just a wonderful icebreaker, and if you make it yourself people will ask questions and make small-talk or at least say 'thanks.'

😍

 

[Law2Doc]

As others have alluded, your problem is likely you aren't asking the right people how you can help. Ask a physician if there's a way you can help him and he'll give you a menial medical task. But if you ask the nurses, they'll give you their menial nursing task which is apparently stocking and customer service. You aren't there to learn how to be a nurse or a front desk worker. You are there to try and see what the doctors are doing, and so that is where you focus ought to be. That being said, a lot if them don't have the time to chat like the nurses and front desk workers apparently do.

 

[jl lin]

As others have alluded, your problem is likely you aren't asking the right people how you can help. Ask a physician if there's a way you can help him and he'll give you a menial medical task. But if you ask the nurses, they'll give you their menial nursing task which is apparently stocking and customer service. You aren't there to learn how to be a nurse or a front desk worker. You are there to try and see what the doctors are doing, and so that is where you focus ought to be. That being said, a lot if them don't have the time to chat like the nurses and front desk workers apparently do.

LOL, what the Sam Hill did I do wrong as a nurse? Maybe it's an ICU kind of thing, but stocking isn't one of our priorities. And hell if I have time to chat it up too much. Of course, some people you work with roll that way. Find the action. We nurses would love to have your help--and I'm not talking bed pans and shelf-stocking. What? You can't even watch and help collect a blood gas or help watch with putting in a basic peripheral IV? You need to find the nurses and docs that are actually working and kindly get in their faces, so to speak. Most of any of this is all about building trust. You could have 20 licenses as a RN with 45 certifications, etc. It's only when people work with you--when they get to know you and trust you-- that they will then let you in on more things. All these places function by means of control and trust. Do whatever. Bring bagels. Who cares? These areas vet even those with experience. So, if they don't know or trust you yet, even if you were highly skilled, experienced well beyond novice, they would still watch you like a hawk, or just brush past you--perfectly content with you standing in some corner for the whole time. Not me. You start talking with me, and I will do like other nurses and docs did for me. I'll say, "Hey! Watch us resurrect this lol that was given insulin at home while not eating with D-50."
Help me with this EKG. Go with me to run this blood gas through the i stat, or let's go look and Mr. So and So's chest xray. See it kind of depends on the nurses, their level of functioning, confidence, the particular hospital or unit, if they feel you are genuinely interested, and finally, if they feel like you can be trusted enough to be in the loop--knowing what you can do and what you can't do. Just cause you can't do certain things (a liability thing, etc), doesn't mean you can't be up close and learn. See if you can talk with some folks about checking out what is going on in the unit/s during slow ED times--if that is cleared with the right people of course. See who is running an EMT or ER tech course. People that are viewed as "transient outsiders" are not considered part of the team, and they can get left out of things.

Warm up to senior nurses and charge nurses, etc, as DM said. See which of those nurses has the better rapports with the busiest docs or residents there. Next thing you know, if you are kind, trustworthy, and respectful, they may take you under their wings. You have to build things with the team first.

 

[Law2Doc]

LOL, what the Sam Hill did I do wrong as a nurse? Maybe it's an ICU kind of thing, but stocking isn't one of our priorities. And hell if I have time to chat it up too much. Of course, some people you work with roll that way. Find the action. We nurses would love to have your help--and I'm not talking bed pans and shelf-stocking. What? You can't even watch and help collect a blood gas or help watch with putting in a basic peripheral IV? You need to find the nurses and docs that are actually working and kindly get in their faces, so to speak. Most of any of this is all about building trust. You could have 20 licenses as a RN with 45 certifications, etc. It's only when people work with you--when they get to know you and trust you-- that they will then let you in on more things. All these places function by means of control and trust. Do whatever. Bring bagels. Who cares? These areas vet even those with experience. So, if they don't know or trust you yet, even if you were highly skilled, experienced well beyond novice, they would still watch you like a hawk, or just brush past you--perfectly content with you standing in some corner for the whole time. Not me. You start talking with me, and I will do like other nurses and docs did for me. I'll say, "Hey! Watch us resurrect this lol that was given insulin at home while not eating with D-50."
Help me with this EKG. Go with me to run this blood gas through the i stat, or let's go look and Mr. So and So's chest xray. See it kind of depends on the nurses, their level of functioning, confidence, the particular hospital or unit, if they feel you are genuinely interested, and finally, if they feel like you can be trusted enough to be in the loop--knowing what you can do and what you can't do. Just cause you can't do certain things (a liability thing, etc), doesn't mean you can't be up close and learn. See if you can talk with some folks about checking out what is going on in the unit/s during slow ED times--if that is cleared with the right people of course. See who is running an EMT or ER tech course. People that are viewed as "transient outsiders" are not considered part of the team, and they can get left out of things.

Warm up to senior nurses and charge nurses, etc, as DM said. See which of those nurses has the better rapports with the busiest docs or residents there. Next thing you know, if you are kind, trustworthy, and respectful, they may take you under their wings. You have to build things with the team first.

I wasn't trying to bash nurses, although I see how it might have come off that way. I was trying to say everybody is going to give you their scut, at least starting out, because it's something you are less likely to screw up. but a doctors scut is going to be closer to what you want as a premed than a nurses scut.

 

[deleted103644]

Does anyone have other suggestions of a potentially more engaging and advantageous department in which to volunteer? I wonder if peds or surgical oncology would be better.

Thoughts?

Ped Onc would probably be the most rewarding if that's an option, but it will be brutal.

There's definitely room for volunteers there to help keep the spirits of the kids up, but it would take an emotional toll on you.

Don't think there are many surgical "volunteering" roles. Shadowing in the OR is great, but don't kid yourself - you're not going to be any help to anybody.

 

[MissionalMed]

Ped Onc would probably be the most rewarding if that's an option, but it will be brutal.

There's definitely room for volunteers there to help keep the spirits of the kids up, but it would take an emotional toll on you.

Don't think there are many surgical "volunteering" roles. Shadowing in the OR is great, but don't kid yourself - you're not going to be any help to anybody.

Peds oncology would be intense. I think I will ask the volunteer coordinator (VC) about that. Great suggestion! The VC also mentioned during orientation the need for volunteers for a program called No One Dies Alone. We have to be consistently volunteering for 6 mos. before we can apply for that one. I think I eventually want to be there.

Thanks for your response.

 

[deleted103644]

Peds oncology would be intense. I think I will ask the volunteer coordinator (VC) about that. Great suggestion! The VC also mentioned during orientation the need for volunteers for a program called No One Dies Alone. We have to be consistently volunteering for 6 mos. before we can apply for that one. I think I eventually want to be there.

Thanks for your response.

Oh, yeah, I'm sure there are palliative volunteering opportunities. That would be a great way to actually do some good as well as getting volunteering experience.

I can imagine it striking a few people as weird that you chose it, but as long as you can make it sound good you'll be fine.

 

[jl lin]

I wasn't trying to bash nurses, although I see how it might have come off that way. I was trying to say everybody is going to give you their scut, at least starting out, because it's something you are less likely to screw up. but a doctors scut is going to be closer to what you want as a premed than a nurses scut.

🙂 I hear you. But the thing is, nurses, at least where I have worked, can do a lot of stuff that is NOT scut. If it helps the volunteer to say, make nice with a strong RN in the unit or ED, and say, "Help hold this confused lady's arm while I put in a peripheral line," how is that not getting closer to something one in medicine will actually do? More to the point, if you align yourself with a strong nurse on the unit or in ED that has a good attitude (and not a negative, insecure attitude), who is aware of your aspirations in medicine, she or he may try to bring you into things after they get to know you. If you make a positive connection, she or he will be looking to give you "heads up" about things of interest. At that point, the volunteer aligns also with the doc, b/c the doc trusts this particular nurse, and the networking connection is made to the doc. Sometimes it may roll that way, and sometimes not, but I have seen it work. It's about how you present yourself--humility is always key! And then it is about how you make connections, which means being genuine, showing your are seriously and persistently interested but humble, as well as building trust as you network with people.
.

Also, I say that in some places it may be more advantageous to go to an ER tech course or something similar, and get a PT job doing that. As an ER tech, you will be be forced to work as a team member--doing scutt work as well a dealing with unruly drug-addled patients and more. Lord knows there never seems to be a limit to the combatant alcoholics that are brought in on a regular basis. Who the heck doesn't need help getting those players chilled?

However you get exposure to medicine, it's like you are on a mission to respectfully "infiltrate" (I mean that in a nice way.) to get more insight and exposure. You have to build trust and connections.

 

[Abider]

Oh, yeah, I'm sure there are palliative volunteering opportunities. That would be a great way to actually do some good as well as getting volunteering experience.

I can imagine it striking a few people as weird that you chose it, but as long as you can make it sound good you'll be fine.

Palliative medicine is a superb choice for being a useful volunteer. Anyone who thinks it's weird doesn't understand it or is uncomfortable with their own mortality. Most docs and nurses would like to see more of it and earlier.

 

[QofQuimica]

Palliative medicine is a superb choice for being a useful volunteer. Anyone who thinks it's weird doesn't understand it or is uncomfortable with their own mortality. Most docs and nurses would like to see more of it and earlier.

Word.

 

[yossarian444]

This isn't unique to medicine. I read somewhere (must be true then, right?) that the number 1 reason people stop volunteering (any type of volunteering) is that they felt they didn't have an opportunity to contribute anything meaningful..

A little bit of advice: Make sure you know if a patient is npo or getting a surgical consult before giving them a huge glass of water...piss off a surgeon doing a consult in the ED and you'll get canned on the spot.

Isn't half the point of volunteering in a hospital just to say you did it on the med school application? With the other half being something to bring up during medical school interviews?

Make sure the attending doc during each and every shif you work knows two things:
1) Your name
2) That you are applying to medical school and would love any and all exposure to the field

Don't ask the doc if there's "anything you can do." They don't know anything about the nuts and bolts of ED supply management or how things get sent to the lab or how clean bed sheets seem to appear between patients - they will just refer you to a nurse or tech when posed with that question. There really is nothing you have to offer to a physician as far as helping him/her do their job - absolutely nothing Rather, at a good time during the beginning of your shift, ask something like "I'm real interested in medicine, if you have any cool cases or procedures, would you mind if I observed if I'm not busy at that time stocking sheets?" Make sure sure they know you are applying to medical school. Don't be wishy-washy and say something like "I think I might be interested in medicine and maybe might one day apply to med school if I end up liking it and doing well on the mcat."

It can be hard and akward to get the doc's attention sometimes - be assertive and respectful. If the doc is a jerk and yells at you for interrupting his youtube or charting time, who cares? Get used to jerk doctors - you'll encounter them during med school anyways. If you've gotten along reasonably well with a doc during a shift, ask to specifically shadow them on part of a future shift. No need to shadow during the whole shift - that just gets a little akward after a while.

 

[katiemaude]

I don't mean to sound unsympathetic, because I know it can be hard to find a clinical volunteering or shadowing experience. But what exactly did those of you who are stocking shelves in the ER expect? People (both patients and staff) don't go to an ER to interact with premed volunteers. You are not an essential part of the staff, and the ER would get along perfectly well without you. So the onus is on you to find ways to make yourself useful and seek out opportunities to shadow by getting to know the staff, as some of the posters here have suggested.

FWIW, I do have to agree that the nurses and techs seem to sit around quite a bit while the ER residents run their tails off.

Haha Q! Not in the ED at my hospital - not from what I've seen. As a tech, we feel that we run around while the nurses sit on their butts, and the nurses feel like they're charting like mad and pushing meds and starting IVs and they can't understand why the techs aren't running faster to get all the blood work and urine dipped and EKGs done while simultaneously escorting patients to the bathroom, getting admits ready for the floor, cleaning rooms that housekeeping can't get to because *they're* understaffed. The attendings have great relationships with both nurses and techs, and no one questions how busy they are, except for the residents. LOL

I only work in the ED occasionally when they have an additional staffing need, so it's usually at their busiest times.

 

[katiemaude]

It took me awhile to make friends with the nurses and techs at the ER where I volunteered, but wow, once I did, I got pulled in to observe all sorts of interesting procedures done by physicians (although even watching an RN starting an IV is interesting when you're starting out). I had free reign to observe in the trauma bay as long as I wasn't desperately needed elsewhere ... and yes, sometimes they acted like they desperately needed me. To push someone in a wheelchair, help someone into a car, make up a stretcher, fetch a family member from the waiting room. Because they were THAT busy, or thought they were. I did it even if they were sitting around gossiping, but it endeared me to them, and in the end I learned a lot.

Everyone's covered this sentiment. If you don't like volunteering in the ER, find something else that interests you. I was fascinated by EM so I stuck around to build relationships. I put in a lot of hours and I enjoyed it. You might like something else better. I decided to apply for jobs as an ER tech and ended up as a tech that goes everywhere in the hospital, and at first I hated not knowing where I was going every day, but now I love it. I have seen patients draw their last breath, prepared their bodies for the morgue, and learned a lot about compassionate end-of-life care. I have also dealt with whining/needy patients who had minor procedures who act like they're dying and want you to bathe them and hold their juice cup for them when two minutes ago they were walking to the bathroom by themselves.

 

[aspiringDR24]

I haven't began volunteering in a hospital yet but was wondering how long should I volunteer? I have some pretty good ECs so far but was wondering what a good period of time was to have down on an application for volunteering? 6 months? 8 months? I really have no clue and sense I wont be applying for another 2 years anyway I just wanted to see how long I should look to volunteer for. Thanks!

 

[katiemaude]

Anything less than 50 hours I'd hesitate to put on my application. That's about a dozen 4-hour sessions if you go once a week for three months. I'd stay a summer or a semester at least.