I need advice about this volunteering issue...

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ohhoneybear

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I'm a college (soon to be) sophomore. This summer, I volunteered at this hospital in my town (we have two major hospitals but the largest one was full of volunteers so they weren't accepting new ones). So I had to settle for this smaller suburban hospital. I'm a patient advocate. I go around to 32 patient rooms with a little cart and ask them if they need anything or if there is anything I can do to make them more comfortable. I've had some nice experiences with this and it showed me how to deal with people who are sick and I enjoy doing it.
However, rounding only takes me at most 35 minutes. I have 4 hours there! After rounding I change the soiled linen garbage cans and replace gloves boxes, etc. That doesn't make me long at all.
I feel useless and I ask the nurses if they need anything and they say no. I have about 50 hours so far and I planned on doing this until the end of August.
I feel like in an interview I'm not going to have much things to say about my experience and I'm afraid of that. What should I do? Should I volunteer again next summer at a different place?
 
Ask if after you've finished your assigned duties if you can offer to sit with an agitated or confused patient so that the patient's family take a break from the bedside. There may be people who don't have visitors who would welcome someone who would pass some time with them in friendly conversation or as a partner in watching a game show or playing cards or whatever.

You might also ask if you could help patients who need help with their meal trays (opening all those foil top containers that can be difficult, particularly for those who don't have the use of both hands).
 
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