Questions about volunteer work

[Manbearpig11]

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So, I am looking everywhere for volunteer work which is a shame. You would think that it would be a lot easier to just volunteer your time and help at a clinic. In my area it sure isn't to say the least.
Anyways, as for my question, what kind of work would you recommend and how do you get your positions? I am working at one hospital in outpatient but there really isn't much to do and it certainly isn't exciting. I do enjoy meeting and talking with the patients as friends it seems they don't get a lot of that at the hospital. The problem is there are no doctors ever in this facility so I certainly can't say that I shadowed a doctor doing this and I dont really care to follow the nurses around and do their work. Thanks for the input guys it really helps!

 

[pingouin]

moving to pre-allo

 

[fizzgig]

So, I am looking everywhere for volunteer work which is a shame. You would think that it would be a lot easier to just volunteer your time and help at a clinic. In my area it sure isn't to say the least.
Anyways, as for my question, what kind of work would you recommend and how do you get your positions? I am working at one hospital in outpatient but there really isn't much to do and it certainly isn't exciting. I do enjoy meeting and talking with the patients as friends it seems they don't get a lot of that at the hospital. The problem is there are no doctors ever in this facility so I certainly can't say that I shadowed a doctor doing this and I dont really care to follow the nurses around and do their work. Thanks for the input guys it really helps!

the bolded + helping out with things that nurses might have to do if volunteers weren't there (like go get food for patients, etc) IS a normal kind of volunteer work. it's not supposed to be shadowing - you do that separately. you're not supposed to be doing things that require any medical training to do, because you're not trained and their liability (esp if you work in a big hospital and they are strict about it) does not cover you doing anything you are going to consider exciting.

bring patients things they need, talk to them, help organize a cabinet or two, whatever. if you want to see patients in more of an inpatient setting look into volunteering in a hospital so you see them in a more acute area, but keep in mind what you DO will likely be similar still. i volunteer in a hospital and it it seems like my purpose really is mostly checking in with patients, being someone who isn't rushed bc i have other things to do, and being someone they can joke with/rant to that isn't medical staff, because they need that too.

 

[the duck]

Volunteering in the ER is a good place to start. They normally have a lot of shifts, since they're opened 24/7. So it can be easier to get a spot. There are definitely doctors that you get to shadow as part of the job, and it can involve a lot of doing things, from fetching blankets and food, to helping to restrain drunk/altered patients and if your lucky, doing CPR.

 

[northpenn]

Agreed. Volunteering in the ER had the best clinical aspects for me. I also found volunteering in the off hours to be the best time (10pm - 6am).

 

[Manbearpig11]

the bolded + helping out with things that nurses might have to do if volunteers weren't there (like go get food for patients, etc) IS a normal kind of volunteer work. it's not supposed to be shadowing - you do that separately. you're not supposed to be doing things that require any medical training to do, because you're not trained and their liability (esp if you work in a big hospital and they are strict about it) does not cover you doing anything you are going to consider exciting.

bring patients things they need, talk to them, help organize a cabinet or two, whatever. if you want to see patients in more of an inpatient setting look into volunteering in a hospital so you see them in a more acute area, but keep in mind what you DO will likely be similar still. i volunteer in a hospital and it it seems like my purpose really is mostly checking in with patients, being someone who isn't rushed bc i have other things to do, and being someone they can joke with/rant to that isn't medical staff, because they need that too.

Thanks, that is very helpful I am glad to hear that this is a normal kind of premed volunteer experience. I do enjoy the patient care side just not the social side of the whole thing as much. All they do is talk smack about each other all day and it gets really annoying. Well I think I will put my app in for ER and see what I can get that does seem like it would be very interesting.