Volunteering in the ICU?

[Leer]

I have experience volunteering in the ED, and while I got a solid amount of patient contact, I got to observe very little in the way of procedure. I am now in the ICU and it is my understanding that patient contact will be greatly reduced but I will be able to observe a lot more due to the layout and nature of the ICU.

Does this sound like a good plan or should I just stay in ED for patient contact? Thanks!

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[TheShaker]

I volunteered in the ICU and it was fairly dull since there's not much you can do except answer phones and help move patients once in a while. With that said, it does give you a different view into the day to day experience of a patient. I thought I gained a bit from it but my overall impression was, "meh".

 

[Planes2Doc]

Is there any way that you can talk with the families and patients? The ICU seems like a place where you can develop bonds with them. I kinda wish I looked into that, but so far have only heard negative feedback on SDN pertaining to ICU volunteering.

 

[TheShaker]

Is there any way that you can talk with the families and patients? The ICU seems like a place where you can develop bonds with them. I kinda wish I looked into that, but so far have only heard negative feedback on SDN pertaining to ICU volunteering.

In my experience, the patients are either unconscious or too tired to speak with you (although some are friendly). The families are likely worried or just swinging in and they generally seem hard to approach. I think the only interesting time I've talked to a patient was one who was on suicide watch and needed to be under supervision at all times. Other than that, it was "meh".

 

[lovesfall]

You might be able to help families out with stuff. They like to chat. That being said, I'm not sure if it's allowed. I've only seen ICU volunteers inventory stuff, so there may be some written or unwritten law that prohibits them from interaction. That being said, inventorying isn't all bad. If you're feeling brave, you might ask someone if you could help with things that you're more interested in (presuming they don't require a certification that you don't have).

 

[OwlPower22]

I've worked in both the surgical/medical ICUs and the more advanced Neuro ICU, and I can say that while you get less patient contact than you do in the ER, it's what you make of it. I found myself a mentor while at the Neuro ICU, who had me co-authored in many research papers and projects, and I was involved in a somewhat formal internship that had guest lectures, shadowing, and telephone contact. While these opportunities are rare, do find yourself a good mentor/friend who can show you around the place and hopefully get you more involved.

 

[Geebeejay]

Is there any way that you can talk with the families and patients? The ICU seems like a place where you can develop bonds with them. I kinda wish I looked into that, but so far have only heard negative feedback on SDN pertaining to ICU volunteering.

Maybe, but only if they're not intubated (most probably will be). Just realize that patients are in the ICU for a reason, and while the ones that are lucid will surely be friendly, most are going to be too sick to chit-chat. Also realize that the nursing is mostly one-to-one in the ICU, so there might not be so much need for extra "patient-contact" by volunteers since patients are always under direct supervision.

Also, ICU rooms (at least the ones in the hospital I work at) are not very big, full of equipment, and whatever space there is will be "precious real-estate" during most procedures for anesthesiology, neuro, respiratory and other icu-staff, so you might not be able to watch as many procedures as you think you will.

 

[1cor1311]

I have experience volunteering in the ED, and while I got a solid amount of patient contact, I got to observe very little in the way of procedure. I am now in the ICU and it is my understanding that patient contact will be greatly reduced but I will be able to observe a lot more due to the layout and nature of the ICU.

Does this sound like a good plan or should I just stay in ED for patient contact? Thanks!

A lot of patient contact, however not much patient interaction, since many are in critical condition.