What are pre-med volunteers allowed to do?

[dreamer67]

Are pre-med volunteers allowed to take patients' vitals? or give medications under supervision from a doctor or nurse?

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[SLC]

Are pre-med volunteers allowed to take patients' vitals? or give medications under supervision from a doctor or nurse?

Probably depends on where, and whether or not you have any certifications.

At one of my volunteer places (outpatient clinic), I took vitals and dispensed meds, collected blood samples, and ran IV's, and did wound care; but I'm an advanced EMT. Other non-trained volunteers were trained to take vitals but couldn't do anything else.

If you volunteer in a hospital, or hospital system's clinic; I'd be prepared to not be allowed to do much of anything.

 

[juliedi]

Are pre-med volunteers allowed to take patients' vitals? or give medications under supervision from a doctor or nurse?

This definitely depends on where you volunteer. All volunteer programs are not created equal. The hard part is trying to figure out what you'll be allowed to do before you commit to a volunteer program.

 

[toff4l]

Are pre-med volunteers allowed to take patients' vitals? or give medications under supervision from a doctor or nurse?

If you are referring to "candy-stripers" or hospital volunteers, you get to push wheelchairs, get supplies, put the linen away, and things of that nature. Most hospitals will not let you touch the patient.

I don't see how any volunteer, even with certification, could give medication.

It's a whole liability issue.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Are pre-med volunteers allowed to take patients' vitals? or give medications under supervision from a doctor or nurse?

As others have said - it depends on where you end up volunteering.

I was lucky enough to volunteer as an MA at a free clinic. I did intake, vitals, basic lab tests and assisted with physician exams (especially ob/gyn stuff since I was the only female there).

Many hospital volunteers aren't allowed to do much. You will be able to transport healthy patients, get supplies, blankets, etc. But you can talk to patients and get patient interaction. And if you're lucky and there are some good nurses/physicians around you'll get some good shadowing experience too.

 

[0919mmk]

If you are referring to "candy-stripers" or hospital volunteers, you get to push wheelchairs, get supplies, put the linen away, and things of that nature. Most hospitals will not let you touch the patient.

I don't see how any volunteer, even with certification, could give medication.

It's a whole liability issue.

I agree that volunteers are definitely not allowed to give meds! They drilled this in to us at every hospital I volunteered at (3 different ones) and usually you are not allowed to touch a patient at all, or even be in the room when a doctor is in there. Essentially, its wheelchairs, supplies, linens like toff said. Thats about it.

 

[SLC]

I don't see how any volunteer, even with certification, could give medication.

It's a whole liability issue.

I guess I just lucked out and found a good one, but the clinic I volunteer at let's me do anything that's in my SOP as an EMT-IA.

The meds I give aren't glamorous. Mainly analgesic injections, vaccines, insulin injections, neb-treatments, and NS/LR.

I'm not allowed to put anything through an IV but the fluid. But that happens fairly regularly when people show up dehydrated. I'll often start an IV before the Nurse comes in and puts in the Antibiotics too.

Our medical director is very "Pre-med" friendly once she get's to know you and get's a feel for your competency.

 

[dreamer67]

How about at an internship? Would you be able to give any injections or do anything directly with patients?

 

[alwaysaangel]

How about at an internship? Would you be able to give any injections or do anything directly with patients?

Depends on what it is? What is an internship?

 

[Doctor246853]

Are pre-med volunteers allowed to take patients' vitals? or give medications under supervision from a doctor or nurse?

 

[medicalmatins]

As a volunteer I did paperwork, watched children, sat at a desk and smiled, did paperwork, cleaned messes, held babies, did paperwork, restocked closets...

There are some highlights, but typically, unskilled volunteers are placed in unrewarding jobs (it's fitting). I had to get jobs before I started having much interesting patient contact (I did a little medical assisting, phlebotomy, and research).

 

[Tappinfool66]

As others have said - it depends on where you end up volunteering.

I was lucky enough to volunteer as an MA at a free clinic. I did intake, vitals, basic lab tests and assisted with physician exams (especially ob/gyn stuff since I was the only female there).

Many hospital volunteers aren't allowed to do much. You will be able to transport healthy patients, get supplies, blankets, etc. But you can talk to patients and get patient interaction. And if you're lucky and there are some good nurses/physicians around you'll get some good shadowing experience too.

This is why I want to volunteer in a clinic instead of in a hospital. It seems like you'll get to do things more related to caring for the patient, and I think it gives you a better idea of what medicine involves and if it really is for you.

 

[getdown]

I would suggest you find and volunteer at free health clinics that cater to the uninsured or poor in your area. These places tend to be understaffed and will be more open to letting you actually do things. Also, since most of the doctors there also volunteer, they're more likely to let you come in and listen in on them while they talk to the patient. Furthermore, considering that this is a poor patient population you get to see some interesting problems generally not seen in more "upper class" hospitals. Considering that the service is free b/c patients don't have insurance, there's generally no liability issues or HIPPA BS to worry about.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Considering that the service is free b/c patients don't have insurance, there's generally no liability issues or HIPPA BS to worry about.

You were right up until that. Free clinics are still liable and have to follow HIPAA. You will have to be HIPAA trained even if you work in a free clinic. But since they are understaffed many will take on untrained people to do work so they can justify having you in the room, etc.

But they certainly are held to the same standards as everywhere else. Its just the qualifications of the individuals taken on that varies.

 

[getdown]

You were right up until that. Free clinics are still liable and have to follow HIPAA. You will have to be HIPAA trained even if you work in a free clinic. But since they are understaffed many will take on untrained people to do work so they can justify having you in the room, etc.

But they certainly are held to the same standards as everywhere else. Its just the qualifications of the individuals taken on that varies.

Interesting, I don't remember having to do any paperwork for this and I was still in high school back then too.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Interesting, I don't remember having to do any paperwork for this and I was still in high school back then too.

Its not about paperwork.

But technically every medical facility must adhere to HIPAA and is medically liable for malpractice. That was my point.

So any free clinic should at least tell you about HIPAA and be cautious about letting you do too much. Then you get to hospitals who have huge legal teams and have lots of paperwork and requirements and restrictions on who does what.

They are both held to the same standards - how they choose to do that is just different.

 

[halethsonofhama]

hospitals won't be a great place for experience, but will be good for you to see medicine in action.

your best course of action is to find a smaller place that is more willing to "bend the rules" either because they need the extra help or because they just want to help out a pre-med. If you find a way to get paid, there will be less liability for them.

however it's all a crap shoot. Find a solid volunteering gig, but keep snooping around for better ones while you go along.

 

[apumic]

Its not about paperwork.

But technically every medical facility must adhere to HIPAA and is medically liable for malpractice. That was my point.

So any free clinic should at least tell you about HIPAA and be cautious about letting you do too much. Then you get to hospitals who have huge legal teams and have lots of paperwork and requirements and restrictions on who does what.

They are both held to the same standards - how they choose to do that is just different.

This is true. At the same time, smaller free clinics often neglect some of the HIPAA training. I had to pull aside one of our receptionist/registration people awhile back because I observed her violate a HIPAA regulation (one of the really over-protective/nonsensical ones). I don't think she'd ever been told before that that particular action was a HIPAA violation.

As for giving meds, you're actually more likely to get to do this outside of a hospital or clinic. Some residential programs, for instance, will hire and train a person right out of HS to give meds (this does, of course, depend on your state laws).

 

[the duck]

hospitals won't be a great place for experience, but will be good for you to see medicine in action.

your best course of action is to find a smaller place that is more willing to "bend the rules" either because they need the extra help or because they just want to help out a pre-med. If you find a way to get paid, there will be less liability for them.

however it's all a crap shoot. Find a solid volunteering gig, but keep snooping around for better ones while you go along.

I'd agree with this, the smaller the place you volunteer at, the more staff will get to know you, and be more willing to let you do stuff.

It sounds like most of you have really boring hospital volunteering gigs, I've really liked mine. I've been in an ER for the last 15 months or so, I don't do any paperwork, though I do have to make beds, I also help move, and hold patients, clean the occasional wound, do some vitals, and they let me do CPR on most codes that come in which has been really cool!

 

[Kaustikos]

I got wicked high scores on Angry Birds, made the entire staff familiar with Rebecca Black's Friday, and explained why Daniel Day Lewis is the best actor alive.



Oh, I also had to take care of linen and stuff....😴

 

[Lil Mick]

If you want to get very involved in patient care, I'd recommend a free inner city clinic (basically used me as a de facto med student under an attending when people were needed--taught me EKGs, phlebotomy, history taking, and the physical exam to help when needed on those) or going abroad (charity clinic in a third world country was also very lax about teaching me and letting me do real work). EMT might also be a good option, if you have the time to devote to it. My brother is able to do quite a bit of emergency medicine as one...

 

[nolookpass]

I'm looking around all over the place in the NYC area for a volunteering position during the summer/school year that allows me to do things that you guys talk about. Currently volunteer at a hospital and it really is ridiculously boring and useless.

 

[the duck]

A question that's probably worth asking, is how much do adcoms really care if you were doing vitals, and h&p yourself? They aren't looking for people who can work as techs, they're looking for people who have promise of becoming good doctors once they are trained in how to do things.

So basically, do you guys think they really care if you took BPs, or are they mostly interested in what you saw, contribution as a whole, and experiences you had?

 

[alwaysaangel]

A question that's probably worth asking, is how much do adcoms really care if you were doing vitals, and h&p yourself? They aren't looking for people who can work as techs, they're looking for people who have promise of becoming good doctors once they are trained in how to do things.

So basically, do you guys think they really care if you took BPs, or are they mostly interested in what you saw, contribution as a whole, and experiences you had?

Its the experiences that you had. But often by being able to be an MA you get more involved in the treatment team and have a better experience.

 

[Lil Mick]

Experiences seemed to be the main topic of interest for MD-part interviews (not sure MD-only programs). I do think that being involved in patient care is a big help in deciding if you want to go to medical school and eventually practice, though, and it helps during MS1&2 (not a big deal if you haven't had it, though).

 

[nolookpass]

A question that's probably worth asking, is how much do adcoms really care if you were doing vitals, and h&p yourself? They aren't looking for people who can work as techs, they're looking for people who have promise of becoming good doctors once they are trained in how to do things.

So basically, do you guys think they really care if you took BPs, or are they mostly interested in what you saw, contribution as a whole, and experiences you had?

I'm sure they don't really care, but it's just good for your own self. You learn basic things and you aren't bored to death. Instead you're actually being useful doing something interesting.

 

[Disinence2]

This is true. At the same time, smaller free clinics often neglect some of the HIPAA training. I had to pull aside one of our receptionist/registration people awhile back because I observed her violate a HIPAA regulation (one of the really over-protective/nonsensical ones). I don't think she'd ever been told before that that particular action was a HIPAA violation.

I'm sure they loved you afterwords for bringing this urgent matter to their attention.

 

[HankReardon]

As others have said - it depends on where you end up volunteering.

I was lucky enough to volunteer as an MA at a free clinic. I did intake, vitals, basic lab tests and assisted with physician exams (especially ob/gyn stuff since I was the only female there).

Many hospital volunteers aren't allowed to do much. You will be able to transport healthy patients, get supplies, blankets, etc. But you can talk to patients and get patient interaction. And if you're lucky and there are some good nurses/physicians around you'll get some good shadowing experience too.

If you are allowed to even touch the patients you are doing better than most. Frankly, as a soon-to-be-MD, that's probably a good thing.

How about at an internship? Would you be able to give any injections or do anything directly with patients?

What's an "internship"? I told a clinic I was going to volunteer for a few months, and they made me a badge that said "intern". I still didn't get to touch people. <-- Again, probably a good thing.

Experiences seemed to be the main topic of interest for MD-part interviews (not sure MD-only programs). I do think that being involved in patient care is a big help in deciding if you want to go to medical school and eventually practice, though, and it helps during MS1&2 (not a big deal if you haven't had it, though).

You are much better off getting certified as CNA or finding another way to get "officially" involved in patient care. I volunteered in the ED and also worked as an inpatient physical therapy aide at the same hospital. I literally did NOTHING as a volunteer - stocked linen, cleaned dirty suture kits, pushed people to the scanner, etc. In my official "job" I had much more responsibility, despite no additional training. I helped design PT regimens for people, then got them out of bed to complete those regimens. I had a good relationship with my supervisors and tried hard to show my dependability - within several months they were letting my do even more than then should have.

 

[HankReardon]

I'm sure they loved you afterwords for bringing this urgent matter to their attention.

Ha! I sincerely hope the OP was in a supervising role before he did this... otherwise I hope that somebody slapped the shiz out of him.

 

[Humanz]

Are pre-med volunteers allowed to take patients' vitals? give medications under supervision from a doctor or nurse?

I currently volunteer at the local community hospital in a large internship-based program (CCE.. anyone heard of it?). We're allowed to take vitals and a wholleeee host of other things depending on the department in which you qualify for (the labor and delivery department is... interesting..). However, because of some irresponsible students in the past, we can no longer dispense any sort of medication/file med orders, whatever.

California resident at a UC.

 

[apumic]

I'm sure they loved you afterwords for bringing this urgent matter to their attention.

Unfortunately, it was still one that could get the clinic shutdown if a patient reported it. Not really worth the risk, IMO.

Ha! I sincerely hope the OP was in a supervising role before he did this... otherwise I hope that somebody slapped the shiz out of him.

Yes... I am one of the clinic's training volunteer staff. It also wasn't like I called the person out on it inappropriately or in front of others. It was a private, discrete conversation.

The reality is that HIPAA violations that pts become aware of can get us in a lot of trouble (e.g., financial penalties costing more than the clinic's entire monthly budget). It was basically an error in identifying a patient and not taking into account patient privacy.