How to Volunteer at a Local Hospital

Nearly every local hospital needs volunteers to help carry out its work. Many have sophisticated volunteer departments to process, assign, train and make the most effective use of volunteers, but some aren't as organized. For the individual who wishes to get something worthwhile from a volunteer activity, local hospital volunteering can be extremely rewarding.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Learn What is Involved

1. Read "Make a Difference: America's Guide to Volunteering and Community Service" to focus on what is involved in being a volunteer (see Resources below). Chapter 3 includes specific material on opportunities in the health care industry.
2. Read "In Sickness and in Wealth: American Hospitals in the Twentieth Century" to get a frank look inside American hospitals (see Resources below).
3. Develop a list of local hospitals in your area based on an online search or a phonebook search. Your own personal hospital may also be a great place to start, since you are likely to know doctors and nurses there.

Take Stock of Your Talents

4. Take volunteering seriously. Although you aren't paid, it is a job. Begin by preparing a resume of your professional and volunteer experience, and include specific skills that you offer and personal references.
5. Contact the hospital and ask about upcoming volunteer recruitment events that you can attend. If not, just ask for the hospital's volunteer coordinator and communicate what you offer while also expressing your interest in volunteering. Ask if you can meet with the appropriate person to follow up and bring your resume and references, just as you would for a paying job.

Perform Your Volunteer Services Professionally

6. Be on time, prepared and professional for all scheduled assignments and duties, including training sessions.
7. Come to work every day prepared to learn something new and to make yourself a more effective volunteer in the future.

Tips & Warnings

• A key part of most hospital volunteer experience is the training received. Even if you have great talent, a hospital must protect itself and its patients by making sure that volunteers and staff are all on the same page and well-suited for the responsibilities with which they are entrusted.
• Keep in mind that although rewarding, hospital volunteering can be arduous, intense and emotionally draining.
• You may have to submit to a criminal background check before volunteering at a hospital.

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