Nursing Student Volunteer Opportunities: Where to Start and What to Expect

As a nursing student, you likely cram studying and NCLEX prep into every spare minute of the day. Nursing school is particularly fast-paced for students in an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, such as the one available at Madonna University. As busy as you are in nursing school, you might consider exploring some nursing student volunteer opportunities.

Why Consider Being a Nursing Student Volunteer?

If you’re feeling a bit stressed with your school schedule, volunteering works as a stress reduction tool. As a nursing student volunteer, you’ll also have opportunities to widen your social circle, which you might appreciate when your school schedule minimizes your available time with friends.

Volunteering can provide both a connection to the community and mental stimulation, which is crucial for retaining knowledge. Plus, depending on the type of volunteer role you seek, your new position might directly complement your schoolwork.

Types of Volunteer Opportunities for Nursing Students

Volunteering for nursing students can take many forms. Here’s a look at some types of roles you might explore:

Hospital and Clinical Volunteering

One of the most natural choices for a nursing student is to look for a volunteer position at a nearby hospital or clinic. Hospitals need volunteers to greet patients and family members at the door and to provide directions and guidance. Volunteers may also deliver gifts to hospitalized patients, cuddle newborns and restock patient rooms.

Community Health Volunteering

Volunteer roles at community health and nonprofit health organizations are often similar to those in hospitals and clinics. For example, you might assist with greeting and registering patients and helping them navigate the healthcare system. You might also help promote the organization by using any special skills you have, like photography, web design or marketing. Or, you might directly help patients in need, such as by staffing a crisis hotline for sexual assault or domestic violence victims, via either phone or web chat.

Research and Academic Volunteering

There are also volunteer opportunities for nursing students who are interested in research. For example, you might volunteer to assist with a clinical trial to develop new drug therapies. Or, if you’re an exceptional student, you might consider volunteering your time to tutor other nursing students in subjects like mathematics and language arts.

Benefits of Being a Volunteer for Nursing Students

Nursing student volunteer opportunities help those around you, but they also help you. Being a volunteer sparks empathy and fosters a sense of community and fellowship. It can also directly benefit your career, such as through the following benefits:

Gaining Practical Experience

If you decide to become a nursing student volunteer who fulfills a healthcare role, you’ll benefit by gaining practical experience in the field. You will get an inside look at how healthcare organizations operate — their policies, protocols and procedures.

You also could develop skills that will be important for your future career in nursing. For instance, you might develop proficiency in handling patient interactions and managing the workflow in a healthcare organization.

Even if you choose a non-healthcare-related volunteer role, you’ll still develop essential transferable skills for any workplace. These include a strong sense of professionalism, communication skills, time management and organization.

Building a Professional Network

Nursing student volunteer opportunities connect you to the community around you. They can also allow you to grow your professional network, especially if you volunteer at a hospital, community health center or nonprofit health organization. You can continue to nurture these connections by staying in touch with the people you meet.

Enhancing Your CV

Not only will these skills and practical experience gained through volunteering benefit your future career, but you may also gain a competitive advantage after graduation. You can list your volunteer experience and skills on your resume. Healthcare employers understand how hectic the pace of nursing school can be, and the fact that you managed to volunteer while navigating school might impress the hiring manager.

How to Find and Apply to Volunteer Opportunities

Finding volunteer opportunities in any community is relatively straightforward, as there are usually many available. Finding the right one, however, may take a bit of work. The objective is to find a volunteer position that aligns with your interests, career goals and schedule.

For example, if you’re interested in healthcare-related volunteer opportunities for nursing students, check with the hospitals and other healthcare facilities in your area. You might also check the public health department, local chapter of the American Red Cross, local hospice agencies, nursing homes and even organizations that serve unhoused people, as these organizations might have community health clinics. Your nursing school might also maintain a list of related volunteer opportunities in the local community or student organizations, like the Madonna University Nursing Student Association (MUNSA).

When evaluating a volunteer opportunity, always make sure that it’s something you’re interested in doing and feasible given your school schedule. Some organizations have minimum requirements for volunteers. For example, you may need to volunteer for a certain number of hours per week or month. If you aren’t sure you can meet that commitment, look for an organization with less strict requirements.

What to Expect as a Nursing Student Volunteer

Every volunteer role is different, and there are no universal guidelines regarding what you can expect. At some organizations, you might be supervised closely; at others, you will be expected to take the initiative to complete tasks.

Some volunteer roles are ongoing. You might log volunteer hours on a weekly or monthly basis. Others may be sporadic and done on an as-needed basis. For instance, you might staff the occasional blood drive or health education program for the American Red Cross.

No matter what your particular volunteer role looks like, putting forth your best effort is essential. Try these tips:

• Always show up a little early for your shift.
• Dress professionally.
• Be friendly and have a smile for all you meet. Remember that you’re representing the organization as a volunteer even though you aren’t getting paid.
• Make an effort to get to know your fellow volunteers and paid employees.
• Be the first to raise your hand and say, “Yes, I can do that” when something needs to be done. Develop a reputation for dependability.

Apply to Madonna University’s ABSN Program

At Madonna University, our graduates are different because of the values-based nursing education we provide. As part of our Felician Franciscan values and mission, Madonna strives to combine faith, reason and intellectual rigor to mold competent and compassionate nurses dedicated to their community. Our ABSN program encourages and supports volunteering in nursing school because it nurtures compassion and community connection.

Are you interested in switching to a career in nursing? At Madonna University, you can leverage your past college education to earn your BSN degree in as few as 16 months. Take the next step today and contact one of our friendly admissions representatives.