Jan 17, 2024, 1:45:21 PM CST

How to Volunteer at a Hospital

A hospital can be a scary place, especially when you’re the one who’s sick. Encountering someone who cares and offers hope and encouragement can mean so much to a patient. Volunteers play a big part in in making life better for children. By spending time with patients, volunteers can lift kids’ spirits and by completing tasks and other duties, volunteers can relieve our doctors, nurses and other care team members so they can focus on providing the best possible care to patients. Volunteering at Children’s Health℠ is a great way to get involved in the community and is just as important as supporting the hospital with monetary donations.  
 
There are different ways to volunteer at a hospital. Children’s Health offers several volunteer programs where diverse individuals, including working professionals, college students, retired persons, high school students and more, perform a variety of roles to benefit our young patients and their families. Children’s Health simply could not serve all our families without the help from a generous community of friends and volunteers.  
 
In this article, you’ll learn about our volunteer opportunities, requirements and training and the benefits of volunteering at a hospital.  

Types of Hospital Volunteer Opportunities 

Volunteering at a hospital doesn’t always have to be patient-facing. There are different ways to volunteer depending on your interests, age and skills. Types of volunteer opportunities typically offered at hospitals are: 

Community Affinity Groups

These are groups of volunteers who work in collaboration with the hospital to advance the quality of patient care, services and the patient experience by volunteering their time and fundraising to support the hospital’s priorities. 

Children’s Health is fortunate to have the advocacy and support of community affinity group, The Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Center. The Auxiliary is a group of women who support Children’s Health’s mission by raising funds for hospital priorities, offering uplifting activities for patient families, providing support and recognition to hospital team members and raising awareness about Children’s Health in the community. Aside from volunteering at the hospital, here are just some of the events The Women’s Auxiliary hosts to get the community involved to make life better for children: 

Group Services Projects & Sponsored Events 

There are specific fundraising events that benefit local hospitals that one can attend or volunteer at. Children’s Health currently hosts events that the community can participate in or attend like:  

Administrative Volunteer Opportunities 

Another way to volunteer at a hospital is to help with their administrative duties. Most hospitals offer administrative volunteer opportunities such as hospital greeters, gift shop workers, information desk helpers and more. Children’s Health offers administrative opportunities through both its Adult and Student Volunteer Programs.

Patient-Facing Volunteer Programs 

If working directly with patients is how you’d like to volunteer at a hospital, most offer opportunities like reading to patients, escorting patients to and from activities, providing entertainment and so much more. Children’s Health offers direct-patient-care-volunteer opportunities through its Adult Volunteer and Volunteer Pet Therapy Programs. Some of the ways volunteers can work directly with patients are: 

  • Holding babies in need of comfort 
  • Playing with children through toys and games 
  • Visiting with patients along with your pet 

Third-Party Volunteer Organizations and Programs 

Some hospitals partner with third-party organizations to bring in volunteers for specific programs such as reading and pet therapy. Children’s Health has a Volunteer Pet Therapy Program that plays a large part in patient recovery and is naturally one of the most favored programs that the hospital offers. Not only do these volunteers and their furry friends bring smiles to patients, but also to team members and anyone that sees them in passing at Children’s Health. Some of the third-party organizations that volunteer at the hospital are: 

Hospital Volunteer Requirements 

After reading about all the fun volunteer opportunities available, you must be asking yourself “Can I volunteer at a hospital?” Let’s find out! Most hospital volunteers must meet specific requirements. At Children’s Health, our volunteer program spans across our two hospital campuses: Dallas and Plano – applicants may only apply to volunteer at one location. Volunteers, regardless of where they serve are asked to comply with the following requirements: 

 

  • Age Requirements 

    Like many important privileges in life, most hospitals have age requirements for volunteers. Some even have programs specific for teens, but each hospital is different. So, how old you have to be to volunteer at a hospital? What’s the minimum age to volunteer? At Children’s Health, we provide volunteer opportunities for both teenagers and adults. Below you’ll find our age requirements: 

    Adult Volunteer Program 
    • Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and not currently enrolled in high school 
    Student Volunteer Program 
    • Applicants must be 16 years of age and older who are currently enrolled in high school  
    Volunteer Pet Therapy Program 
    • Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and not currently enrolled in high school 
       

  • Health Requirements 

    Most hospitals require health screenings of their volunteers to ensure the health and safety of their patients. These health screenings can consist of physical examinations, vaccinations and updated immunizations in order to volunteer at a hospital. If you’re considering volunteering at Children’s Health, you’ll be required to complete the health check below: 

    An annual TB test  Flu vaccination (during flu season)  Proof of MMR vaccination series or positive blood titer  Proof of Varicella vaccination series or positive blood titer  Proof of Tdap or Td within the past 10 years  Proof of Hepatitis B vaccination series and positive blood titer 

  • Training Requirements 

    Let’s say you’ve just been accepted to volunteer at a hospital, “congratulations!” Now it’s time for volunteer training to learn about your duties and how to give your best for patients and their families. Depending on the type of volunteer work, most hospitals require volunteers to take training courses and provide the training on-site. See the required training for Children’s Health volunteers below. 

    Adult Volunteer Program 
    • After completing the online assessment tool for Dallas or Plano, the online application, interview process and then becoming accepted, volunteers will also be required to complete the following training: 
      • Online training courses 
      • Attend a Welcome Session 
    Student Volunteer Program   Volunteer Pet Therapy Program 
    • Before an animal and their handler can volunteer with Children’s Health, they must complete the certification process with either Paws Across Texas or Pet Partners. Once the pet is certified, their handler can begin the process of becoming an adult volunteer.  
    • Adult Volunteer Program – Plano 
      • Applicants must commit to six consecutive months of service 
      • Volunteers will commit to serving one 3-4 hour shift on the same day each week 
        • Daytime Program 
          One consistent shift/same day per week 
          Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. to noon, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  
    • Student Volunteer Program 
    • Volunteer Pet Therapy Program - Dallas 
      • Applicants must commit to six consecutive months of service 
      • Volunteers will commit to serving one 3-4 hour shift on the same day each week or one 3-4 hour shift biweekly on weekends 
        • Daytime Program 
          One consistent shift/same day per week 
          Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  
        • Evening Program 
          One consistent shift/same day per week  
          Monday – Thursday: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Fridays: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m 
        • Weekend Program 
          One biweekly shift/ 1st & 3rd or 2nd & 4th Saturday or Sunday 
          2-4 hour shift between 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  
    • Volunteer Pet Therapy Program – Plano 
      • Applicants must commit to six consecutive months of service 
      • Volunteers will commit to serving one 3-4 hour shift on the same day each week 
        • Daytime Program 
          One consistent shift/same day per week 
          Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. to noon, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  

  • Time Commitment 

    If you want to volunteer at a hospital, be prepared to devote a set number of hours per week for a minimum length of time to the hospital. Most hospitals require certain time commitments from their volunteers as it helps them support continuity of services for their patients. Time commitment expectations for Children’s Health volunteers are below. 

    Adult Volunteer Program - Dallas 
    • Applicants must commit to six consecutive months of service 
    • Volunteers will commit to serving one 3-4 hour shift on the same day each week or one 3-4 hour shift biweekly on weekends 
      • Daytime Program 
        One consistent shift/same day per week 
        Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. or 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  
      • Evening Program 
        One consistent shift/same day per week  
        Monday – Thursday: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Fridays: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m 
      • Weekend Program 
        One biweekly shift/ 1st & 3rd or 2nd & 4th Saturday or Sunday 
        2-4 hour shift between 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  

How to Volunteer at a Local Hospital 

Here are five typical steps to take in order to volunteer at a local hospital:

Contact your local hospital 

Visit your local hospital and ask to speak with their volunteer services department or contact them by phone or email and ask what opportunities they have available. Or you can contact your municipality’s volunteer center for a list of hospitals in need of volunteer support. Consider the positions available and what way you’d most like to volunteer at the hospital. Decide whether you’d like to work with adult patients, children and adolescents or people with specific illnesses and abilities. To volunteer at Children’s Health, start here. 

Complete a volunteer application 

After deciding which patients you’d like to help, you’ll need to complete an application to volunteer at a hospital. You might find the application online or have to request it from someone working in your local hospital’s volunteer services department. When filling out the application, you’ll likely be asked to include your skills and basic work history so that the hospital can determine where you’ll serve best.  
 
You could be asked to complete a background check. These are essential to ensure the safety and well-being of patients, doctors, volunteers and other hospital team members. To begin the application process for Children’s Health in Dallas, start here and for Children’s Health in Plano start here.

Interview with a volunteer coordinator 

After completing an application, the next step to volunteering at a hospital is to interview with someone from their volunteer services department. Someone from volunteer services should contact you via email or phone, but it probably doesn’t hurt to reach out to them to request a date for your interview – this shows initiative!  
 
Remember, your volunteer interview will be like that of a paid position. You’ll probably be asked about your work and volunteer history. They also might like to know why you want to become a volunteer at a hospital. To become a volunteer at Children’s Health, volunteer candidates are required to complete an interview process after they’ve completed the required online assessment and application. Be on your way to becoming a Children’s Health volunteer in Dallas here and Plano here.

Complete a health screen or physical examination  

To ensure the health and safety of patients, some hospitals require a health screening or physical examination of candidates wanting to volunteer at a hospital, since there’s a chance they’ll encounter ill or immunocompromised patients. Also, it’s to ensure the candidate’s wellness and ability to complete certain tasks. Children’s Health requires new volunteers to get a health check. See the health check requirements you’ll need to meet as a Children’s Health volunteer for both our Dallas and Plano campuses.

Complete a required training or orientation  

In order to volunteer at a hospital, candidates must complete any required training and attend any required orientation session. Every hospital will have its own unique training and orientation process but these usually include safety procedures and other important information. At Children’s Health, volunteer candidates are required to complete an online training course and attend an orientation session that we call a “Welcome Session!” See the steps to becoming an adult volunteer at Children’s Health. Our Student Volunteer Program and Volunteer Pet Therapy Program are conducted differently. Please visit these web pages to learn more: 

  1. Student Volunteer Program 
  2. Volunteer Pet Therapy Program 

Find Hospital Volunteer Opportunities at Children’s Health 

Now that you know how to volunteer at a hospital, we want to invite YOU to help us make life better for children! To get started, visit our volunteer webpage and choose which program you’d like to be a part of. We look forward to meeting you!