Nursing

Working as a Volunteer Nurse

NursingApril 03, 2013

Have you thought about using some of your skills and education to work as a volunteer nurse? The need for quality health care and nursing specialists is great in the United States and other parts of the world. With more nurses volunteering their time, it will be possible to help more people who are in need. Being a volunteer means that you are not going to receive compensation for your work. When you have a regular nursing job, you will have your regular salary for the fulltime work that you do. The volunteer work that you do is simply a way that you can find even more fulfillment in your spare time. When you are able to provide quality healthcare to those who are down on their luck and could not afford it otherwise, it is going to feel great. Where to Volunteer Volunteers are in demand in just about every location imaginable. Large and small hospitals, as well as free clinics could often benefit from having additional nursing help. Many non-profit and charity organizations need to have nurses as well, and they are often woefully undermanned. You have to make sure that you qualify and meet the requirements of these organizations though. As long as you have your license, you should be able to find plenty of places that would be happy to have you volunteer. In the event of a disaster such as Hurricane Sandy, volunteers are in the greatest demand. Earthquakes, hurricanes, and other disasters are a time when all nurses and medical personnel who have the experience should offer to volunteer their services. What Does a Volunteer Do? Volunteer nurses will find that many of the duties they have with their regular fulltime job are going to correlate with the things they will do as a volunteer. They may need to perform basic treatments, provide wound care, help to admit patients, provide advice, or even do some office work. After Retiring Nursing is not something that most practitioners are actually going to be able to give up. Even after traditional retirement, you may find that you want to share your knowledge and skills so that you can help those people who are less fortunate than you are, and who need healthcare help. Many organizations would benefit greatly from the addition of a volunteer nurse. By offering your valuable skills to an organization, such as a non-profit clinic, you are able to help increase the level of help they can provide to people. It would help to keep you active after retirement, and you will love the feeling you get from helping those who are in need. The Rewards Working as a volunteer is rewarding in its own right. The feeling of helping others is something that makes most humans have a warm feeling. In addition to the joy of helping others that you will have, you are also gaining new skills and interacting with more patients. You have the opportunity to meet new people, including others who are in the healthcare field.

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