Volunteering at UIHC
After one semester of volunteering at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics, I thought I would provide those of you interested with my thoughts and conclusions.
I applied to be a student volunteer in August of 2022 (the fall of my freshman year) and started volunteering in September. I joined the Mother-Baby Care Unit and help out for three hours a week. The application process is long and involved a few trips to Iowa City over the summer, but I would definitely recommend it.
Volunteering anywhere can provide you with so many benefits. First, you get to meet so many new people. Especially in health care, there are multiple nurses and nursing assistants that rotate throughout the units and work different shifts. It was great to be able to meet with and talk to a variety of new people. During one shift, I was able to spend some time talking with a recent University of Iowa graduate, who took many of the same classes as me. She was able to give me tips and advice on courses, professors, career paths, ways to gain experience, etc. That same shift, I was able to talk with a current Iowa nursing student. She talked to me about different areas of the hospital that she worked in, and how she liked them. She also gave me a few names and contact information for some resources. It has been amazing to be able to talk with and meet a wide range of people who work at the hospital.
Along with relationships, you also gain experience while volunteering. On my unit, I get the opportunity to check in on patients. This gives me patient-contact experience and practice talking with others in a healthcare setting. I can be a very shy person, so volunteering last semester was a great opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone. Additionally, I gained experience working in a hospital. The way a hospital functions and runs smoothly is often unknown to many outsiders. Volunteering allowed me to see how nurses, doctors, CNAs, and other staff work together to provide the best patient care possible.
The hospital and the members of the volunteering committee are very considerate of student schedules. Students are not required to be at the hospital during finals weeks or during academic breaks. This is super nice as a student because you don’t have to worry about being in Iowa City during your time off or being even more stressed out during finals week. They are also very accommodating if you need to reschedule your shift. They understand that situations come up, and they are happy to work with you.
Volunteering opens the door to a few great opportunities. Some units allow you to sign up for shadowing experience once you reach a certain number of hours. Shadowing at the hospital is a great way to see what healthcare professionals do! Additionally, once you volunteer for a certain amount of time, there are opportunities for letters of recommendation. These can be valuable when applying for scholarships, to programs, or to graduate school.
Finally, the days I volunteer are sometimes the best days of my week. It feels so great when I am able to help someone out and I know that I am making a difference. No matter what area of the hospital you volunteer in, your services and time will impact others and make a difference in their lives.
Although there are many advantages to volunteering, there are a few downfalls as well. Since there are so many volunteers at the hospital, the limited jobs they can do tend to get done very consistently. There have been a few times during my three-hour shift when I was looking for ways to stay busy. From a positive view, this opens the door for more patient and staff interaction!
If you’re living on the east side, the walk or ride to the hospital in the winter can be treacherous. Sometimes, the Cambus only comes to each stop every twenty or so minutes. This usually means you show up to the hospital half an hour early or you’re a few minutes late. You can choose to walk, but the walk can feel very long on cold winter days. After your shift, you might be waiting for a bus for up to twenty minutes again.
Overall, I would highly recommend volunteering to anyone who is considering a career in the medical field, or anyone who has an interest in helping others. I enjoy my time at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and believe you would too!
