Hospital Volunteer
Hospital volunteers work without regular pay in a variety of health care settings, usually under the supervision of a nurse. Most hospitals train and supervise volunteers through a specialized non-profit organization called an auxiliary. The director of the auxiliary is usually a paid employee of the hospital.
A hospital volunteer is sometimes nicknamed a candy striper. This name is derived from the red-and-white striped jumpers that female volunteers traditionally wore in the United States, which resembled stick candy. The name and uniform are used less frequently now.
In the United States, volunteers' services are of considerable importance to individual patients as well as the health care system in general. Some people volunteer during high school or college, either out of curiosity about health-care professions or in order to satisfy mandatory community service requirements imposed by some schools. Still others volunteer at later stages in their life, particularly after retirement.
Famous quotes containing the words hospital and/or volunteer:
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