As a nurse, it may seem odd to think of your chosen profession as a volunteer opportunity, after all, it’s what you do every single day for work.  Yet many nurses see their profession as a vocation. These nurses are typically those that become volunteers. A poll by the American Nursing Association found that 69% of nurses would volunteer and that 25% already have volunteered their nursing skills.

A volunteer nurse is a licensed nurse who provides nursing care in their community, another state, during a disaster, or on international medical missions. Volunteer nurses visit with patients, provide basic medical care, offer comfort, and prepare reports. The difference from day-to-day nursing is that volunteer nurses are not paid and often provide care to those with critical needs, those who do not have access to regular healthcare, and those living in difficult situations and environments.
Volunteer nurses often rediscover the reasons they originally chose nursing as a profession. They also have the occasion to work with a wide range of professionals and in areas of nursing that they normally do not experience. This provides an opportunity for hands-on training and to network within the medical profession. Most important, the volunteer nurses we know tell us that there is immense gratification that comes from helping those in the direst need.
Volunteer nurses are needed throughout the country and around the world. There are a wide range of both short and long-term volunteer nursing opportunities that can fit into personal and professional schedules. Volunteer opportunities can be found through local hospitals and doctors’ offices as well as through charitable organizations like ReSurge International, One Nurse At A Time, Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, and many others. Often volunteer nursing opportunities arise during emergencies like natural or manmade disasters; however it’s important to register well in advance of an emergency to be of greatest help. Volunteer nurses can work with a wide range of organizations including:
–Parish, camp and school nurses
–Hospice and eldercare nurses
–Sexual assault and community healthcare volunteers
–The American Red Cross
–Community hospitals and clinics
–Visiting nurse associations
On medical missions, volunteer nurses may work provide aid in dermatology, anesthesiology, surgery, trauma, injury, rehabilitation, eldercare, childcare, disabilities, pediatrics, and many more.
At Barco’s Nightingales Foundation we salute and support all nurses, and we have a special place in our hearts for those nurses that use their special skills to bring care and comfort to those around the world who may otherwise never benefit from medical support.  The need for volunteer nurses continues to grow exponentially. We encourage all nurses, especially those new to the profession, to volunteer. It’s amazing how a single volunteer mission can change so many lives, even your own.
~Michael and Frida Donner