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For Patients, Families & Visitors
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More on Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteers provide vital assistance to our patients, families and healthcare professionals. Throughout the Hospital, volunteers can be found lending a helpful hand by running errands, providing information to parents whose children are in the emergency room or undergoing surgery, welcoming patients and families to the Child Life playrooms, organizing toys and play materials, or visiting on the units. Volunteers can assist with children in the clinic waiting areas, serve as role models in the literacy programs and offer our families much needed comfort and support.
Bone Marrow Transplant Intervention Program
Volunteers will spend time with bone marrow transplant patients while their parent is working with the therapist to develop their coping skills during this process.
Hours available: Mondays 11am-2pm. Must be at least 18 years old.
Child Life
The Child Life Program at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is a therapeutic play and activities program. It is designed to reduce the emotional impact of illness and hospitalization on children and their families. Members of the professional Child Life staff are trained in child development, psychology, education and other closely related fields. Child Life staff addresses some of the special needs of hospitalized children and adolescents by providing age-appropriate and therapeutic play activities which foster continued growth and development. The assistance of Child Life volunteers is vital to meeting this goal. Volunteers can welcome patients and families, provide toys, arts and crafts activities, play games with patients and be a companion when one is needed. Under the direct supervisor of a Child Life Specialist, volunteers can play with children both in the playroom and at bedside.
Hours available: Weekdays, Weekends, Evenings. Must be at least 18 years old.
Clerical
This opportunity offers the chance for a volunteer to become a valuable member of a department team. Volunteers will provide much-needed general office assistance at the direction of departmental staff. Duties may include answering telephones, filing, data entry or light typing, labeling, running errands, etc. Pleasant personality and accuracy are important. Opportunities are available in various settings: clinics, nursing units, doctor office, administration etc.
Hours available: Weekdays 9am-5pm.
Diagnostic Suite
Many patients who come to Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital for testing are dealing with difficult illness. The process is stressful for patients and family members. Volunteers working in the Diagnostic Imaging Suite at the Hospital will play a key role interacting with patients and staff. They will supervise the play area on the unit and coordinate activities with children who are waiting in this area. Volunteers will also serve as liaisons between staff in the testing area and families in the waiting area - bringing information on patient status when needed.
Hours available: Weekdays 7am-11pm. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
Emergency Department
With genuine concern and compassion, volunteers in the emergency department provide emotional support to the patients and their families in the waiting room. Volunteers liaise between patients, families and clinical staff, and are trained in various methods of interaction with children such as one-to-one or group readings, board games, activities, drawing, etc.
Hours available: 10am-12am, Monday-Sunday. Must be at least 18 years old.
Errand Solutions Ambassadors
Ambassadors are trained volunteers who visit the new admissions at their assigned units and provide a warm welcome and basic orientation to the hospital for patients and families. The Ambassadors will share key information about the unit as well as orient patients and families to the concierge services available to them through Errand Solutions.
Hours available: Weekdays 8am-6pm
Family Advisory Council
The Family Advisory Council is a group of 30 parents, Hospital staff, and faculty who work together as equal partners to make the Hospital a better place for children and families. If you are interested in learning more about the Family Advisory Council or how you can join, click on the Family Advisory Council link in the right hand column or contact the Family Advisory Council.
Gift Shop
The gift shop is looking for friendly, pleasant volunteers, who are able to stand for prolonged periods and could help put away stock, check and price new merchandise, stock gift cart, and tag samples for display.
Occupational/Physical Therapy
Volunteers assist therapists with follow-up phone surveys, appointment confirmation and patient registration. They greet patients upon arrival, and assist therapists with a variety of tasks such as setup/cleanup of the treatment area, organizing materials, assisting with treatment groups, folding towels, sheets, and gowns.
Hours available: Weekdays 9am-5pm. Must be at least 18 years old.
Outpatient Oncology
Volunteers assist in the Outpatient Oncology clinic greeting patient and families when they come for procedures. They assist nurses in notifying patients to return to treatment areas and provide activities for the children.
Hours available: Weekdays 9am-6pm. Must be at least 18 years old.
Reach Out and Read
Reach Out and Read is a national program that promotes early childhood literacy by bringing new books and advice about the importance of reading aloud into the pediatric exam room. The program combines the promotion of literacy with pediatric well-child visits, as pediatricians stress the importance of reading to families and engage them with developmentally and culturally appropriate books at each visit. The children are then allowed to take these books home to add to their home library. Volunteers model the joy of reading as they read with children in the clinic waiting rooms throughout the offsite Ambulatory Care Network. Volunteers receive instruction and training in early childhood development and the elements of literacy.
Hour available: Weekdays 9am-5pm.
Rejuvenate You Wellness Program
Family members of patients in the hospital are often in need of comfort and support themselves. The Wellness Program, a program sponsored by the Family Advisory Council, is designed to provide support and respite to family members of patients at the hospital. Volunteers will staff the center and assist with program set-up, facilitate provision of services (food, massage therapy…), provide support and comfort to center visitors, and assist visitors in accessing resources to support them. Volunteers will lend a listening ear and a supportive heart to family members in need.
Hours available: Wednesdays 12:30pm-4pm. Must be at least 18 years old.
Respite Care
The respite care volunteer will enhance patient and parent satisfaction by offering relief/respite for caregivers and providing one-on-one companionship to patients. Levels of interaction will vary depending on the patient’s condition, but may involve engaging in conversation or an activity if appropriate, or simply monitoring and requesting assistance as needed. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.
Hours available: Weekdays, weekends, evenings. Must be at least 18 years old.
Same Day Surgery
Volunteers’ guide and support parents and patients pre and post surgery on the Pediatric Ambulatory Care Unit. Their duties may include escorting patients to waiting rooms from the Operating Room, updating parents on patient progress, monitoring delays and acting as a resource person in the waiting areas.
Hours available: Weekdays 9am-5pm. Must be at least 18 years old.
Sibling Program-Charna’s Kids’ Club
Charna’s Kids’ Club is a special place for siblings (age 5-12) of patients at the hospital. Siblings can interact with peers and participate in activities that create a safe place for expression and social support including: creative play, including art, crafts, music, drama, dance, structured group games, activities, free play time, homework help and special events. Volunteers will assist in preparing and implementing recreational activities for the siblings of inpatient children. They will be trained in the special needs of siblings with a sister or brother in the hospital. They will also provide individualized attention and collaborate in the maintenance of a playful and safe environment.
Hours available: M,T,W,Th 4pm-8pm, Sunday 11am-2pm. Must be at least 18 years old.
Special Events Assistant
Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital is fortunate to have a wide range of programs taking place and special guests performing for our patients in the Winter garden. More than 100 special events are conducted each year. Volunteers in this program will work with the Special Events Coordinator to plan and execute events. Volunteers will assist with making arrangements with performers, event publicity, set up and break down.
Hours available: Weekdays 9am-5pm. Must be at least 18 years old.
Contact
- Volunteer Department
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622 West 168th Street
New York, NY 10035
10032
(212) 305-1197
morganstanleyvolunteer@nyp.org
- Family Advisory Council
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(212) 305-0709
familyadvisorycouncil@nyp.org
