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Volunteer Opportunities

Overview

NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital 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.

Please note:

• The Deadline for Summer Applications is March 31st
• Volunteers must commit to 150 hours of service
• Summer Volunteers commit to 120 hours of service within 6-8 weeks
• There are limited spots available for weekends & evenings
• We will contact you only if you will be invited in for an interview

Volunteer Opportunities

Child Life. The Child Life Program at 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 9 AM - 5 PM.

Community Literacy Volunteer. Community Literacy Volunteers will have a dual role as an ROR (Reach Out & Read) and HEAL (Health Education Adult Literacy) volunteer. They will promote emergent literacy by following the guidelines of the ROR Model as they read aloud to children in the waiting room of ACN sites and they will also work to help improve the health literacy among our patient population by engaging patients' caregivers in a dialogue to discuss the various issues in health literacy (i.e. understanding med. labels, measuring liquid meds and adhering to medical instructions).

Hours available: Weekdays 9 AM - 5 PM. Must be at least 18 years old & pursuing pre-medical or public health studies. Spanish fluency is preferred.

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 9 AM - 5 PM. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

The Family Resource Center, centrally located on the first floor central of the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NY and the Sloane Hospital for Women, provides a warm, quiet and inviting place where families may conduct computer research on issues facing their children. It is staffed with a full time Health Librarian, who will manage the center and assist families with research requests on diagnoses and other health and hospital related issues. Information on hospital amenities and Errand Solutions, a concierge service for families, are also available at the center.

The volunteer will assist the family Resource Center Librarian as well as patients and families in navigating the amenities available in the FRC (computers, fax/copy, etc.) In addition, volunteers may deliver information packets to designated patient/family rooms.

Hours Available: Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm. ust be at least 21 years old.

Pediatric 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: 10 AM - 12 AM, 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 8 AM - 6 PM

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 joingo to: http://childrensnyp.org/mschony/family-advisory-council.html.

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.

Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) Sibling Center Often parents of NICU children are trying to manage the many aspects of their critical infant's hospitalization while attending to the needs of their other children. The NICU Sibling Center volunteer will offer a much needed break to the parents by spending time and offering enriching experiences to the siblings. Responsibilities will include supervising the NICU Sibling Center, play activities, movie and story time and homework assistance.

Hours available: Weekdays 10am-8pm, Weekends 12pm-4pm. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The ICU provides care to our most vulnerable patients and families. Volunteers offer respite/relief to caregivers and one on one care to patients. They also facilitate provision of services such as food and access to resources to support them. Volunteers will lend a listening ear and a supportive heart to family members in need.

Hours Available: Weekdays 10-4:30pm. Must be at least 18 years old and have experience in a health care setting.

Pediatric Psychiatry. NewYork-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital offers one of the largest child and adolescent psychiatry programs in the country, providing specialized diagnostic, therapeutic, and crisis intervention services to several thousand children annually. The Child Psychiatry Division also provides a full complement of services at specialized outpatient clinics that address disruptive behavior disorders, child anxiety and depression, pervasive developmental disorders, and psychotic disorders. The Child Activity Volunteer, under the supervision of the staff psychologist, will spend time with pediatric psychiatry patients in the waiting areas conducting therapeutic play activities and reading aloud.

Hours available: Weekdays 3pm-7pm. Must be at least 18 years old.

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 9 AM - 5 PM. 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 9 AM - 6 PM. Must be at least 18 years old.

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 12:30 PM - 4 PM. 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 9 AM - 5 PM. 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: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 4 PM - 8 PM, Sunday 11 AM - 2 PM. 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 9 AM - 5 PM. Must be at least 18 years old.