Volunteer at Weill Cornell
There are over 180 departments and programs at Weill Cornell that utilize the services of volunteers. The following list will give you a brief overview of the areas as well as demonstrate the diversity of volunteer opportunities available.
Some assignments will involve direct patient/client contact, while others focus on more clerical program support. Availability of assignments will vary depending upon the needs of a particular department or program at any given time.
Admitting
Good interpersonal skills needed for this busy location. Assist patients with multiple aspects of registration. General administrative duties include: reception, answering phones, filing, faxing, and duplicating.
Adult Recreation
Help improve frail elderly patient's quality of life through conversation, arts and crafts activities, games, and assisting with minor grooming
Ambulatory Care Clinics
Volunteers act as a liaison between patients/families and staff. Assist patients and families in waiting rooms with registration, pre-operative tasks, and escorting. Clerical responsibilities may include answering phones, computer/data entry, and filing. Good interpersonal skills required.
Child Literacy Program
Read developmentally age appropriate books to children in a one on one or group setting. Educate their parents/caregivers about the importance of reading to children. Must be at least 16 years old.
Child Life
Help ease the fright of children facing hospital stays by offering support and guidance to them and their families. Assist Child Life staff in one of the many therapeutic playrooms in the hospital. Work with children and adolescents on activities such as arts and crafts, writing, reading, helping with schoolwork, and playing games. A background in art and education is helpful.
Emergency Department
The volunteer role in the ED is to add an additional personal dimension of genuine concern and compassion to patients and their families, improve the quality of care, and to assist the staff as needed in the delivery of care. The volunteer, by letting patients and their families know that someone is concerned about their emotional and physical needs and is there to assist in finding solutions to their problems, can have a significant impact on the individuals perception of the ED and hospital experience. The volunteer, through communication and the use of problem solving techniques, can change what might otherwise be perceived as an insensitive, impersonal environment, to one of compassion and genuine concern. Volunteers also provide an invaluable service by assisting the ED staff in fulfilling their roles and duties.
Food and Nutrition
Volunteers must have good organizational skills. They will be responsible for serving and replenishing entrees, merchandising, and sanitation.
Gift Shop
Volunteers help to put away stock, check and price new merchandise, stock gift cart, tag samples for display. Must be friendly, pleasant, and able to stand for prolonged periods.
Information Desk
Volunteers act as a central directory for all hospital departments/service areas. Answer all patient/visitor inquiries regarding both in-patient and out patient services. Answer phones and call departments as needed. Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Training provided.
Interpreter Program
Join the language bank and/or serve as an interpreter throughout the hospital. Bilingual volunteers provide medical interpretation services for limited English speaking patients and their health care provider. All languages are needed especially Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish. Intensive training is provided.
Look Good/Feel Better
The Look Good/Feel Better Program is a national public service program to help women undergoing cancer treatment learn to cope with the appearance-related side effects of treatment and regain a sense of self-confidence and control over their lives. During sessions volunteer cosmetologists (must be certified professionals) teach women how to enhance their appearance using make-up and hair replacement techniques.
Medical Records
Assist clerk with administrative operations. Must be able to file in numeric and alphabetical order as well as answer phones, retrieve patient records, and utilize computer for data inquiry.
Nursing Unit Aides
Volunteer must be in good physical health in order to assist nursing staff on busy in-patient units. Must be mobile and able to stand for prolonged periods of time. Duties may include: assisting unit clerks with greeting visitors, answering patient call lights, transporting patients via wheelchair, feeding and ambulating patients, providing diversional activities, and general administrative/clerical assistance. The following is a brief listing of in-patient units that utilize volunteers: burn center, cardiology, dialysis, maternity, medical/surgical, oncology, pediatrics, and psychiatry.
Pastoral Care
General chaplaincy volunteers are people with good listening skills who are warm, caring, and concerned. Volunteers visit patients throughout the hospital and assess the need for a chaplain.
Patient Library/Book Cart
The Patient's Library is a volunteer run service. Volunteers assist with the daily operations of the library such as prepare, shelve, and circulate books, deliver book carts to patient areas, answer phone and respond to patient requests.
Patient Visiting
Volunteers report to several in-patient units each shift and visit patients as needed/requested. Volunteers provide general support and comfort and serve as empathic listeners and hand holders. May assist patients with basic needs such as ordering meals, phone, television service, and requesting books from the patient library.
Radiology
Assist with basic office operations in a fast paced environment. Good communication skills necessary for answering phone. Other responsibilities include duplicating, faxing, filing, interdepartmental errands, and light typing.
Rape Crisis Program
The Rape Crisis Program is designed to assist rape victims in the Emergency Room. Volunteers provide rape crisis counseling and information services to the patient. An eight-week training program is provided. Must be at least 18 years of age.
Silver Spoons
Silver Spoons is a program designed to enhance the nutritional intake of patients. Due to the nature of their illness, many patients are unable to adequately feed themselves. Volunteers help by feeding and providing emotional support to patients on various nursing units. Training provided.
Social Work
Volunteers provide in person and phone counseling to patients regarding all city, state, and federal benefit entitlement programs. Provide resource information and make referrals to appropriate agencies. Training provided.
Surgical Waiting Room
Volunteers act as a liaison between staff and family members in the wait area outside the operating rooms. Keep families informed of patient status and be able to relay information in a professional and compassionate manner.
Teenage Pregnancy
Program Volunteers serve as mentors to pregnant teens throughout the course of their pregnancy. Volunteers have consistent phone contact with the teen as well as in-person visits at least twice each month. Provide guidance and psychosocial support as needed. Attendance required at group and individual supervision. Must be at least 21 years of age.
If you are interested in receiving more information about volunteer opportunities at Weill Cornell, please call the Volunteer Services Department Monday through Friday between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. You may also call to request an application 24 hours/day. (212) 746-4396
