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In this guide, you’ll find volunteer opportunities that strengthen your resume, highlight your readiness for patient care, and help you stand out in a competitive job market.
Top 12 Nursing volunteer work opportunities
Each of the roles below is designed to help you gain hands-on experience, strengthen relevant nursing skills, and demonstrate initiative to potential employers. These are focused, practical ways to build your qualifications in real care environments while developing your readiness for patient care.
1. Hospice Volunteer Programs
Hospice volunteering offers exposure to end-of-life care, emotional support, and long-term patient relationships. You’ll spend time with elderly patients and their families, often in their most vulnerable moments.
What you might do:
- Offer companionship through conversation or presence
- Support staff with non-clinical needs
- Help families navigate grief and comfort care routines
This role builds emotional intelligence, communication, and experience with chronic illness and aging. It’s especially useful for nurses applying to senior care facilities, nursing homes, or palliative care settings.
Example: 2. American Red Cross Disaster Health Services
The American Red Cross gives nursing students a chance to support disaster relief, first aid, and community response efforts. Their structured training prepares volunteers to assist in temporary shelters and mobile health setups during emergencies.
What you might do:
- Monitor patient symptoms in disaster shelters
- Assist with vital signs, medication support, or basic health screenings
- Provide patient and family education on safety and care
This experience reflects quick thinking, calm under pressure, and a strong grasp of emergency coordination. It applies directly to roles in critical care, community health, and emergency response.
Example: 3. Volunteering at a Children’s Hospital
Children’s hospitals often provide volunteer positions for those interested in pediatric care. You may not perform clinical tasks, but you’ll interact closely with patients, families, and child life teams.
What you might do:
- Supervise playrooms or activity areas
- Provide emotional support during waiting periods
- Assist with patient engagement and educational programs
These experiences build confidence working with young patients and show you're capable of supporting emotionally complex situations. Ideal for those exploring pediatrics, NICU, or school-based nursing.
Example: 4. Free Clinics and Mobile Health Units
Free clinics and mobile units serve under-resourced populations and welcome nursing students eager to help deliver accessible medical services. These settings often involve multitasking and patient communication across cultural or language barriers.
What you might do:
- Take patient histories and assist with documentation
- Conduct basic health screenings under supervision
- Coordinate follow-up visits or referrals with community partners
This setting provides direct exposure to health equity, community-based care, and interdisciplinary teamwork. It’s a strong fit for those interested in public health or primary care.
Example: 5. Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)
The Medical Reserve Corps is a volunteer program that supports public health agencies during emergencies and planned events. Many local chapters accept nursing students and recent graduates who want practical training in public response efforts.
What you might do:
- Assist with vaccination clinics and contact tracing
- Help staff mobile care units or temporary shelters
- Distribute health education materials at public events
MRC experience demonstrates a clear interest in public health, disaster relief, and population-level care. It also shows you’ve worked alongside licensed health professionals and adapted to urgent community needs.
Example: 
6. Blood Drives and Basic Health Screenings
Blood drives and community health events offer hands-on opportunities for nursing students to assist in supervised settings. These roles focus on outreach, patient safety, and consistent task management.
What you might do:
- Greet and register blood donors
- Monitor donors during recovery periods
- Take vitals during basic health screenings, if qualified
These roles build confidence with clinical routines and patient-facing communication. They also show early experience with event-based medical services and public engagement.
Example: 7. Senior Care Facilities and Nursing Homes
Facilities serving older adults offer practical experience with patients who have chronic conditions, limited mobility, or cognitive decline. These roles often involve structured volunteer shifts under staff supervision.
What you might do:
- Assist with group activities or one-on-one visits
- Help during meal periods or daily routines
- Observe care practices used with dementia and memory support patients
Many new grads work with older adults early in their careers. Volunteering in nursing homes or senior care facilities shows you’re familiar with the pace, communication needs, and support systems in these environments.
Example: 8. Camp Nurse Assistant at Medical Camps
Medical camps often serve children with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, or other chronic health needs. These short-term volunteer positions offer close interaction with licensed nurses and youth patients in supervised settings.
What you might do:
- Track medication schedules and report symptoms
- Assist during mealtime, rest periods, or health checks
- Help respond to minor injuries and behavioral concerns
This role shows you can handle responsibility in less controlled environments. It also reflects an interest in pediatrics, community-based care, or developmental health.
Example: 9. Crisis Lines and Mental Health Support
Mental health and crisis support centers often welcome volunteer positions for students and early-career professionals. These roles focus on emotional support and connecting people with essential health care resources.
What you might do:
- Answer calls or messages from individuals in distress
- Use de-escalation and active listening strategies
- Refer patients to mental health or emergency services
This experience shows you understand behavioral health and trauma-informed care. It’s a strong match if you're aiming for psych units, ER triage, or public health roles.
Example: 10. Hospital Greeter or Patient Escort
A local hospital often offers entry-level volunteer opportunities that focus on patient navigation and support. These roles involve direct interaction with patients and staff in busy, real-time care environments.
What you might do:
- Greet and escort patients to imaging, labs, or clinics
- Manage visitor flow in the waiting room
- Support intake staff with paperwork and directions
Even non-clinical roles in hospitals expose you to protocols, patient communication, and multidisciplinary teamwork. These are valuable early steps in a nursing career, especially for those still completing a nursing program.
Example: 11. Faith-Based or Community Health Ministries
Churches and nonprofit groups often organize community service initiatives that involve free screenings, clinics, and outreach. These roles are accessible to students in or just out of nursing school.
What you might do:
- Provide support at free blood pressure or glucose screenings
- Assist during public health outreach events
- Coordinate supplies and patient flow at local health fairs
These volunteer settings allow you to build both interpersonal skills and clinical awareness. Many clinics also collaborate with volunteer nurses from larger systems, which helps you learn informally from experienced professionals.
Example: 
12. Shelters and Outreach for Unhoused Populations
Homeless shelters and outreach programs offer urgent, front-line experience. Many programs need volunteers to assist with basic care, health education, or resource coordination.
What you might do:
- Help distribute hygiene kits or first-aid supplies
- Support staff in triage or intake roles
- Coordinate referrals to clinics or public health agencies
Working with unhoused populations builds your understanding of health disparities and access barriers. It's also a meaningful way to show commitment to community service and health equity values that many hospitals prioritize when hiring new grads.
Example: How to List Volunteer Work on Your Nursing Resume
Volunteer work can be a powerful addition to your nursing resume, especially if you’re a new grad. Here’s a straightforward guide to make sure you’re presenting it in the best light:
1. Choose the Right Section for Your Volunteer Experience
Decide where to list your volunteer roles based on your experience:
- “Volunteer Experience” Section – Use this if the role was non-clinical or doesn’t involve direct patient care.
- “Clinical Experience” or “Relevant Experience” Section – Use this for roles where you performed hands-on patient care or clinical tasks.
2. Format Each Entry Clearly
Every volunteer experience should follow this consistent format:
- Organization Name and Location
- Role Title (e.g., Volunteer Health Assistant)
- Dates Involved (Month/Year – Month/Year)
- Key Responsibilities (2-3 bullet points that focus on impact)
3. Use Action-Oriented Language
Start each bullet point with a strong action verb to showcase your contributions. For example:
- “Assisted”
- “Supported”
- “Provided”
- “Coordinated”
4. Highlight Impact and Skills
Focus on the outcome of your work. Did you help educate patients? Improve clinic efficiency? Be specific about what you accomplished and the skills you developed.
5. Tailor to the Job Description
Whenever possible, align your volunteer experience with the job you're applying for by incorporating keywords from the job posting. This shows you're a good fit for the role.
Example Entries
Example 1: Community Health Volunteer
Example 2: Patient Support Volunteer
What Hiring Managers Look for in New Grad Nurses
Hiring managers expect new graduate nurses to have limited experience, but they still look for signs of readiness. They focus on how applicants have applied their education outside the classroom, especially through structured volunteer experience.
Roles in clinics, hospitals, shelters, or school health offices show that a candidate has already worked with patients, followed safety protocols, and contributed to real care environments.
Managers also value communication, adaptability, and a basic understanding of how healthcare teams function. These qualities are often developed early through the right volunteer opportunities, even before a formal job begins. Including recommended volunteer work opportunities that would be good for resume as a new grad nurse helps demonstrate initiative and awareness of patient needs.
When reviewing resumes, employers often prioritize candidates who have already engaged with patients and participated in care delivery under supervision. These details help confirm that a new grad is ready to transition into the responsibilities of a registered nurse with less guidance and more confidence.
Conclusion
Volunteer work can be a smart, strategic step at the start of your nursing career. It shows employers you’re already building real-world experience, developing core skills, and staying involved in patient care beyond the classroom. Choose roles that align with your goals, and let each one add meaning and weight to your resume.
