St. Louis Children’s Hospital

Thank you for your interest in volunteering at St. Louis Children's Hospital.  Below you will find a list of volunteer opportunities accompanied with a brief description.  During your placement interview we will discuss the specific openings and details.

Volunteer Opportunities are divided into two different sections, limited patient contact areas and patient contact areas.

Volunteers in limited patient contact areas must be flexible, able to work with staff and other volunteers and willing to fulfill roles that are crucial to our mission. These roles may not provide as much one on one patient contact but are a great way for a volunteer to become aquainted with the hospital environment.

Volunteers in patient contact areas need to be independent, flexible, and able to see opportunities and needs. They must also be comfortable working with hospitalized children.

Volunteer Opportunities

Child Life Services Playroom and Teen Lounge
Staffed by Child Life Specialists and designed to provide comfort and play to children in a non-medical setting, this area is part of what makes our hospital so unique. Volunteers may:

• Play with patients in the Playroom
• Assist in providing activities specially designed for the adolescent patient
• Assist Child Life Services Department to organize the activity

Volunteers will also have the opportunity to visit patients in their rooms. In the rooms, volunteers can:

• Provide comfort and support to children during one-on-one visits in patient rooms—act as bedside visitors
• Assist with feeding, escort patients to playroom, obtain games, crafts or toys for patients
• Helps patients to make phone calls, write letters, etc.
• Escorts patients to in-house and out-patient areas
• Distributes and collects patient food trays

Child Life Services Sibling Playroom
The Sibling Playroom offers parents a safe and fun place for the siblings of our patients while their parents visit the hospitalized child or go to an outpatient appointment.

• Play with siblings in the playroom
• Keep the playroom neat and in good order

Radiology/Emergency Unit Escort

• Straighten movies/clean toys and toy room
• May be asked to supervise patient or siblings
• Escort patients to rooms from triage when needed
• Greet every patient, parent and hospital staff entering waiting room

Small World Gift Shop
In this fast-paced environment, volunteers help: 

• Assist families, patients, visitors and staff while by providing a warm, caring atmosphere and excellent service
• Maintain the gift shop's clean and organized appearance
• Restock merchandise, as needed

PathFinder/Pager Pal

• Greet patients, families, and visitors as they enter the hospital
• Escort families and visitors to and from various locations throughout the hospital
• Give directions, via maps, to families and visitors with marked route and destination area
• Respond to pages from Guest Services Information Desks or Gift Shop. Volunteer will deliver packages and mail to patients.
• Assist with discharged patients, carrying and loading belongings to/in car.
• Locate wheelchairs and wagons in hospital and garage and return to 1^st or 2^nd floor Information Desks.

Simulation Center

• Provide logistical support for simulation activities including assistance with set-up and take-down of high fidelity mannequins
• Assist with moulage
• Assist with stocking and cleaning
• Assist in transporting the mannequin to conduct scenarios on patient units

Family Resource Center (FRC)
Provides access to current and accurate health information for staff and community members as well as access to FAX, phones, and computers for hospital guests. Duties include:

• Record visitors and activities in the activity log
• Check books and DVDs in and out
• Take information for search requests

APC (Ambulatory Procedure Center)

• Assist patients and their families to APC or other locations within hospital, i.e. Outpatient lab, etc. as needed
• Disinfect the stretcher and make the bed with new sheets
• Help staff transport patients
• Stock linens in the room carts
• Play with patients to help distract them while waiting for a procedure to be completed

Information Desk

• Greet and provide assistance to patients, families and visitors
• Give information and directions in-person and over the telephone
• Maintain a warm, friendly, and caring demeanor
• Assist information desk staff with screening visitors and issuing visitor passes
• Accepts packages for patients and facilitates their delivery to proper locations
• Maintains confidentiality of patient and staff information and adheres to patient visitor restrictions, policies and procedures

Same Day Surgery

• Assists patients and their families to front door or car upon discharge
• Answers phone and takes messages
• Assists Child Life Specialist to distract and entertain patients
• Log patients and assist SDS secretary with preparation of chart packets
• Maintain neat, clean patient care area including playroom
• Serve as a communication resource for parents
• Receive and relay information about surgery process from Clinical Specialists to parents
• Maintain neat, clean waiting area
• Answer phones and take messages in patient waiting room

Child Life Services Schoolroom/Tutor 

General responsibility:

• Help maintain a child’s academic progress while removed from their regular school setting