Volunteer Opportunities

Administrative Clerical Assistant

Provide general office support to various departments, including: prepare mailings, distribute information, filing and general office duties for Clinics Administration, Spiritual Care office, Youth Philanthropy, or Volunteer Services depending on need and interest.

Art Cart

Assist Artist-in-Residence with projects throughout hospital. Must be an artist, art major in college, or former art student.

Carewear Host

Volunteers here will have the opportunity to support the service of UW Health CareWear by providing retail service and support to patients, visitors and staff. Open to women only.

Communion Distribution

Catholic volunteers are specially trained by their parish for this job and further trained by ministers. Volunteers typically take one 3 hour shift per week to distribute communion to Catholic patients who request it.

Daily Friendly Visitor

Provide a friendly visit to long term patients or to those who have family living far away. Volunteer can become a "buddy" to a frequent patient, or can come in to visit a variety of patients one time per week. Must have six-months of prior volunteering experience at UW Hospital to be eligible for this position.

Emergency Department (ED) Patient/Family Liason

Patient/Family Liaison volunteers facilitate communication and support to families and patients in the ED, providing a human touch and contact during times of extraordinary stress. This position is not available to college student undergrads or teens. Minimum of one year commitment.

Flower Delivery, Diversions and e-Cards*

Volunteer delivers flowers, gift arrangements and e-Cards sent to the Hospital.

Gift Shop 

The Gift Shop provides many opportunities to interact with patients, visitors and staff. The Gift Shop volunteer operates a cash register (training is provided) and helps to maintain an attractive display of items. This assignment requires an interest in retailing, ability to handle money and willingness to interact with customers.

Heart and Vascular Care Greeter*

Facilitate communication and provide support and information to patients, family and staff as they arrive to the HVC clinic or to the inpatient unit.

Heart and Vascular Care Clinic/Patient Family Liaison*

Volunteer facilitates communication and provides support to families, patients and staff in the Heart and Vascular Care (HVC) Procedure Center. The HVC Patient/Family Liaison Volunteer provides a human touch and contact during times of extraordinary stress.

Infusion Center*

Assist staff with outpatients coming in for infusions.

Inpatient Psychiatric Unit

Run activity groups for patients. Training will be provided.

Inpatient Unit Host*

Volunteers assist and offer support to adult inpatients and nursing staff by visiting with patients, answering call lights, passing meal trays, filling out meal menus, distributing patient mail, greeting families, escorting discharged patients to main entrance, etc. Requires an additional formal orientation. Inpatient Unit hosts are currently located on the following units:

• Burn Unit
• Cardiac Unit
• Family Practice
• General Medicine/Geriatrics
• General Surgery/Trauma
• Gynecology/Urology/Plastics/ENT
• Hematology/Oncology/BMT
• Neurosurgery/Ophthalmology
• Orthopedics
• Pulmonary/GI Unit
• Physical Rehabilitation
• Transplant Unit

Lab Host and Cancer Center Lab Host

Volunteers provide customer service to patients visiting the blood drawing lab, offer help and often can provide escort to next appointment.

Main Information Desk*

This desk is located inside the hospital's main entrance. It is the first stopping place for inpatients and visitors. The staff at this desk is assisted by volunteers who help handle desk activities (i.e., answering questions, giving out patient room numbers and telephone numbers and assisting patients as needed.) The people at this desk help make a positive and pleasant first impression of UW Hospital and Clinics and gain an excellent familiarity of the hospital..

Musical Medicine*

Volunteers provide musical entertainment in the Atrium Lobby and for inpatient units. Audition required.

MyChart (University Station)

Greet families and visitors to the clinic. Ensure that the parents for pediatrics are familiar with proxy access for their children and that they are introduced to MyChart options.

Navigator*

Greet patients and visitors as they enter the hospital, provide directions to locations around the hospital, escort visitors and patients to the appropriate locations and provide any other needed assistance.

Nutrition Services

Must be a nutrition student in college or a retired nutritionist to qualify for this job. Provide assistance with special projects and office help.

Occupational Therapy and OT/PT Hand Clinic

Provide office, inpatient and clinical support duties that do not require a therapist to oversee. This assignment requires that the volunteer be interested in OT as a career or be a retired P.T. Volunteers assist staff with adaptive equipment construction, project preparation, maintaining clinic and craft supplies.

Outpatient Clinics*

There is a growing trend toward treatment of patients in outpatient settings. Under the guidance and direction of the staff, volunteers assist in various ways depending on the specific needs of each clinic. These volunteers anticipate patient needs to assure a pleasant experience at UW Hospital and Clinics, assist with escorting, answering phones, charting and running errands necessary for the smooth operation of a clinic. Good communication and teamwork between the volunteer and clinic staff is essential. The following is a list of clinics that use volunteers:

• East Clinic
• ENT Clinic 
• First Day Surgery/Ambulatory Surgery Center
• Heart and Vascular Care Clinic
• Hemodialysis (Fish Hatchery Road-Fitchburg)
• Infectious Disease/HIV Clinic
• Lung Cancer Clinic
• Mohs Clinic (West Clinic)
• Orthopedic Clinic
• Orthotics Clinic (Must be pre-ortho student)
• Pediatric Clinic (University Station)
• Procedure Center
• West Clinic Lab

Outpatient Pharmacy*

Volunteers will provide customer service, greet patients and visitors to the pharmacy, offer help and answer non-medical questions. Training is provided, pharmacist training not needed. Positions available at UW Hospital Pharmacy, UW Pharmacies at Hilldale, East and West Clinics, UHS-Lucky, South Park and at University Station.

Physical Therapy

Volunteers must be interested in Physical Therapy as a career. Volunteers assist staff with assigned elementary patient activities, maintaining equipment, transportation of patients in wheelchairs and occasional clerical duties, Positions are available at the UW Hospital inpatient setting, Middleton Rehab Clinic, PT Spine Clinic, Princeton Club East and West and Sports Medicine Center (Research Park Facility, 621 Science Dr).

Rehabiliation/Therapeutic Rehabilitation

Volunteers assist Therapeutic Recreation staff in preparing for and implementing the evening programs to patients (with spinal cord injuries, strokes, brain injuries and a variety of other complicated diagnoses) on the Rehabilitation unit. The programs consist of in-hospital groups and community outings. May assist with holiday decorating.

Social Work/Power-of-Attorney for Health Care

Assist staff with informational booths and handouts to assist patients in filling out proper forms.

Trauma Life Center Waiting Room

This program is designed to provide convenient, comfortable waiting areas for families and friends of patients. The TLC volunteer provides a human touch and contact during a time of extraordinary stress. Since the waiting room is physically away from the unit, the nurses do not always know when family members arrive. Also, family often arrives well before the patient, especially with trauma patients. The volunteer will provide support to family members who are visiting day after day as well as keep the waiting area organized. The volunteer will be the "eyes and ears" for social work, pastoral services and nursing.

Wigs for Patients Program 

Volunteers assist patients with choice, fitting and care of wigs, turbans and scarves (available at no cost to patient). Training provided. Flexible times during the work week.

American Family Children's Hospital Volunteer Positions

Art for Life

Inpatient Rehabilitation Services