Hospital volunteer

Hospital volunteers, also known as candy stripers in the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a>, work without <a href="/facts/Salary/W4rYGjhe">regular pay</a> in a variety of <a href="/facts/Health_care/LPS1WKbI">health care</a> settings, usually under the direct supervision of <a href="/facts/Nurses/xbmA4GNC">nurses</a>.
The term candy striper is derived from the red-and-white striped <a href="/facts/Pinafores/dtuJt7QU">pinafores</a> that female volunteers traditionally wore, which are culturally reminiscent of <a href="/facts/Candy_canes/joGwwQDf">candy canes</a>. The term and its associated uniform are less frequently used in current clinical settings.
Another hospital volunteer organization sponsored by the <a href="/facts/American_Red_Cross/KNR9RcU4">American Red Cross</a>, was the "Blue Teens" who wore blue-and-white striped pinafores. The female adult volunteers of this organization were known as "Grey Ladies" and wore light grey uniforms.
In the United States, volunteers' services are of considerable importance to individual patients as well as the <a href="/facts/Health_care_system/LpM7ISXR">health care system</a> in general. Some people volunteer during <a href="/facts/High_school_(North_America)/B9AVAk0k">high school</a> or <a href="/facts/College/PejltRvj">college</a> (and more rarely at the <a href="/facts/Middle_school/l1I61k1U">middle school</a> level), out of curiosity about health-care <a href="/facts/Profession/c8sm76JR">professions</a>, an interest in learning to be of service in a community volunteer organization, or in order to satisfy <a href="/facts/Community_service/4y5uRAX7">community service</a> requirements as required by some schools. Additionally, other people choose to volunteer at later stages in their life, particularly after <a href="/facts/Retirement/lF0UHLuk">retirement</a>.

Hospital volunteer open-in-new

Hospital volunteer