Volunteer Placements

Adult Critical Care Desk Greeter

Volunteers in this role serve as a friendly face for the friends and family of patients in our adult critical care unit. They may help answer questions, assist family members to various areas of the hospital, or interact with family members as they wait in the waiting area. This area is also open for volunteering on weekends.

Adult Emergency Department

The volunteers assist with patient wayfinding, "rounding" on patients in the waiting room, communicating urgent needs with staff, and other tasks as requested by ED staff. This area is also open for volunteering on weekends.

Book Cart – Adult Hospital

Book cart volunteers wheel a cart loaded with books and magazines, through our Adult Hospital. It is a small way to spread joy to our patients! This area is also open for volunteering on weekends.

Children's Day Surgery

Volunteers greet families and patients at the Pediatric Day Surgery floor. They monitor the waiting room, answer phones, give directions/wayfinding for waiting families, and assist families needing information from OR/post-op.

Children's Emergency Room

Volunteers assist nurses with various tasks including distributing coloring books and snacks. This area is also open for volunteering on weekends. This requires an additional orientation.

Child Life

Child Life volunteers serve in our activity rooms in the Children's hospital with children of all ages. These volunteers assist in activities such as arts and crafts, puzzles, and reading. This requires an additional orientation.

Children's Imaging Reception Desk

Volunteers greet families and patients at the Children's Imaging Reception desk. They monitor the waiting room, answer phones, give directions/wayfinding for waiting families, and assist families needing any additional information.

Children's Rehab (Physical/Occupational Therapy)

The volunteers are able to observe and encourage patients during their therapy sessions. They are able to play with patients by throwing/catching a ball or playing a game that is incorporated into the therapist led treatments. They also help clean equipment in between patient use to ensure our patients are as safe as possible!

Children's Tutoring

Children's Tutoring Volunteers assist hospital teachers by providing age-appropriate, supportive activities to hospitalized children and teens to promote learning. Additionally, our volunteers assist with other duties which also support our programming needs.

First Impressions

Volunteers greet and give a warm welcome to families and patients at the University Hospital Entrance, Sanderson Hospital entrance and at the Jackson Medical Mall. (For Jackson Medical Mall, contact Victoria Gholar at vgholar@umc.edu.) This area is also open for volunteering on weekends.

Mother/Baby Liaison

Volunteers in this role assist with transporting new mothers over to our NICU so that they can visit their babies while they are in the hospital. This area is also open for volunteering on weekends.

NICU Developmental Support Tech

Volunteers perform various tasks for the NICU staff including organizing supplies and distributing items within the unit.

NICU Rocking Babies

Volunteers go to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and rock our NICU babies! NICU rockers commit to three months of service signing up for a specific three-hour time slot on the same day each week. This area is also open for volunteering on weekends. This requires an additional orientation.

Pet Therapy

UMMC loves to have certified Pet Therapists bring their certified pet therapy dogs to visit the patients, families and staff. This opportunity is also open for the licensed pet therapists on weekends.

PICU Greeter

Volunteers greet and provide assistance to staff/parents/guardians/families in the PICU. These volunteers provide a welcoming service and general information about our unit to all entering visitors and assist in screening visitors. This area is also open for volunteering on weekends.

School of Dentistry Greeter

Volunteers in the School of Dentistry serve as a greeter for patients who enter the facility. They also assist in directing patients on where to go for their appointments.

Spiritual Care

Volunteers in this role serve with our hospital chaplains to ensure that spiritual care needs are met for those patients who need them. This individual will help the hospital chaplains by speaking with patients, delivering religious materials, and rounding on various units to help ensure that spiritual care needs are met. This role requires a 6-hour orientation, and these volunteers must agree to serving a minimum of six hours each week.

Wayfinding/Guest Services

The Hospital can be overwhelming and confusing. As a result, one of our biggest volunteer needs is for people with big smiles who love looking for people to help. These volunteers greet hospital visitors and assist them with finding their way around the hospital. Current wayfinding opportunities include: Sanderson Children's Hospital Entrance, Main Entrance, Wiser Entrance, the GI Lab, The Adult Discharge Lounge. This area is also open for volunteering on weekends.