The Hospital & Clinics have a multi-step process that varies depending upon the category of volunteer you are. Please click below on the category that applies to you:
Adult
College Undergraduate
Teen
Physical/Occupational Therapy Volunteer
The minimum age is 16. If you are note yet 16, please visit our Donation Wish List for items that people and groups may collect for our patients and families.
Yes. We make sure all our volunteers are vaccinated against a list of common illnesses and equipped with appropriate safety gear. We educate all our volunteers about emergency situations and how to respond to them. We also offer compliance training that covers the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protecting patient privacy, among other topics.
Yes, of course! Having a family member, friend or loved one in the hospital can be a stressful time. While families and visitors spend time in the waiting rooms at Vanderbilt University Hospital volunteers visit with them offering items of comfort. These items include snacks and activities found on the hospital activity cart. We will gladly accept any donations collected by an individual, church group, school or youth group, service organization, etc. Please visit our Donation Wish List to see the kind of items we can most use.
Gift Bags, sponsored by local church and assembled by Apollo Middle School 4th & 5th grade classes
We have volunteer opportunities at our Adult Hospital & Clinics, the Monroe J. Carell Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, and Vanderbilt Health at One Hundred Oaks. We ask that your initial placement be at only one campus at a time. While volunteering at a hospital is rewarding, it's very demanding and unlike other volunteer experiences. It takes time and focus to get used to the pace and environment, and is easier to do if you're at one campus in the beginning. After your initial commitment has been met, a Volunteer Services staff member can meet with you to discuss adding or changing to a placement at a different campus.
For more information, contact the volunteer staff at our locations:
Vanderbilt University Hospital and The Vanderbilt Clinics
1005 Oxford House
Nashville, TN 37232-4785
(615) 936-3078
volunteer.services@vanderbilt.edu
Vanderbilt Health One Hundred Oaks
719 Thompson Lane
Suite 24210
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 936-4800
volunteer.services@vanderbilt.edu
Monroe Carell Jr. Childrens Hospital at Vanderbilt
2200 Childrens Way
Suite 2504
Nashville, TN 37232-9925
(615) 322-2379
childrenshospitalvolunteer@vanderbilt.edu