Volunteer Programs and Services

Volunteers perform in a variety of roles. Below, is a list of the areas you would commonly find volunteers.

If any of these roles interests you, please contact Volunteer Services to apply.
 

Nursing Units

Our specialty nursing areas are:

• Geriatrics
• Cardiology
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• General Medicine
• Oncology
• Orthopaedics

Volunteers assist the nursing and medical staff in many ways, depending on the department. They also visit patients to offer support and diversion.
 

Clinics

Volunteers are placed in over 40 clinic areas, including Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, Medical Imaging, Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre, Murray Koffler Urologic Wellness Centre and Oncology Services.

Volunteers assist in the smooth operation of clinics by greeting and registering patients, preparing areas and giving information to waiting patients.
 

Information

A hospital visit can be confusing or overwhelming for some visitors. The Hospital has Information desks in the main lobby and in the mezzanine on the 4th floor.

Volunteers help patients and visitors find their way around the hospital. They use maps and explain directions as well as offer to take the patient to the correct location, whenever volunteer staffing permits.
 

Administrative / Clerical

Many departments have a continual need for help with paperwork and other clerical duties such as reception.

Volunteers perform a variety of administrative or clerical duties such as answering the phone and filing.
 

Language Interpretation

For many patients and the their families, English is not their first language. Mount Sinai Hospital wants every patient to be confident that they understand the information their health-care team is giving them. That is why a language interpretation program was established. To date, we have interpreters for more than 42 languages, with Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese being the most common.

We use a combination of Interpretation Agencies, Telephone Interpretation, and Volunteers. Volunteers may be assigned to patients for their medical visits. Interpreters provide more than language services by offering emotional support to patients who may feel more anxious because of language barriers.

Click here to visit our Chinese Patient Programs site.

Helping Hands - Knitters

If you have basic knitting or crocheting skills, there are many ways to help. The pain of losing a baby is unimaginable to most people. Many of our grieving parents receive small knitted items such as a bereavement gown, lovingly created by volunteers, as a keepsake of their baby. Our Geriatric Program also welcomes crocheted or knitted lap blankets and ‘shrugs’ to provide comfort for our elderly patients.

Pet Therapy

Socially isolated patients often benefit from our visiting dogs and their owners. These specially selected pets enhance a "home-like" quality, and bring comfort and diversion to patients and their families. Our Therapy Dogs need to have certification from an organization such as Therapeutic Paws, St. Johns Ambulance.
 

Customer-focused volunteers assist patients, visitors and staff with with books, giftware and flowers.