University Medical Center Brackenridge Volunteer Services How to apply to become a volunteer

If you want to share the gift of time and have a caring attitude, we invite you to join University Medical Center Brackenridge's Volunteer family! No matter what your background, interests or talents, you can make a difference! Adults of all ages, undergrad, graduate level students, and non-students come together to form dynamic team of volunteers.

The focus of our volunteer program is to serve the hospital,
the hope is to make a difference,
the benefit is being a part of a mission driven organization.

University Medical Center Brackenridge (UMCB) has been an essential medical resource for the people of Austin and Central Texas for 125 years, with the only Level One Trauma Center for adults in the area.

UMCB is known for new innovations, cutting-edge technology, and academic medicine/education, taking health care to the next level.

We offer volunteer opportunities in five key areas: Patient Services which includes the acute care floors, NICU (Neo-Natal Intensive Care), Mother and Baby, ICU (Intensive Care Unit), and ED (Emergency Department). Other service departments include; the Information Desk, Specialty Care Clinics, the Gift Shop and Sewing Room (Sewing Room Volunteers make items that benefit our patients, with emphasis on projects for the NICU, Mother and Baby, and patients with breast cancer.)

How to become a volunteer:

**Due to the high volume of student applications, we will only be accepting the first 30 undergraduate applications that are received during the 1st and 15th of each month. Those applications that don't fall into this group will be notified by email and encouraged to reapply the following month.

• Complete the volunteer application on line.
• Agree to volunteer for a minimum of 6 months.(3-4 hour shifts once a week.) Please note: Open enrollment for undergraduate students applying to become a volunteer is from the 1st to the 15th of each month. We will not accept applications before or after this date.
• Consent to a Criminal Background Check. ($1 processing fee)
  *(The consent form is at the end of the application)
• Submit your immunization records (MMR- 2 measles/mumps – 1 rubella) to show you have the necessary immunizations.
  *(You do not need to show proof of MMR vaccines if you were born before Jan. 1, 1957.) *(All volunteers are required to show proof of a Rubella vaccine)
• Submit a current TB test. This test needs to be done annually. If you have not had a TB test in the past 12 months, you will need to get 2. (Why: the first TB test is like a “wake up” call to your body, the second one serves as the real marker.)
• A nurse is required to read your injection site and record the date and reaction of the TB test 48-72 hours after it is given. We encourage you to get your first TB test before hand, which helps to expedite the health requirement process.

Once your application is received:

• It will take 2+ weeks to process
• Then you will be contacted by a volunteer representative by phone or email, asking additional questions to get to know you better.
• If your application is approved, you will be invited to an orientation, which is held the second Tuesday of the month from 11:00 to 1:00 pm.
• After attending orientation and meeting your health requirements, you will be contacted by Erica Otero-Pena, Volunteer Coordinator, eotero-pena@seton.org, to discuss your volunteer schedule and necessary training.
• As a volunteer, you will be required to have an ID badge made and purchase a volunteer uniform for $23 ($22-uniform & $1-criminal background check). We accept check and cash payment only.
• We have implemented a waiting list process. If your schedule doesn't coincide with the hospital's needs, you will be placed on this list.

Volunteer Placement:

We have a great cross training system in place that creates opportunities to learn about different areas of the hospital.

All new volunteers will learn about the hospital by serving at the Information Desk 8 times (2 months). This creates a great foundation of knowledge (training provided).

Our shifts are 3 to 4 hours depending on the service area.

Next, the volunteers will rotate to the patient floors, serving there for 4 months. (training provided)

Following this rotation, your performance will be evaluated.

If you have met all the requirements, you will be given the opportunity to move to another service area, like NICU, or the Emergency Dept. or continue to work on the patient floors.

Undergraduate Students; You are required to submit an unofficial transcript from the previous semester.

Note: When completing the application, under Roman numeral I, “are you currently employed” please indicate if you are an undergraduate student and the College or University you attend.

*Please note that our High School Volunteer Program is only available during the summer. You may refer to the UMCB Summer High School Volunteer link on the website for additional information.

We need volunteers that want to make a difference. We hope that's YOU!

Questions? Please contact the volunteer office.

Erica Otero-Pena, Volunteer Coordinator
512.324.7584, eotero-pena@seton.org

Tia McCurdy, Director
512.324.7151, ttmccurdy@seton.org