Mercy Service Volunteer Program

Prospective students will need to complete a school/work/life volunteer balance schedule form to see where the time to volunteer will fit into your daily life. On this document, you’ll map out when you have other commitments, such as class, work, sports and social activities. This will help you figure out if/when you have free time to volunteer.  

The Volunteer & Guest Services office is partnered with our HR preboarding team to onboard all new volunteers within a two-week timeframe, so the process is quick and seamless. Our goal is to complete onboarding virtually until the final step, which is an in-person orientation with a volunteer coordinator. Below are the steps all students will need to complete:

Mercy’s Volunteer Onboarding Steps:

1. Volunteer applications will be sent to students. Applications need to be completed and sent back via email by a certain deadline.
2. Once your paperwork is processed in our Workday system, our HR preboarding team will start the onboarding process by first conducting your background check.
3. An HR preboarding specialist will email you your next steps to complete your online health survey and schedule an in-person Co-worker Health appointment.
4. Once HR receives clearance from Co-worker Health, a preboarding specialist will send you an introductory email. The volunteer office will contact students via email to call and schedule for orientation.

• You need to commit to 40 hours total of service, or you will not be able to move forward in the program.
• You must have strong communication skills, which are needed when volunteering, especially when you cannot make your scheduled shift.
• You'll need to commit to a consistent volunteer schedule.
  • You must consider your volunteer position as a part-time job. When you're scheduled to come in, you'll be expected to come in. Our nurses are relying on you.
• You must also clock-in as soon as your shift begins and clock-out when it ends. If you can’t make it to the hospital for your volunteer shift, you must contact our office or the department you’re assigned to immediately.

Students who do not follow through with onboarding won't be able to volunteer again until the following semester. It costs the hospital time and money to onboard volunteers, so students should be committed to the experience from the beginning. Students who routinely miss shifts will be terminated within our system and will not be able to continue volunteering.

After completing your volunteer office orientation and before starting on patient care units, you’ll train in Mercy Movers, our volunteer transport team, to learn the hospital layout. You’ll complete patient discharges, where you'll bring a wheelchair or cart to a patient's room and help them get to the exit for pickup. Mercy Movers teaches participants where elevators and departments are located and how patient room number sequencing works. This training will help you gain an understanding of the hospital layout and feel more confident getting around.
 

Mercy Movers training is only available Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a minimum shift commitment of two hours. There's no required number of hours or shifts to be completed in Mercy Movers; the expectation is that you’ll train in Mercy Movers until you know the hospital layout well and won't get lost when volunteer department staff aren't around.
 

Once comfortable with the hospital layout, you’ll talk with your manager about your schedule and discuss which department to be placed in. On your first shift in that department, you’ll be expected to conduct check-ins on our patients. Afterwards, you’ll continue to work alongside the staff to become a valuable part of the care team. 

Hospitals are open and have patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can help on patient care units during various times through the day and week. 

Fill out the school/work/life balance schedule exercise before completing an interest form to see if you have time for volunteering right now. On the document, map out when you have other commitments, including class, work, sports or social activities. This exercise will help you figure out if/when you have free time to volunteer. If you find that you don't currently have the time to commit, we'll be here when you do. 

Students who are in school in the St. Louis area will be able to volunteer year-round. 

Students who are outside of the St. Louis area or out of state for school, please call our office at 314.251.6180 for additional information on when you could start the onboarding process.