View source for Hospital volunteer

{{Short description|Volunteers in hospitals who work without pay}}
{{Redirect|Candy striper|the pornographic film|Candy Stripers (film)}}
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{{globalize|date=September 2016}}
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{{Infobox occupation
| name               = Hospital volunteer
| synonyms           = Candy striper
| pronounce          = 
| image              = Candy Stripers in training in Tallahassee, Florida (9932666936).jpg
| imagesize          =
| alt                =
| caption            = Candy stripers in training in [[Tallahassee, Florida]], 1957.
| official_names     = 
| type               = [[Volunteer]]
| activity_sector    = [[Health care]]
| competencies       = 
| formation          = 
| employment_field   =
| related_occupation = [[Nurse]]
}}
'''Hospital volunteers''', also known as '''candy stripers''' in the [[United States]], work without [[salary|regular pay]] in a variety of [[health care]] settings, usually under the direct supervision of [[nurses]].

The term candy striper is derived from the red-and-white striped [[pinafores]] that female volunteers traditionally wore, which are culturally reminiscent of [[candy canes]]. The term and its associated uniform are less frequently used in current clinical settings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Candy Striper |url=https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/CandyStriper |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=TV Tropes}}</ref>

Another hospital volunteer organization sponsored by the [[American Red Cross]], was the "Blue Teens" who wore blue-and-white striped pinafores.  The female adult volunteers of this organization were known as "Grey Ladies" and wore light grey uniforms.<ref>{{Cite web |title=140 years of service: Women an important part of American Red Cross history |url=https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/2021/women-an-important-part-of-american-red-cross-history.html |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=www.redcross.org |language=en}}</ref>

In the United States, volunteers' services are of considerable importance to individual patients as well as the [[health care system]] in general.  Some people volunteer during [[High school (North America)|high school]] or [[college]] (and more rarely at the [[middle school]] level), out of curiosity about health-care [[profession]]s, an interest in learning to be of service in a community volunteer organization, or in order to satisfy [[Community service#High school graduation and Community Service|community service]] requirements as required by some schools. Additionally, other people choose to volunteer at later stages in their life, particularly after [[retirement]].

==History==
Candy Stripers originated as a high-school civics class project in [[East Orange, New Jersey]], in 1944. The uniforms were sewn by the girls in the class from material provided by the teacher &ndash; a red-and-white-striped fabric known as "[[Candy stripe (fabric)|candy stripe]]". The students chose East Orange General Hospital as the home for their class project.<ref>Oral History with Adele Marie McCain, née Huck, a student in the class, October 1986{{Original research inline|date=June 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| title=Volunteer Opportunities
| url=http://www.evh.org/dyn/_volunteering.aspx
| work=East Orange General Hospital
| date=2008
| location=East Orange, New Jersey
| access-date=2017-06-19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Scrubs |url=http://www.simplyscrubs.com.au/ |access-date=19 November 2019}}</ref>

Red Cross pins and patches were also worn on the uniforms indicating completion of required Red Cross training.<ref>{{Cite web |title=American Red Cross uniform, ca 1957 - 1960 |url=https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1915397 |access-date=2025-07-03 |website=National Museum of American History |language=en}}</ref>

Usually a hospital sponsored either Candy Striper or Blue Teen volunteers but not both.

==Duties==
Hospital volunteers assist in various tasks depending on the needs of the facility. Common duties include greeting visitors, delivering mail, transporting items such as lab specimens or medical records, and helping with light cleaning. In some settings, they may assist with activities like art or music therapy, sterilize laboratory equipment, or provide comfort to newborns.<ref>{{cite web |date=2018 |title=Volunteering with Babies in the Hospital |url=https://www.drbarbaraedwards.com/volunteering-with-babies-in-the-hospital/ |access-date=2018-05-30}}</ref> 

Some hospitals assign volunteers to housekeeping roles, such as changing bed linens. More involved positions—such as volunteer orderlies or patient-care liaisons—may include limited patient interaction under medical supervision, and are more typical in large or teaching hospitals.

Volunteers may be placed in specific departments or assigned based on current needs. Their attire usually includes a standard shirt and slacks, along with a visible identification badge. To prevent confusion with medical personnel, scrubs are generally not worn.

==See also==
*[[Medical volunteerism]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/mbx000095-3/ StoryCorps Interview - Oral History] 
* [http://www.vmpc.ca/ Volunteer Management Professionals of Canada]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20220819080721/https://www.ahvrp.org/ Association for Healthcare Volunteer Resource Professionals (AHVRP)]}}

[[Category:Hospitals|Volunteer]]
[[Category:Medical volunteerism]]
[[Category:Hospital staff]]