Classes are winding down and the holiday season is upon us! With rest and celebrations in the works, don’t forget to take advantage of all the opportunities you have to give back to the community with your healthcare mindset. This will help you keep the spirit of the season alive while strengthening your personal brand as a generous and caring nurse. Take a look at several ways you can help others in need:
- Volunteer at a local nursing home. They may be in need of medical skills but it will also help you relate to the geriatric population, an often neglected population in need of care during the holidays.
- Check with homeless shelters to see if they could use any first aid assistance.
- Explore options to help with flu clinics.
- Check with the American Red Cross to see if they need any assistance, especially with blood drives. Consider donating blood yourself.
- Raise money to help pay for vaccinations for children overseas, comfort kits for veterans, and emergency shelter care through the American Red Cross.
- Consider making and delivering cards for children in the hospital and those in care homes and prisons.
- Bake some treats and leave them for nurses and staff in your clinical floors as well as for other medical professionals.
- Raise money and participate in a fun run for your favorite local charity. Or if running’s not in your forecast, volunteer.
- Oftentimes women’s shelters can use extra assistance with the spike in domestic abuse around the holidays.
While the holidays provide a great spirit to motivate you to give back, it can also be a great time to get started somewhere that you can continue even after Christmas and New Year’s. Feed off the mental boost you get from helping out, utilize the new relationships you’ve built, and enhance your resume with evidence of your care.
Veronica Goodwin, also known as V, started with Aureus Medical Group as an Account Manager in September 2011. In May 2013, V stepped into the role of Nursing Student Outreach Coordinator. Prior to Aureus Medical, she worked as a Branch Manager with Enterprise Rent-A-Car. With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and Minor in Problems of Philosophy from Creighton University, V has a creative outlook on the world and enjoys sharing that with others. In her downtime, V can be found with friends or family, traveling, photographing nature and gardening, reading, and learning about various wellness theories.