Life as an employee health nurse/manager tends to be more then we can handle at times, so why would anyone take on more by volunteering. People have asked me that and I must admit when my job gets so crazy and I am finding that working a 45-hour work week is a dream, I also ask myself that. Then I realize I am not alone. Employee Health nurses are all struggling with the same issues. What if no one volunteered?
Volunteering helps me be part of that community, a community of employee health nurses. I must say this is an excellent community to be part of. It is a community where we give and receive as we volunteer.
Volunteering is a way to help mentor new employee health nurses. How confusing it is to be placed into a role where there are no experts at your work place. Don’t forget that even if you have been an employee health nurse for a long time, there is always something new to learn. Volunteering to help AOHP as an organization to build a community where individuals can learn and find support is important.
Through volunteering, I am able to touch base with experts from around the country to help me grow and that helps me to do a better job at work and also be more confident in myself. I have had the opportunity to meet with the National TB committee discussing TB testing and risk assessments. I have met with individuals from Japan and Ireland as they have come to learn about our programs in the US. I have been exposed to individuals working on respiratory protection and safe patient handling programs with NIOSH.
Prior to being a board member, I always wondered about the board members. Why do they volunteer, how do they do it? What are their jobs like? Now as a board member, I know that the other board members are working very hard at work and then give back to AOHP when not at work. They share a bit of time of their lives to help all of us. They do not have easy jobs, and the volunteer because you and AOHP are worth it.
If you want to be energized, volunteer. Volunteering does not only help others, it helps you. You may think there you have no time, but we are all busy and could all say that. Just look around and think about how much time you can share with AOHP. Take small steps. Can you help plan an educational session for a meeting? Are you good at bank statements, then maybe you could be the treasurer of your local chapter. Maybe you can take the minutes at a meeting and then email them out to the others as the secretary.
Remember volunteering helps you
- Gain new knowledge and expertise.
- Give back to others as you were helped by other Employee Health Staff.
- Create new connections with other Employee Health Nurses.
- Achieve a sense of accomplishment as you assist others.
- In your current position as well as develop new career opportunities.
When everyone shares through volunteering, we all benefit.
Bobbi Jo Hurst, BSN, RN, COHN-S SGE