NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division

Overview

Volunteer Opportunities are available at Payne Whitney Westchester, which specializes in Psychiatry. Our facility provides a range of diagnosis and treatment services for patients suffering from behavioral, emotional and other psychiatric ailments. In 2011, NewYork-Presbyterian was rated first in New York and fourth in the nation in psychiatry by U.S. News & World Report.

Volunteering Opportunities

Clinical Inpatient

Placements are available in the following disciplines. These experiences are very beneficial to students interested in a career or further study in the mental health field as well as nursing, medicine and social work.

Child
Adolescent
Geriatrics
Substance Abuse
Schizophrenia
Borderline Personality Disorders
Women's Issues
Mood Disorders
Eating Disorders

Students/volunteers can work on one of our 11 inpatient units under the supervision of the nursing staff and must commit to a minimum of 120 volunteer hours. You will assist the staff with the daily activities on the unit, which include, but are not limited to: Room checks; Escorting to various activities and locations on the hospital grounds ; Sitting in on small group activities; Interacting with the patient populations in one to one and group settings; Participating in therapeutic interventions such as board games, conversation, art projects, etc; Attend morning meetings with the clinical team, MD, RN, Social Workers; Attend case conferences as indicated

Other Clinical areas include:

Evaluation Center: assist staff and patients in the hospital admitting process.
Pet Therapy: In order to participate in the Pet Therapy program your dog must be trained and certified. Please contact George Berger (914) 263-5397 for more information before you apply for this position.
Pastoral Care: assist coordinator in meeting spiritual needs of patient, lead groups. Clinical Pastoral Education units (training) are preferred for this placement. Please call Reverend Lynn Mikulak (914) 997-8604 for more information before you apply for this position.
The Comfort Zone: offers a variety of work adjustment/vocational training opportunities to help patients reintegrate into the work force. This program is a valuable treatment intervention and enhances community re-entry. This is a fantastic opportunity for an art therapist, occupational or recreational therapist.

Non-Clinical Volunteer Opportunities

These include:

Office Assistants: a wide range of various tasks, including, but not limited to: clerical work, filing, photocopying, phone, mailings, collating. Must be proficient in the latest software (i.e. Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Excel) Positions are in a wide range of offices, including Nursing, Social Work, Geriatrics, Alcohol Addiction Recovery Outpatient and Medical Records.
Storeroom: assist in shipping and receiving, stocking shelves, delivery of packages to various locations throughout hospital.
Cafeteria: set up, clean up of cafeteria area, basic food preparation.
Patient Education Department: assist with preparation of fact sheets, education materials, stocking EC, OPD, Marketing with materials for public display.
Medical Library: assist librarian by re-shelving books, general clerical work.
ECG/X-ray: assist technician with basic office procedures, filing, phones.
Pharmacy: assist technicians with basic pharmacy operations.
Gift Shop: cash register, sales assistance, stock shelves, interface with public.
Building Services: assist the crew with physical labor, set up/tear down etc.
NYPgreen Sustainability Volunteer The primary responsibility of the NYPgreen volunteer is to support NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital's goal to be to create the safest and healthiest environment for our patients, staff, and community while conserving resources for the future, raising awareness and encouraging participation in these efforts. The volunteer will assist in the education of employees on sustainability, support the work of the Sustainability Council, and prioritize opportunities for sustainability efforts. The ideal candidate is a self-starter able to collaborate effectively to develop plans and work independently to generate results.
Available hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm. Must be at least 18 years old.

Summer Volunteering

At Payne Whitney Westchester there are two options for summer volunteering:

Summer Pre-Career Practicum. This is a selective program that is limited to 40 students. Eligibility is determined by demonstrated academic ability and a required personal or telephone interview. In order to be considered for the Practicum, you MUST be able to commit to the eight-week program, (approx 30 hours per week) which runs during the first week of June through the last week of July. The program is open to undergraduates and graduate college students interested in careers in psychology, nursing, psychosocial rehabilitation, social work, psychiatry, medicine, and hospital administration.

These experiences are very beneficial to students interested in a career or further study in the mental health field as well as nursing, medicine and social work. Working directly with our patient population is also helpful in applying to graduate school

About the pre-career practicum. The practicum allows students the opportunity to volunteer on one of our 11 patient units under the supervision of the nursing staff. Students will assist the staff with the daily activities on the unit which include but are not limited to room checks, escort, sitting in on small group activities and/or groups, interacting with the patient population on a one to one and in small group settings and attending case conferences. Some of our populations include geriatrics, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorders, crisis stabilization, women's issues, child & adolescents, eating disorders and substance abuse.

How do I apply? You can request an application by e-mailingl lat9002@nyp.org. Applications are available starting March 1 and the deadline to return all application is during the first week of May.

General Summer Volunteering. There are various opportunities available in both clinical and clerical positions within the hospital from June through August. These positions require a minimum commitment of 6 hours per week Please note: Clinical opportunities are limited once the Summer Pre-Career Practicum positions are filled therefore; general summer positions are extremely limited. Please refer to the general volunteer information regarding positions available throughout the hospital.

For more information or questions please contact:
Laurel A. Torres
Volunteer Coordinator
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
lat9002@nyp.org

Please Note: For all volunteer positions there are NO financial stipends provided. A physical exam and lab work is required as well as background screening. Our hospital medical clinic will do the exam and lab work at no cost to the volunteer Volunteers working in the Child or Adolescent division must complete the NY State Child Registry Form. For out-of-state applicants, there are no accommodations for housing or transportation. Students will have to secure their own arrangements.