Current Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Services Menu

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Duke University Hospital & Duke Children's Hospital

There are more than 30 volunteer programs with a wide variety of opportunities from working with cancer patients, to comforting patients, to assisting with educational programs, and more. Our current needs are updated here regularly.

Book Cart Volunteers
Book cart volunteers support the emotional and diversional needs of patients through friendly visits and distribution of books, magazines, and other materials. Volunteers successful in this role must be:

  • Able to move freely about Duke
  • Have an outgoing disposition
  • Comfortable to take initiative

Free parking is available.

Duke Cancer Patient Support Program
Duke Cancer Patient Support Program volunteers play a critical role in the day-to-day activities at the Duke Cancer Center. Volunteers provide conversation and comfort, offer refreshments and help patients locate areas and resources in the clinics and hospital. Join our team:

  • Become a Host Station Volunteer and provide hospitality to patients and their families in outpatient clinics as they wait to see a physician or to receive treatment.
  • Assist patient with self-image products, such as wigs, hats, and turbans as a Self-Image Program Volunteer.
  • Escort patients and families to the café, retail shop, clinics, and other areas of the Duke Cancer Center when you become a Docent Volunteer.
  • Serve as a Patient Resource Volunteer and respond to walk-in and telephone requests from patients and families, help locate books and brochures, and conduct online literature searches.
  • Visit patients and families in the oncology treatment center to provide refreshments and a listening ear by becoming a Hospitality Cart Volunteer.

This program is looking for community volunteers and Duke students.

Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center - Child and Adolescent Life Program
The Duke Children's Child and Adolescent Life Program provides a great opportunity for volunteers to work directly with children and the Child and Adolescent Life team to provide supervision and play for children in the inpatient playrooms. Using games, puzzles, art, and other imaginative and appropriate play, volunteers give pediatric patients the opportunity to enjoy different activities while making the hospital experience less stressful. Experienced volunteers may also work at bedside to help a child enjoy quieter activities - such as reading a story, painting fingernails or assembling a puzzle.

Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center - Patient Support Volunteer
These volunteers will be working with chronically ill children who are coming in to see a Pediatric Specialist, while they are waiting in the waiting/play areas.  Board games, puzzles, coloring, arts and crafts are all part of this experience. Volunteers provide a positive distraction for children of all ages to help relieve the anxiety of waiting to see a physician.  They also assist parents and family members when they have questions about the facility and surrounding community, with information about where to eat, get a snack, or way finding in Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center or other hospital buildings, directing them to the Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center Information Desk in the lobby for more assistance. Volunteers also direct and/or accompany patients and family members to the outdoor play area.

Two to three hour time slots between 10:00 am - 4:00 pm are available Monday through Thursday and Friday mornings 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Volunteers come in one session each week. Volunteer sessions are flexible if needed.

Duke Patient Concierge Program - Duke Ambassadors
Volunteers may assist the efforts of the Duke Patient Concierge Program at Duke Hospital by serving as a Duke Ambassador Volunteer. This program allows our volunteers an unprecedented opportunity to work with our professional Patient Concierge staff, learning how to offer the highest level of service to patients and families. 

Volunteers may personally guide and direct patients to appointments, provide important information and directions to patients and families, help patients and families locate resources or direct them to the appropriate source if they have a problem or question. Volunteers are expected to offer a very high level of customer service, serving as an extension of the professional team.  Volunteers serve as a very important point person for patients and families who visit the hospital. Excellent communication and customer service skills are required.

Gift Shop Volunteers
Gift Shop volunteers aid our patients and family members on how to celebrate special occasions while in the hospital. Learn more about volunteering for this Duke Hospital Auxiliary program. Volunteer responsibilities include:

  • Providing an elevated level of customer service to Duke patients and their families
  • Balloon and flower deliveries 

Gift shop volunteers are needed Wednesday through Friday. Free parking and food are available.

Kidz Need Hugs
PLEASE NOTE: This program is currently closed to new volunteers at this time and we are not accepting applications for a waiting list. We will be evaluating program needs for new volunteers for these programs in August of each year and will open this position on our website only as new volunteers are needed.

However, the hospital is always in need of compassionate volunteers committed to helping patients of all ages. If you are interested in volunteering your time at Duke University Hospital, please take a look below at our current position needs for volunteers.

These volunteers provide assistance with playtime activities, verbal interaction, feeding (if permitted by clinical staff), rocking and similar tasks in a hospital setting as requested by a family member, clinical staff or family advocate. Must be 18 years or older.

This program (KIDZ NEED HUGS) is the prerequisite for our Baby Buddy volunteer program for premature infants up to one year old. A volunteer must be willing to commit to at least 3 months in KIDZ NEED HUGS to qualify for service with BABY BUDDIES.

Outpatient Clinic Volunteers
Volunteers in this position interact with patients in the following ways:

  • Assist patients with registering for Duke MyChart to change their account status to ‘Active’.
  • Greeting patients upon arrival to the practice and provide support to patients and families while in the waiting area.
  • Way finding role such as directing patients to lab, financial care coordinator, etc.

The Duke Outpatient Clinic is located on 4220 North Roxboro Street, 2nd Floor Durham, NC 27704 and offers comprehensive internal medicine services to adults.

Patient/Family Advisor Volunteers
Patient/Family Advisors are volunteers at Duke University Health System who provide the patient and family (consumer) perspective on patient care initiatives, projects, programs, and facilities that impact the patient and family experience at Duke University Health System. Their key responsibilities include attending regular patient/family advisory council meetings, participating in topic-specific focus consumer groups, reviewing patient and family educational and marketing materials, providing feedback on new building design, and way-finding, providing patient stories at orientation sessions for new employees, participating on committees to provide the consumer voice and performing similar activities as needed/directed. Input received from Patient/Family Advisors has led to improved processes and procedures, strong engagement of patients and families and therefore, a better patient and family healthcare experience. Patient/Family Advisors commit to terms as defined by the LPAC charter. This term may be renewable for a second term.

Requirements and Qualifications:

  • Must volunteer at least 2 hours per month. (Volunteer opportunities may take place on any day of the week, weekdays, evenings, or weekends - please specify your preference.)
  • Must have experience with healthcare as a patient, family member, or caregiver.

Contact: Reshma Sherpa

Performing Arts Volunteers
Performing Arts Volunteers are musicians with a specific performance level skill with a musical instrument appropriate to the hospital setting. They will be trained, mentored and supervised by the Performing Artist in Residence. They will be assigned to public spaces ONLY within Duke University Hospital and the Hospital based clinics to include waiting areas, concourse areas and lobbies. They will be playing for adults and child patient populations, their loved ones and staff in public spaces to ease the stress of a hospital visit or stay and to promote the recognition of the importance of the arts—specifically music—in lowering blood pressure and creating a positive distraction.  

Ronald McDonald Family Room Volunteer
The Ronald McDonald House Family Room at Duke Medical Center is an extension of the services the Ronald McDonald House of Durham provides. The Family Room serves all pediatric inpatient families that have children hospitalized on the 5th floor of the hospital. It is a special place within the hospital where families can relax and rest while still being close to their child. The role of the Family Room Volunteer is to staff the room, uphold all family room and hospital policies, and be supportive to the families who use the room. The volunteer’s role is crucial to maintaining the friendly, caring atmosphere of the Family Room.

Surgical Waiting Rooms Volunteer – Duke Medicine Pavilion , Duke Hospital, Children’s Health Center and Eye Center
Volunteers who will comfortably and confidently interact with patients/visitors in the Perioperative Department;   providing updated information on their scheduled surgery (scheduled time, delays, progress), directions to various hospital locations, and be an overall comfort and support to our patients/visitors. 

A volunteer who will be comfortable with guiding patients/visitors into the pre-op and post-op areas of the department; at all times respecting the staff involved in the patient's care and the confidentiality of other patients in the department. Openings available from early morning until 5 pm—weekdays.                             

Contact us

Whatever your interests or skills, our Volunteer Services is committed to finding the right opportunity for you. We look forward to working with you.

Questions? Call us at 919-681-6088 or email at duhs_volunteer_services@duke.edu.