Unleashing the Power to Serve: Engaging Nurses in the Community

A deep-seated commitment to serve humanity is rooted in the profession of nursing and perpetuates the call to serve, whether volunteering in a professional role or serving as a lay volunteer. Volunteer opportunities abound for nurses across all career phases and nursing subspecialties. Nurses’ education and experience make them well suited to volunteer in both direct and indirect care roles. Volunteering has been found to improve physical and mental health and life satisfaction for both volunteers and the communities they serve. Communities served by nurse volunteers are empowered through the human and material resources they offer, leading to greater health improvements and the adoption of a culture of health within the community. Benefits to the nurse include personal satisfaction; increased awareness of healthcare challenges and impact of culture on health disparities; increased competency, advocacy, and career choice; and improved networking. Community engagement activities may be part of a paid role or a volunteer initiative. Potential challenges of community engagement to nurses include physical demands, mental fatigue, threats to health and safety, and culture shock. When assessing volunteer opportunities, the nurse should consider the alignment of their values and goals with the volunteer experience, the supports available to the volunteer in the form of training, safety and risk management, and recognition and rewards, and the reputation and credibility of the sponsoring organization. Volunteerism may be motivated by a sense of mission and purpose or may lead to a renewed vision and purpose that motivates persons to continue to give back, thus sustaining volunteer engagement over time.