Creating A Culture of Caring at the Hospital

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Lauren Contreras. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

For many, going to the hospital is a terrifying and stressful event. But when a loved one is struggling with their health, 21-year-old Lauren Contreras is the kind of person one hopes to see there, calmly bringing relief and fighting for patients’ wellbeing. Lauren came to Mount Sinai Morningside as an intern and stayed as a volunteer. Over the last two years, she’s spent over 250 hours supporting patients, families and staff with kindness and compassion. The experience in the fast-paced emergency room and other units have also led her to nursing school.

This year, Lauren is transferring to a school outside the city but plans to continue her volunteer work on breaks and intends to apply for a nurse extern position in the ER. Drawing on lessons she has learned as a volunteer, she hopes to start her career there, the ICU or telemetry. Read on to learn more about her volunteer service.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

I became involved in volunteer services through the Manhattan-Staten Island Area Health Education Center’s Summer Health Internship Program (MSI AHEC-SHIP). It helps young people step into the healthcare field. In the summer of 2023, I was placed at Mount Sinai Morningside to volunteer for two months. I asked the director if I could continue, because I wanted to explore other positions, to shadow and connect with staff. I wanted to see if I was really able to handle what really goes on in the field. For example, am I able to handle blood and wound care? Do I feel comfortable in that environment? Volunteering helped me see that I was.

Is that what led you to the nursing profession?

After working in the Department of Emergency and units like ICU, geriatric and telemetry, I saw how involved with direct patient care nurses are. They’re the front lines, along with CNAs and patient care technicians. I wanted to do something that was hands on, where I could connect with people and advocate for them.

Tell us about your volunteer role with Mount Sinai Morningside.

It depends on the department, but being on units or in the emergency department is similar in advocating for patients. If they want to see social services, if they want snacks, if they want updates, if they want their doctor or nurse, or if they just want to talk… I help. That’s mostly what I do. I provide comfort and emotional support while assisting with communication, escort services and coordination with medical staff. Sometimes, a department needs help with programs or special events.

I’ve done the Fall Risk Program for volunteers, which brings awareness to how we can help minimize risk when we’re on the units, especially for senior patients or surgery patients feeling drowsy. I’ve also helped with the Take 10 Program, which involves bringing a cart of snacks, tea, essential oils, calming music, candle lights and other items around to staff. We’d try to do 10 minutes of staff wellness, making sure everybody’s okay and grounded. Sometimes it was a stop in the break room.

Sometimes, I’d walk around asking if they wanted a snack. There are so many things that can happen in a hospital, and we just want to ensure a safe and comfortable environment to do their best work.

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization?

My goal for the department overall is to recruit more high schoolers and college freshmen and sophomores. When I started as a freshman in college, I thought I was too late in the game of figuring out what I wanted to do in life. I was discouraged that everybody already knew. I would love to talk to students about that and contribute, whether helping again in administration fields or with more health programs.

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work?

The appreciation and the smiles have been rewarding. People will thank me or say I made their day. They’re grateful that I checked up on them or got what they needed. It makes me happy that people are being supported and seen.

Besides your career trajectory, what have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

It’s shown me how many roles contribute to patient care and overall wellness. I’ve learned about communication, maintaining welcoming environments, adapting, multitasking and showing compassion in challenging moments, even when I don’t understand a situation. I’ve also learned to be open, and to educate myself when I don’t know an answer. For example, if a patient says, “I have this issue, so I’m not able to…” I would respond, “I’m not sure what that is. Do you mind explaining it more?” Letting them explain their experiences has made me better as a person and advanced my skills.

The fast pace of the ER has been good for me, too. It’s where I learned time management in balancing multiple people coming up to me or helping multiple people at once.

Tell us about future partnerships, programs or events that you are excited about.

We’re getting ready to do an emergency blood drive. New York, specifically, New York City, is running low, so I’m happy to attend and give.

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about?

It teaches humility and emotional intelligence. We need more humanity in the world, and being involved in a small way might not seem a lot, but it makes a difference. There are so many things going on, so many tough situations; everyone has struggles. I want the world to be united so that we can tackle these problems together.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

Every individual is able to work on restoring humanity. It will take everyone doing something kind, even if just for a few minutes. At the end of the day, it makes a difference, and it makes you happy and proud.

I love telling people on social media or my friends about the work I do. Volunteering can be so many different things. Sharing that with your loved ones gets the word out and gets more people involved.

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Lauren? Find local volunteer opportunities.