Caring Teen Volunteer | Lauren Hunter, Northeast Jones High School

Lauren Hunter, who is a senior at Northeast Jones High School, serves an important role within the South Central Regional Medical Center health system. As a Caring Teen Volunteer, Lauren is gaining life experiences and learning about different careers in the medical field. Lauren is an active member of Beta Club, Key Club, and TARS and is one of the top students in her senior class. When not involved in academics or volunteering, Lauren enjoys taking trips, crafting and spending time outdoors.

Lauren Hunter,
Caring Teen Volunteer

As a student, there are many ways to be an active volunteer. So when Lauren chose SCRMC as an organization to donate time to, South Central’s Volunteer Coordinator, Bonnie Smith, was glad to arrange a place for her. “I am fortunate to have Lauren as a Caring Teen Volunteer. This program offers opportunities for students ages 16 and up to serve in various ways in the healthcare field.”

When asked why Lauren chose to spend her free time as a volunteer, she responded, “Volunteering has been a part of my family for many years. Many years ago my aunt was a candy striper and now she works as a nurse recruiter. My grandmother, Carolyn Register, and her brother are current volunteers who play music for senior citizens at South Central’s nursing homes. We all have found a lot of joy in serving others.”

Lauren has been a volunteer for 3 months at South Central on the Medical-Surgical Floor, Second West. She donates 6 to 9 hours a week depending on her school schedule. “My duties include cleaning equipment, organizing the storage rooms, providing supplies to the nurses or techs, and basically anything I can do to help assist the department,” said Lauren. “My goal is to lend a hand to the staff so they can focus solely on the patient they are caring for.”

As a volunteer in a medical unit, a person never knows what to expect each day. Lauren, who has a desire to join the healthcare field, enjoys being able to get a glimpse into the different roles of clinicians. “I love being able to see what the nurses do, the variety of tasks that they complete, and the different things they see,” said Lauren. “It has been valuable to me because I can apply the medical knowledge that I am seeing and learning now later in my education.”

Amanda Henderson, RN, Director of the Medical-Surgical Unit, expressed her appreciation for Lauren’s commitment. “Lauren has a true calling to serve. She always steps up and does whatever needs to be done to meet the needs of the people she is helping. Lauren will be an asset in whatever profession she chooses; however, she will be outstanding in the medical field because of her positive attitude, kind nature, and love for learning. We appreciate all the help she has given in our department.”

Lauren has not yet decided a major for college, but she is in the process of applying for pre-medical programs in Mississippi and Alabama. “Currently, I am not sure where I am going. I want to pursue a career in the medical field so in addition to volunteering, I am looking to job shadow other medical providers in different specialties.”

Along with learning job skills, Lauren is also learning personal skills to help her grow. Lauren explains, “Serving on the Medical-Surgical Unit has shown me how important it is to be patient. I have a lot of patience already, but when you are trying to care for someone during a vulnerable time in their life, it is important to always maintain patience no matter the circumstance. The staff have shown me the importance in being patient with each individual we encounter. You also have to work as a team. There are many times that whatever may be going on requires an all-hands-in approach, and it is important to have the support of your team. By having these two characteristics, you can really make a difference in someone’s health journey.”

Many times when Lauren is serving as a volunteer, she encounters patients that have left a lasting impression. Lauren states, “There have been a couple of patients who reminded me a lot of my grandfather. He passed away in 2019 and is part of the reason I am pursuing a career in medicine. I really loved being able to take care of him. He was such a funny, caring person, and during the last couple of years of his life, he did not have much mobility. He had a tumor on his brainstem, so it was very hard for him to complete simple tasks. Even though I was only 10 at the time, I took this as an opportunity to lend a hand and learn.”

For teenage volunteers, the goal is often to learn, grow and apply to their lives. When asked what lesson have you learned that can be applied to your educational career and personal life, Laurel said, “Asking questions. It is important to ask questions because it shows that you have the desire to learn and you want to grow. There are many things that are never addressed in the classroom or text book, and it helps you learn. Asking the questions will always help a person go a lot farther.”

SCRMC’s Caring Teen Volunteer Program is designed to encourage teens in our community to join the volunteer team while learning about the various roles in healthcare and earning community service hours. Volunteering makes an immeasurable difference in the lives of others. Volunteering for SCRMC offers many opportunities of service for individuals, ages 16 years old and up. To apply, please visit scrmc.com/community/volunteers, email bsmith@scrmc.com or call 601-426-4704 today.