What is a Candy Striper?
Candy Stripers are usually teens and young women who wear striped( like candy cane)uniforms and serve as volunteers at local hospitals, assisting patients with library books,chatting,getting snacks- when allowed, writing letters, changing flower water…all the non-nursing tasks that make life more bearable to the patient.
A candy striper was traditionally a young, female hospital volunteer; a concept that originated in the 1940s. The unique job title represented the candy cane look of the red and white-striped pinafores worn by the volunteers. Traditionally, the girls sewed their own pinafores. East Orange General Hospital in New Jersey claims to have started the first candy striper program in 1944. During the 1950s and 60s, the popularity of candy stripers was widespread. In general, the goal of a candy striper was to make a patient’s stay in the hospital more pleasant. Initially, a candy striper simply delivered mail or patient meals, but as nurses became overburdened, the volunteers took on additional duties. Now, a candy striper might help feed, or read to, a patient; assist as a patient is discharged; or deliver messages. Other duties include transporting book or video carts to patient rooms. Much has changed in candy striping over the years. In the early years, the training to be a candy striper l
