Job Shadowing

Job Shadowing at Ochsner Medical Center is offered to those 16 years of age and older. 

High school students should contact Donna Muller donna.muller@ochsner.org for more information. 

Adult Job Shadow

Job shadowing is an educational experience option in which participants learn about a job by walking through the work day as a shadow to a competent worker. The job shadowing education experience is temporary, unpaid exposure to the workplace in an occupational area of interest to the participant. Participants witness firsthand the work environment, employability and occupational skills in practice, the value of professional training, and potential career options. 

Job shadowing is designed to increase career awareness and work requirements. Job shadowing is intended to be a short-term experience. 

For adults (18+), shadowing is available for up to 3 days each year. Typically, this is offered in half-day increments. 

Behavioral Standards: 

• Participants will be respectful and courteous to patients, family members, and staff at all times. 
• Participants will not touch patients. If participants are allowed to observe a patient during a procedure, the director or manager must obtain the patient’s consent first, or if the patient does not have capacity, the director or manager must obtain the consent of the patient’s legal representative 
• Participants will not make any decisions regarding or render any advice or recommendations as to the treatment or care of patients. 
• Participants will not touch medical equipment. 
• Participants will not have medical record, chart, or computer access. 
• Participants will not assist in feeding a patient but may assist in food delivery. 
• Participants will not approach physicians about personal illness or medications. 
• Participants will dress professionally. Participants must cover body piercings and tattoos and secure long hair. NO jeans or sweatpants, NO tank tops or bare midriffs, NO baggy clothing or clothing that drags on the floor, NO exposed undergarments, NO scrubs or lab coats, NO sandals or flip-flops, NO dangling jewelry, NO caps or hats. 
• Participants will not be permitted to wear scrubs or lab coats, as they are reserved for members of the care provider team. 
• Participants will not perform personal care in the clinical setting (i.e. applying lip gloss, handling contact lenses, eating or drinking, brushing hair, etc.) 
• Participants will not be permitted in areas of contamination such as isolation rooms, soiled linen areas, labs, and autopsy rooms. 
• Participants cannot participate in the program on days they are ill, including but not limited to, Cold/Cough, Fever (must be fever-free for 24 hours), Chicken Pox, Pertussis (Whooping Cough), Influenza (Respiratory Flu), Stomach/Gastrointestinal Flu, Tuberculosis, MRSA. 
• Participants will not need a purse, cell phone, pager, or backpack. 
• It is not advisable to bring large amounts of cash, books, journals, etc. 
• Cell phone use is not permitted during the shadow. 
• Ochsner is not liable for any theft of or damage to personal property while you are on campus for your job shadow. It is best to leave important personal items at home. 

If interested in a Job Shadow experience at Ochsner Medical Center-New Orleans, please complete the following process: 

1. Review HIPAA Training (email volunteerservices@ochsner.org to request education)
2. Complete the Job Shadow Application Packet (including consent/release and HIPAA Acknowledgement)
3. Send the completed packet to Ochsner Guest & Volunteer Services (volunteerservices@ochsner.org)

You will be contacted as soon as a mentor is identified to discuss your schedule availability.

Ochsner Staff (providers, nursing, administrative, etc.): 

If you are interested in becoming a job shadow mentor, please email volunteerservices@ochsner.org. 

We will maintain a list of mentors and their specialties. You will be contacted if someone is interested in shadowing to see if your schedule availability would match.