How do I sign up?
Volunteer registration differs from state to state. Click on your state of residence to find out how to register.
Who is eligible?
All licensed and credentialed health professionals can register with ESAR-VHP. States may register additional health professional occupations, so if your profession is not included in the list below, please consult with your state ESAR-VHP coordinator:
- Advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners, certified nurse anesthetists, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurses specialists)
- Behavioral health professionals (marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, psychologists, and mental health counselors)
- Cardiovascular technologist and technicians
- Dentists
- Diagnostic medical sonographers
- Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics
- Licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses
- Medical and clinical laboratory technicians (includes phlebotomists)
- Medical and clinical laboratory technologists
- Medical records and health information technologists
- Pharmacists
- Physicians
- Physician assistants
- Radiologic technologists and technicians
- Registered nurses
- Respiratory therapists
- Veterinarians
Credential Levels
To make the most effective use of health professionals who may have varying levels of clinical competency, the ESAR-VHP program has developed a uniform process for classifying and assigning volunteers into one of four credential levels, based on the credentials provided and verified.
So, what does this mean to health professional volunteers?
Level 1 Identifies volunteers who are clinically active in a hospital, either as an employee or by having hospital privileges.
Level 2 Identifies volunteers who are clinically active in a wide variety of settings, such as clinics, nursing homes, and shelters.
Level 3 Identifies volunteers who meet the basic qualifications necessary to practice in the state in which they are registered.
Level 4 Identifies volunteers who have healthcare experience or education that would be useful for assisting clinicians and providing basic healthcare not controlled by the scope of practice laws (may include health professions students or retired health professionals who no longer hold a license).
Assigning healthcare volunteers to these different levels is important because it:
- Reduces the credential verification burden for emergency care delivery;
- Allows personnel to be allocated according to need;
- Permits volunteers to be used at their highest capacity; and
- Facilitates sharing of volunteer personnel.