How important is volunteer experience in a healthcare setting in preparation to becoming a nurse?

I believe that any type of volunteer experience is beneficial as you are connecting with others and, most, importantly, you are serving others and nursing is about serving people. How about asking to care for an old person? How about advertising yourself to offer your service in helping someone who's ill or physically disabled? This is way, you can gain references. Or you can also ask how you can become involved with caring for patients at a local hospital. Volunteer work helps you gain exposure and this is always a good thing. Volunteer experiences does get your foot through the door somehow; you never know about something unless you experience it somehow.