Running head: SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL
Service Learning Proposal
Emily Wasilco
Ferris State University
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Abstract
This paper will discuss the service learning proposal that will be completed during the remainder
of the BSN program at Ferris State University. Service learning will be defined and the agency
that has been chosen for this proposal will be discussed. Additionally, the volunteer role will be
described, including an outline of objectives detailing what I hope to learn during this
experience, as well as how I plan to meet these goals and evaluate progress.
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Service Learning Proposal
As a registered nurse, I have enjoyed the feeling that results from having an impact on
my patients and their families. This is done by means of providing quality nursing care, but also
by being there and giving support and compassion at times when patients need it most. During
the transition between the registered nursing role and that of the professional Bachelors of
Science in nursing (BSN) role, another kind of service is required that can also be rewarding, as
well as beneficial. This is referred to as service learning, which will be carried out over the
course of my BSN program at Ferris State University.
This paper will define service learning, discuss the agency that has been chosen for my
proposal and will describe the role I will have during this time. Additionally included is a
description of objectives of what I hope to learn during this experience, as well as how I plan to
meet these goals and evaluate progress.
Definition
Service learning is an opportunity for a student to contribute their knowledge, time,
critical thinking skills, energy and resources to the community. This type of learning combines
aspects of classroom education with that of volunteer work that is related to health care or
nursing specifically (Craig, 2011). By doing so, students have the means to develop a more
accurate understanding of the information, skills and approach needed, because they are applying
their learning to real-life situations (Kielsmeier, 2011). Gaining the ability to collaborate with
other professionals in the field, will result in enhancement of the academic learning experience,
but will also build character, confidence and may play a role in a student’s personal
developmental goals (Kielsmeier, 2011). Also, by providing for a community that is truly in
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need, students are able to feel they are giving something meaningful back to those they are
serving.
Agency
This service learning experience requires 20 hours minimum over the course of the BSN
program, but I hope to give more time if possible. The agency I have chosen for this assignment
is the free vascular screening clinic in Alma, MI offered by a vascular surgeon. This clinic is
offered the third Wednesday of every month at various locations and several other free
specialized vascular screenings are held on Saturdays every other month throughout the year.
Dr. Haqqani, M.D., the Chief of Vascular Surgery for MidMichigan Health, has been responsible
for the development and success of the clinic (Hedrick, 2014). This clinic is not associated with
MidMichigan Health’s hospital system, but Dr. Haqqani saw a need in the community that was
not being met so decided to start this project independently. The clinic is now primarily run by
K. Hedrick, RN, who has experience working with vascular patients through Dr. Haqqani’s
practice. Dr. Haqqani, K. Hedrick and two other registered nurses volunteer their time during
these free clinic screening days (Hedrick, 2014).
The mission of this clinic is twofold- to both identify those with vascular disease and
provide education on prevention and treatment. Vascular disease frequently shows no symptoms
until it is in an advanced stage and at that point can be quite difficult to treat. This could include
narrowing of the carotid arteries or vessels in the lower extremities, and enlargement of the aorta
in the abdomen. Occlusion or narrowing of the carotids can result in stroke and abdominal aortic
aneurysms if left untreated may rupture, resulting in death. Narrowing of arteries feeding the
lower extremities can eventually become completely occluded, which can result in death of the
tissues in the limb. Even a decreased flow of blood to the extremities can result in issues with
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healing of wounds and can cause pain with walking and even at rest in advanced cases. This is
why catching these problems early on is vital to survival and maintaining a good quality of life.
Many people often put off seeing a physician unless there is a defined problem and as
mentioned, with a vascular problem it may be too late. There is certainly a need for these
screenings to determine what type of problem there is and if treatment is needed. The screening
itself consists of the use of non-invasive ultrasound to detect any narrowing of the carotids or any
aneurysmal changes in the abdominal aorta. Additionally, the carotids are assessed for bruit and
a full pulse check is performed to determine the strength and quality- particularly of those of the
lower extremities. An ankle-brachial index is performed, which is the systolic blood pressure of
the ankle divided by that of the brachial systolic pressure. This index can help determine the
severity of peripheral artery disease and has been considered a key indicator of future
cardiovascular events. Additionally, an assessment is performed to see if a patient has wounds
or non-healing ulcerations, changes in color of extremities or gangrene. These would all indicate
possible vascular issues that need to be looked into further.
Education plays a huge role in the care of vascular patients, particularly in modifying
their risk factors if possible. These include those who continue to smoke or who have high blood
pressure, elevated BMI, high cholesterol or diabetes. Education focusing on these issues and
referrals on properly taking care of these diagnoses through that of a primary care physician can
help prevent vascular issues from becoming worse.
Volunteer Role
The volunteer role I will have will take place directly in the clinic caring for these
individuals during the screening process. I will be expected to complete a full assessment of
each patient and may assist with the ultrasound imaging. Obviously, the diagnosis of issues will
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be completed by that of the vascular surgeon who will be overseeing the clinic itself. I will
complete the ankle-brachial indexes and pulse examinations, as well as assessing wounds and
documenting them appropriately. According to Hedrick, it is very important to also note any
socio-economic issues that may have an impact on the patient’s life. For example, if financial
issues are present and the patient is unable to afford medications to treat their high blood
pressure or hyperlipidemia, it is vital to provide a referral for assistance with paying for these
drugs. They may be unable to make it to scheduled doctor’s visits for follow-up care of
treatments because of transportation issues or may need someone to help them at home with
wound care or medications. These are all important areas to consider in order to ensure that
these vascular patients are getting the best care possible for their issues.
Education plays a huge role during these clinic days and focuses on prevention and both
surgical and non-surgical treatment. Preventative education primarily focuses on stopping
smoking, dietary modifications, exercise, medications and signs and symptoms to be watchful
for. Patients should know the purpose of their medications such as beta blockers, statins, aspirin
or other anticoagulants and inappropriate side effects for those as well. If patients are not on a
certain medication that is necessary or are having more advanced disease, they may require a
personal clinical appointment with Dr. Haqqani for evaluation. Labs or additional testing are
often needed beyond the first screening such as CT scan of the abdominopelvis and lower
extremities. Information and education can be given at the clinic regarding treatment options for
certain diagnoses and possible outcomes. Patients with wounds are given education on proper
care and technique of dressing them appropriately and if needed a referral may be necessary to a
wound clinic for further evaluation. Communication is very important in this environment in
order to determine the unique needs of each patient, so active listening is a valuable skill. Many
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of these patients will need care beyond the initial visit because of the presence of chronic
illnesses, so as mentioned previously, determining social or financial struggles is essential to
ensure the patient gets what they truly need.
Objectives
During this experience, there are several objectives that I would like to meet related to the
nursing program. My primary objective and goal is to be able to provide quality nursing care to
those that need it and who might perhaps lack the resources that many of us take for granted each
day. Every person deserves access to health care, disease prevention strategies and medications
to control chronic illnesses; I would greatly enjoy having the opportunity to play a part in this.
The patient advocate role is one that I find most rewarding as a nurse, so I would like to keep
that at the forefront with this experience too. I would also like to gain a better idea of the need
within the community and if people are getting appropriate care, or if there is still a void that
needs to be filled. Many patients I have cared for in the past were not even aware that there was
a free screening clinic in their area, which saddens me because many of them could have
benefitted from it. So many people do not receive treatment for their diabetes mellitus or
hypertension, until many years later when the disease results in another chronic condition such as
kidney failure and vascular issues. By the time I see a patient in the intensive care unit for a
vascular problem, they have an ischemic limb and often times non-healing wounds. They
require surgery and multiple therapies and may never have the same function they had prior to
the problem. I would like to have the opportunity to promote awareness in the community about
this free screening program, so these kinds of patients get necessary treatment before an issue
occurs.
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I also hope to gain more experience communicating with patients and families, providing
teaching and evaluating learning. I would like to implement different types of teaching to ensure
that patients are able to maintain a clear understanding of what they are being taught. I would
also like to learn more about the prospect of community health nursing and being able to work
with a more diverse population. It will be exciting to gain experience and insight into patients
with vascular problems from a different perspective, outside of the intensive care environment,
which I have become accustomed too.
Activities to Meet Objectives
I plan to arrive for my volunteer days, on time and with a positive optimistic attitude. I
will carry out my assigned duties professionally and provide high quality, non-judgmental
nursing care to each patient I work with. I will advocate for my patients by evaluating whether
outcomes are being met, or if changes should be made in the patients care plan to treat them
more effectively. Assessing the patient in a holistic manner will also establish a clearer picture
of the true problems at hand, rather than just the physicality of the illness. I will educate myself
on resources available in my area, so that I can be a source of useful information to my patients
as well. I would like to do some research regarding what is offered throughout the country and
find out if there is a service that is not being provided that would be beneficial. I also would like
to ensure that the people who are in need of this service are made aware of it, by educating
patients I come into contact with at my job. This can also be done by providing information
about the clinic and its services to local businesses by sending out emails with information or
stopping by health care offices and providing information on screening dates.
I plan to find as many opportunities to teach patients as possible, by assessing the
learning needs of each person and going from there to develop an individualized teaching plan. I
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will practice methods used successfully to teach the elderly and the mentally disabled, to
improve my experience in this area. I will implement a combination of teaching methods
including videos, verbal instruction, printed materials, pictures, demonstration, hands on and
audio recordings. I will take advantage of all opportunities to work with patients of different
ages and disease processes, rather than just sticking with the population I am most comfortable
with.
Evaluation of Objectives
To determine whether I am meeting my objectives appropriately, I will continually assess
and reevaluate my performance in the clinic. Asking thought provoking questions at the end of
each shift could prove to be helpful. Am I continuing to provide compassionate, high quality
nursing care to my patients in an empathetic manner? Am I advocating for their needs to assure
outcomes will be met within an appropriate time frame? Are patients appearing satisfied with
the care received and feeling as if their needs are being met? To evaluate whether information
about the clinic is being spread effectively in the community, I could ask patients I come into
contact with within the hospital if they have heard of it. If they have not, then a more effective
strategy to make the clinic’s presence known may need to be utilized.
The patients’ response to teaching can be evaluated by testing their ability to reiterate
what I’ve taught, by both repeat demonstration and by asking questions during follow-up phone
calls to see if teaching has been effective enough. Frequent assessment of whether or not I am
varying my teaching methods and individualizing for each patient is also an important
evaluation. To determine if I am meeting my objective of working with a more diverse
population, I plan to keep a log of the ages and disease processes of the patients I work with to
assure I meet the goal.
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Contact Information
Agency: MidMichigan Vascular Screening Clinic- important to note that the clinic is not always
held at the location in Alma, but also in Gladwin, Harrison, Clare, Midland and Mount Pleasant.
I included this address because this is where the regular clinic hours for Dr. Haqqani are held.
Street address for clinic:
160 E. Warwick Drive, Alma, MI 48801 (Clinic is on Tuesdays from 8:00AM-5:00PM
Contact person: Katrinna Hedrick, RN, BSN, WOCN- (989)-763-2944
Phone number office: (989)-466-3625
E-mail address: katrinna.hedrick@midmichgan.org
Conclusion
I have high expectations that this service learning proposal will prove to be a very
rewarding experience for me. I hope to be able to make a sincere difference in the lives of
others, especially for those who are in dire need of health care. The opportunity to provide
preventative care to someone, which may prevent the development of a more serious, chronic
disease later in life, will be such a fulfilling prospect. I have always wanted to be more active
volunteering in my community, and I think this will be the stepping stone to more involvement
in the future. As I work towards the goal of obtaining my BSN, I would like to be able to set an
example for other nurses, who may have never considered giving back to the community in this
way by offering their knowledge and skills. I am definitely looking forward to being a part of
this organization and learning as much as I possibly can along the way.
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References
Craig, P.J. (2011). The impact of service-learning on college students in allied health
professions. Annual in Therapeutic Recreation. 19. 84-104. Retrieved from http://atraonline.com/index.cfm
Kielsmeier, J. (2011). Service learning: The time is now. The Prevention Researcher. 18(1). 3-7.
Retrieved from http://www.tpronline.org