Running head: PRE-ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT

Pre-Activity Assignment: Service Learning Project

Elizabeth Blanton

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

Instructor Angel Daniels, MSN, RN, CCM

NURS 4215

September 5, 2016

Honor Code I pledge

PRE-ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT

Pre-Activity Assignment: Service Learning Project

My hopes in completing this service-learning activity include learning more about the

needs of families when facing a medical crisis, identifying ways I can help families, and learning

more about The Doorways organization. I expect that families will respond to the assistance

offered at The Doorways in different ways, with some families wanting more interaction with

volunteers and others needing private space to process their experience. I have families in crisis

at the school where I work, and I expect that I will learn more about how families cope and

manage a medical crisis. I hope this service-learning activity gives me a different perspective

than the limited perspective I am sometimes offered as a school nurse.

I dont really have any stereotypes about people using The Doorways. Ive seen families

who have used this service, and they were all different races, ethnicities and socio-economic

levels. Im curious to know if the diversity of the types of people using The Doorways is the

same as when I worked at VCU. I have reviewed the organizations website to learn more about

the services they offer and the hospitals that they serve (The Doorways, 2016). Prior to my

service-learning experience, I will review the website again and make contact with a

representative of The Doorways so I can learn about what specifically will be needed when I am

there and what meal I am to bring.

Servant Leadership means acting as a role model for those in my community in order to

demonstrate how to put the needs of others first and make my community a better place. One of

the essential components of being a servant leader according to Neill and Saunders is to leave

the organization in better shape than when he/she found it, prepare the organization to contribute

to the greater good of society, and make a positive difference in the lives of people (Neill &

Saunders, 2008, p. 397). These specific aspects of servant leadership are particularly relevant to
PRE-ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT

my service-learning experience in their focus on the community and in offering support to others.

I can apply and incorporate this knowledge into my service-learning experience by being

mindful and intentional in my interactions with families and patients, ensuring that I place my

focus on their needs and am aware of their experiences and perspectives.

Professionalism means presenting ones best self, fulfilling obligations, working cohesively

with others, and having a demeanor that is positive and approachable. It can also mean one is

accountable to others, pursues lifelong learning, and has a desire to encourage change in oneself

or others (Jeffries & Acuna, 2016). It will be important to remember to maintain a professional

demeanor when participating in the service-learning experience. We will be representing our

nursing school, the profession of nursing, our own workplace, and ourselves. Those that we

serve will think of us when considering their impression of these other organizations and

professions in which we work.

These families and patients are going through one of the greatest challenges they will face

during their lives. It is important to have volunteers who will support them and have compassion

for their hardships. One barrier that I might face is the response families may have to receiving

and needing help. Some families may want breathing space to process this hardship while others

may want companionship, a listening ear, and help managing day-to-day activities, such as

meals. Being culturally competent through awareness of and sensitivity to the diverse group of

people at The Doorways will improve the care I can provide. Cultural awareness should

encompass peoples ethnicity, socioeconomic class, religion, age, and general community

(Anderson & McFarlane, 2015). These factors all influence how a person responds to a crisis and

should be considered when interacting with families at The Doorways. Other barriers that relate

to a patient and families culture which should be considered when volunteering in this setting
PRE-ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT

include language barriers in understanding medical care, economic barriers in receiving and

pursuing care, and coping mechanisms to allow for healing.

I hope to learn about the needs of families experiencing a medical crisis. Through

conversations, interactions, observation and serving this population, I expect that I will have a

glimpse into their lives and better understand their challenges. These families are an excellent

resource and can teach and guide me in being more empathetic, helpful, and compassionate to

families experiencing similar struggles in my community and in my school. Through listening

and being present in the moment when interacting with this population, I hope to empower the

families to teach me about their experience.

PRE-ACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT

Resources

Anderson, E. T., & McFarlane, J. (2015). Community as partner: Theory and

practice in nursing (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer.

Jeffries, K., & Acuna, G. (2016). What Works: Developing professionalism and leadership in

new nurses. American Nurse Today, 11(6), 11.

Neill, M. W., Saunders, N. S. (2008). Servant Leadership: Enhancing quality of care and staff

satisfaction. Journal of Nursing Administration, 38(9), 395-400.

The Doorways. (2016). Retrieved September 2, 2016, from http://www.thedoorways.org/