Running head: NUR 4215 SERVICE LEARNING PRE-ACTIVITY REFLECTION 1

NUR 4215 Service Learning Pre-activity Reflection

Michelle Arslan

Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing

Vulnerable Populations and Global Health

NUR 4215

Kelly Spann, MAEd, MS, FNP-BC

September 05, 2016

On my honor, I have neither given nor received aid on this assignment or test, and I

pledge that I am in compliance with the BSMCON Honor System.

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NUR 4215 Service Learning Pre-activity Reflection

Service learning activity is an assignment that benefits both parties involved; the nurse

and the recipient of care. However service learning activity is much more than that; it allows the

nurse a chance to meet with the people in their communities that they would not otherwise meet

and instill a sense of hope with the community while fostering a trusting relationship.

The topic that is most concerning to me is to provide support to woman and children within a

rural community. I am a labor and deliver nurse and I feel that I can have many key educational

points that I can share with this population and I can really add value to a conversation or

educational seminar. Some educational points that I would high light to this vulnerable

population would be proper nutrition, mental health support groups, and the need for regular

routine healthcare. One of the healthy people 2020 national highlighted objectives is maternal,

infant, and child health, and is listed as one of the main objectives as stated by the office of

disease prevention and health promotion (Healthy People 2020, 2016). The main overview of

this category is to improving the well-being of mothers, infants, and children within the United

States.

I best way I can seek out information on woman and children within a rural community is

to reach out and make a point of contact with the nearest health departments of the surrounding

areas, as well as get into contact with the Woman Infant and Children (WIC) point of contact that

currently works within my hospital. Networking I believe will be key to getting to the ground

level of this assignment. Some aspects that I feel that may affect my delivery of care could be
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that people in rural communities may not want outsiders help, and that perhaps they may have

an emotional wall built up for self-preservation.

So the question was raised why help, and what is a servant leadership? Greenleaf

organization states that The servant-leader is servant first It begins with the natural feeling

that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The

leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and

blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature. (Greenleaf, 2016) So essentially a

servant leader is a person who wants to bring about change on a society spearheading a change

of the better, and showcasing an attitude and work ethic that others may want to follow. A

servant leader is professional in all their endeavors and always strives for the best; while being

tactful to any opposition.

The issues and barriers that affect the woman and children within a rural community is

obesity, mental health disparities, substance abuse, and declined literacy rates. Obesity as a

whole in the US is at an alarming rate, and is reported that within rural communities a person is

at in even greater risk due to lack of education and poverty (Anderson & McFarlane, 2015). As

reported by the United States Census Bureau poverty, and obesity, and illiteracy account for the

highest rates within the Southern States paying close attention to the southern states (United

States Census Bureau, 2016). The highest reported levels of poverty are also found within this

region. I believe people within these regions want help, and information. People that reside

within these communities face such opposition because the aide and education is not present and
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they do not have access to care. Not wanting help is one thing, but not knowing where to go to

get help is another.

My plan of action is simple; I currently work for Bon Secours Health System and will

keep my companys missions and goals in mind while providing excellent community care and

education. Bon Secours adheres to its purpose, culture, mission, and values within the company

as well as the community while adhering to its strategic plan coupled by holistic care. Bon

Secours is an exceptional company to work for and I am happy to share how lives are changed

for the good. The Mission of Bon Secours Health System is to bring compassion to health care

and to be good help to those in need, especially those who are poor and dying (Bon Secours,

2016). It is a system of caregivers that commit themselves to help bring people and communities

to health and wholeness as part of the healing ministry of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church

(Bon Secours, 2016).

Some expectations that I have while completing this assignment is to gain knowledge and

perspective on a population that to be quite honest I have never really ventured into. I work in an

urban setting, I have never worked with woman and children in rural areas and I know each

population and demographic has different oppositions that it faces. An additional expectation

that I am hoping to make is hopefully creating a network of people within the rural community

so that I can help, and support them even after this assignment is finished. We as nurses are

obligated to be lifelong learners, how can we grow if we do not assess the people we care for,

and assess their outcomes?

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In closing the nations woman and children and their well-being determines the health of

the next generation and can help predict future public health challenges for families,

communities, and the health care system. The success of this category effects all future

generations of America, and is vitally important.

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References

Access to Health Services . (2016). Retrieved from https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-

objectives/topic/Access-to-Health-Services

Anderson, E. T., & McFarlane, J. (2015). Community as a Partner, Theory and Practice in

Nursing (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer.

Bon Secours (2016). Bon Secours Hampton Roads Mission and Outreach. Retrieved from

https://bonsecours.com/hampton-roads/about-us/mission-and-outreach

Greenleaf (2016). The Servant as Leader. Retrieved from https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-

servant-leadership/

United States Census Bureau (2016). Income and Poverty in the United States. Retrieved from

http://www.census.gov/library/publications/2015/demo/p60-252.html