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Service Learning Project

Lindsey Koch
Ferris State University







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Abstract
The service learning project that I am doing is volunteering my time to a dementia unit at
Tendercare. By donating my twenty hours, I will be able to get to know the individuals and
spend quality time with them. Time will be donated through joining the residents through meals
and activities.













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Service Learning Project
For my nursing 320 class, I have to do a service learning project and volunteer a
minimum of twenty hours to benefit a community of need. The purpose of this paper is to
propose my service learning project that I have chosen and how I plan to execute my plan. This
paper will not only serve as information, but will also serve as a part of my portfolio. The role of
service learning in professional education, at Ferris State University (2013), is to be the
capstone activity for this experience where the student will have the opportunity to give clearly
described and verifiable examples of the learning experience, and to critically examine how this
service has impacted their career process (p. 15) This project not only will help my future career
while obtaining my bachelors of science in nursing (BSN), but it will also help my current career
with the residents I spend time with at work.
My Plan
Agency Description
The agency that I will be volunteering at is called Tendercare. It is an extended care
facility in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, and it is where I am currently employed at. The Tendercare
facility has four halls for their residents. On each of these halls, different residents live with
dementia problems, hospice issues, long-term care, and rehabilitation. The unit I would like to
volunteer my time on is the dementia unit which is also called Country Crossings.
Volunteer Role
I will be volunteering on the dementia unit. The role that I will serve is an activity
planner and participant and a mealtime helper. I would like to spend quality time with the
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residents at Tendercare. I currently work third shift so I do not get the chance to know all of my
patients. By doing this project, I will get an opportunity to better learn the likes and dislikes of
my residents, and I will be able to spend quality time with them. I also will be able to provide
them with the extra opportunity to socialize which they may not have had if I did not volunteer
my time.
Achievement of Program Objectives
My planned service helps me achieve the RN to BSN program objectives by allowing to
me to fulfill each of my outcomes as described in the following paragraphs.
Outcome one. The first BSN program outcome is collaborative leadership. According to
Ferris State University collaborative leadership means to Provide collaborative leadership roles
in the provision, delegation, and supervision of nursing care while retaining accountability for
patient safety and the quality of that care (2011, p. 1). I feel that this project will help me
achieve this outcome by helping me to be able to competently and responsibly take care of
patients and interact with them.
Outcome two. The second BSN program outcome is theoretical base for practice.
According to Ferris State University theoretical base for practice means to Integrate theories
and knowledge from the arts, humanities, sciences and nursing to develop a foundation for
nursing practice (2011, p. 1). I feel that this project will help me meet this objective by helping
me to use my skills. I need to not only use my skills, but I also need to use all of the knowledge
that I have learned throughout the years to take care of my patients. I cannot simply just perform
care; I need to also meet the patients cultural, spiritual, and emotional needs by spending quality
time with them. To do this, I need to incorporate theories into my practice.
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Outcome three. The third BSN program outcome is generalist nursing practice.
According to Ferris State University generalist nursing practice means to Organize the
interdisciplinary health care needs of diverse populations across the lifespan toward achieving
the goal of healthy individuals, families, groups and communities (2011, p. 1). This project can
help me reach this outcome by helping me to promote health and trying to prevent diseases in
these patients. It is not only promoting health in individuals, but also promoting health in the
whole facility. By treating all patients equally and with dignity to provide them with the best
health care available, their health can be improved.
Outcome four. The fourth BSN program outcome is scholarship for practice. According
to Ferris State University scholarship for practice means to Assimilate current evidence into the
practice of nursing (2011, p. 1). To me, this means continuing my education. I currently am
doing this by doing the RN to BSN program and volunteering my time with the service learning
project. I need to constantly be learning the new procedures and information so I can incorporate
them into my practice of nursing. By doing this, I can provide the best care for my patients. Part
of being a nurse is continuing education and how it affects your practice.
Outcome five. The fifth BSN program outcome is health care environment. According to
Ferris State University, health care environment means to Advocate for improving health care
across the continuum of health care environments (2011, p. 1). I believe that I can reach this
outcome through this project by improving health care for all residents. Health care may not be
as good for someone who cannot actively help themselves which is why I need to advocate for
those residents. This can be incorporated through education. All patients must be treated with the
same level of dignity and must have someone fighting for them to improve their health care.
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Outcome six. The sixth BSN program outcome is professionalism. According to Ferris
State University, professionalism means to Demonstrate a level of professionalism that is
congruent with the inherent values, ethics and behaviors of the discipline of nursing (2011, p.
1). To me, this outcome can be achieved by acting professionally in the work place and outside
of the workplace. Nurses should speak professionally at work about their patients. It is treating
your patients with respect whether they are within earshot or not. It is also working as a team
with your nursing staff with professional respect.
Description of Activities
I would like to sit in on the residents dinner and dine with them. I would like to talk and
interact with them to help them enjoyably get through their dinnertime. I feel that this would be a
valuable lesson to me and valuable spent time to them. I know that not all residents get the
chance to visit with family or friends so I would be a guest spending extra time with them. I hope
to learn how these residents function on a daily basis and for daily meals. What extra help do
they require? I believe I should be able to find these answers in spending time with them.
Another activity that I would like to do with the residents is frost Christmas cookies.
With the holiday season coming up, I believe that this activity would not only be fun, but it
would also be a tasty project. I hope to learn their skills and ability to do an activity that is not
done with them every day. I know that this project may be harder for some residents, but
hopefully they can get through it with help from me and others.
I believe that this service will benefit the community. Not only does it benefit the
residents, but it also benefits me and their families. Some families may not get the chance to visit
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every couple months or even once a year. My extra visitation may help these families feel better
that their loved one is getting extra quality time.
Through my service learning project, I expect to learn nursing techniques to work better
with residents with dementia by increasing my critical thinking areas, learn how to better
communicate with residents with dementia, and observe and absorb teamwork techniques. I feel
that by interacting and observing the residents, I will be able to learn valuable experience for my
BSN experience. Not only will my skill levels increase to the BSN level, but I will learn how to
increase my skill levels to the BSN level.
Evaluation Plan
To evaluate my own learning and the effects of my activities on the community, I will
evaluate how my interaction with the residents is changing. I will evaluate my learning by
observing my critical thinking areas. I will also view how my communication and interaction has
changed with the residents. If I learned what I wanted to, I will better communicate with not only
my residents, but also fellow coworkers. I would hope that the residents would be getting more
used to me and that I would be less of a stranger to them. I also would talk to the nurses and see
if they see a positive change in the attitudes of the residents or if the family members had
mentioned any positive changes. I am assuming that the positivity will be a general increase
throughout the time spent with the residents.



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References
Ferris State University. (2011, January 17). BSN Program Outcomes. Retrieved from
http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/colleges/alliedhe/Nursing/BSN-program-outcomes.htm
Lehmann, D. (2013). Syllabus for NURS 320: RN to BSN Skills Acquisition. (Available from the
Ferris State University College School of Nursing, 1201 S State St, Big Rapids, MI,
49307)
Tendercare Mount Pleasant. (2013). Home. Retrieved from
http://www.tendercaremtpleasant.com/










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Appendix A
Missy Sherwood
Living Moments Director
989-772-2967
1524 Portabella Trail
Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858
Email N/A