Community Service Learning Analysis

Transitioning from nursing school to working in a hospital setting can be a challenging time for a new graduate. Due to the nursing shortage, new graduate nurses are being hired with little to no experience. This is overwhelming for new nurses, especially when they are not getting adequate support or training from the hospital. The amount of stress, pressure, and lack of training is leading to a high turnover rate for new graduate nurses. With patient acuity on the rise, new graduate nurses that are filling these vacancies in the hospitals, need to be competent nurses to provide proper and safe care to the patients.

A Service Learning project is one of the project requirements to complete the Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree through Ferris State University (FSU). My Service Learning experience was completed at the VA Medical Center (VAMC) in November, 2014. This paper includes details of the facility along with the contact information for the coordinator of the project. A description of my role as a volunteer, critical reflection of my experience, and a synthesis of the Service Learning are also included.

1. The Shortage: In the early years of 2000 the true nursing shortage had begun. With

Nursing simulation, a progressive method of education and utilized by nursing programs, improves patient outcomes by giving students opportunities to practice and learn new nursing skills in non-threatening environments. The use of simulation experiences origins hold root in the military and airline industries. Nevertheless, since that time, many academic interest groups, including medical and nursing education have adopted this educational method. Furthermore, anticipated is the idea that simulation experiences will allow students the opportunities they need to practice skill sets that will lead to the improvement of the patient’s condition. Additionally, an evaluation of the nursing simulation also serves an important role in determining the effectiveness of the activity in meeting the objectives of various nursing curricula. Completing, recording, and studying the outcomes of a methodical evaluation, such as a rubric, are foundational to the enhancement of both the procedure and results (Robinson & Dearmon, 2013). This capstone project specifically concentrates on the development, implementation, and evaluation of a rubric for nursing simulation scenarios conducted by baccalaureate level nursing students at WKU.

It is also a “boundary spanning” activity in that it requires active involvement from people both within and outside of the classroom context, often resulting in participant contributors who represent a variety of generations, ethnicities, social groups, and experience levels (Billig and Furco, 2002, p.vii). Service-learning is designed to reduce the boundaries between an institutional campus environment and the community around it. It is designed to connect learning to real experience through service and reflection (Ball and Schilling, 2006; Becker, 2000). As a baseline to facilitate this development, service-learning is distinct from other types of community service and civic engagement experiences in that the service-learning experience must not only have a service and reflective component but also be clearly tied to the curriculum through learning objectives and theoretical underpinnings (Bloomquist, 2015; Pritchard, 2001). As Barbara Holland, former Director of the U.S. National Service-Learning Clearinghouse, shared, “Service-learning is all in the hyphen. It is the enrichment of specific learning goals through structured community service opportunities that respond to community-identified needs and opportunities.” (Kenworthy-U’Ren, Taylor, and Petri, 2006: 121).

The Oklahoma Board of Nursing (OBN) provides information to the public about the services of the Board of Nursing (OBN, n.d.). The purpose of the OBN is to “safeguard the public’s health by ensuring that licensed nurses are qualified and competent to practice” (OBN, n.d.). The public has access to the OBN to inquire on current licensed nurses, Nurse Practice Act, and guidelines about nursing care (OBN, n.d.). The American Nurses Association (ANA) is the “only full-service professional organization” that represents registered nurses’ interest through associations and partners (ANA, 2014). Their mission is “nurses advancing our profession to improve health for all” (ANA, 2014). They promote nursing practice by setting high standards, promoting nurses’ rights, leading a realistic outlook of nursing, and “by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public” (ANA, 2014). The National League for Nursing (NLN) is an organization for any nursing-related faculty offering “faculty development programs, networking opportunities, testing and assessment, nursing research grants, and public policy” (NLN, 2013). Their mission is to “promote excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the nations health” (NLN, 2013).

The critical difference of service learning and the traditional learning style is that students are learning and addressing real needs in the community. Which connect students to the community through meaningful interactions with others, safety, and educational needs. This specific course includes readings, discussions, and activities to support

The research was trying to “investigate the reasons for the disparity between our actual NCLEX-RN pass rate and the rate we expected based on our students Exit Exam scores.” The survey of data was gathered from previous students who attended a “large, single-purpose college of nursing in a large midwestern town,” from January 2004 to July 2005. These students had all taken the Health Education Systems, Inc. test (HESI) before finishing the nursing program, and prior to their NCLEX-RN exam. The HESI was used to predetermine the students pass rates of the NCLEX-RN. No demographic information was used in the data collection.

There is a lack and shortage of nursing like sever in the United States and keeps worse. By 2020, the shortage mainly could increase gradually to be more than 1 million full-time equal registered nurses (Health Administration, 2012). NCLEX-RN tests can determine both success and failure. The aim of the quantitative retrospective that already used is to study wand compare the results of NCLEX-RN tests results on 10 divisions of undergraduate nursing students at a Southern California university.

214) “The ACA and the need for APRNs, nurse faculty, and nurse researchers would have increased dramatically under any scenario.” (L R Cronenwett [RWJF Iniative on the Future of Nursing], 2010, table 1). “Not only must schools of nursing build their capacity to prepare more students. Nursing need to focus on fundamental improvements in the delivery of nursing care to improve patient safety and quality is key.” (IOM, 2010, p. 208)

According to Kathleen Flecky and Lynn Gitlow, service-learning is defined as, “learning that occurs in experiences, reflection, and civic engagement” (Flecky & Gitlow, 2011). In recent years more universities are implementing service learning into their curriculum. A key concept of service learning is civic responsibility. Civic responsibility can simply be defined as your responsibilities as a citizen. As will be shown later in this paper, service learning can have many benefits not only to a student, but also to the community members

In Maryland, 75 hours of community service are required for students to graduate. Getting in the way of many after school activities, students should not be required to have community service hours to get a diploma.

The Society for Experiential Education defines service learning as, “any carefully monitored service experience in which a student has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience” (Staton 1). Service learning is a great opportunity to get extra learning experiences while also experiencing the community around the universities campus. “Service learning allows students to apply what they are learning from their instructors, peers, and readings to genuine tasks that occur outside the four walls of the classroom while simultaneously helping others” (Staton 1). Universities are using service learning to expand beyond the classroom and provide students with experiences that will

There is no doubt that the health care system is constantly changing and working to improve its flaws, to the best of its ability. Whether nurses like it or not we are a part of the ever changing health care system. “With more than 3 million members, the nursing profession is the largest segment of the nation’s health care workforce” (Institute of Medicine [IOM], 2010, p. 1). The Institute of Medicine believes that nurses should be active in transforming the profession of nursing, along with the health care system. Regardless, of backgrounds, race, and age all nurses can contribute to the future of the nursing profession. The following paper will discuss the Institute of Medicine’s nursing expectations and recommendations, as well as the opportunity to becoming a clinical nurse instructor.

As a student, I have become more aware of the needs of my community. I have always worked at being active in my community to help those in need. Most of my volunteer work revolved around collecting donations and lending a helping hand at shelters. My volunteer work did not usually involve an academic base. I was not concerned with the ins and outs of why homelessness was a problem or the difficulty women faced finding assistance to escape abusive relationships. I just knew the shelters were always in need of donations and that is where I found myself helping most. In this paper, I will describe a personal experience I have had with service learning. I will also select one service learning idea from the National Student Nurses’ Association planning guideline that interests me and describe how this type of experience will enhance my nursing student experience.