Service Learning Project

1. Service Learning Project Erin Burdi NURS 450:Capstone Ferris State University

2. Introduction • Service Learning is an important educational component to the RN-BSN program at Ferris State University. • Nursing students are given the opportunity to learn first-hand about the roles and services that are offered in their community. • Service Learning provides an opportunity for students to give back to the community a fraction a their time and talents through volunteerism.

3. Objectives • Identify a community organization in need of volunteer services. • Provide 20 hours of volunteer service to the agency by the completion of NURS 450. • Give a brief agency description that includes historical background & community services provided. • Describe my personal roles and volunteer service provided to the agency. • Provide a critical reflection & synthesis of my learning experiences with the agency as it relates to ANA Professional Standards of Practice & Ferris State University RN-BSN program objectives. • Give recommendations for future students seeking service learning experience through this agency.

4. The American Red Cross Historical Background Service Roles within the Community

5. Historical Background • Clara Barton has been credited as a founder of the American Red Cross Organization. • She was a pioneer in providing nursing services to sick and injured soldiers during the American Civil War in 1861. • Through her experience in the Civil War she identified the need for immediate personal services to soldiers that included: a sanctuary for nursing care, food, and clothing. • She organized a group of volunteer women to assist in providing these much needed services. • She learned how to collect, store, and distribute needed goods. • Her service experience in providing war time relief to soldiers and communities became the foundation on which the American Red Cross Disaster Relief effort was built. • Through her work with wounded soldiers, she gained a great deal of personal information about them. • She utilized this information at the end of the war to assist families in locating men that had been reported missing, a service that is still provided by the American Red Cross today. (www.Red Cross.org, 2006)

6. Historical Background • In 1869, Clara traveled to Geneva, Switzerland in search of reprieve. • It was in Geneva that Clara was introduced to the idea of the Red Cross. • She read A Memory of Solferino, a book written by Henry Dunant founder of the Red Cross Movement in Europe. • This movement advocated for international agreements for the protection of the sick & wounded, regardless of nationality, during wartime. • It also called upon voluntary national societies to render aid on a basis of neutrality. • This founded the basic principles of the Geneva Convention. • Inspired, Clara returned to the United States in 1877 and persistently lobbied congress for the ratification of the Geneva Treaty, which was signed in 1882. • In 1881, Clara and a group of supporters founded the first American Association of the Red Cross in Washington D.C. • In 1883, the organization was re-named The American National Red Cross. • In 1905, the American Red Cross was given the Congressional Charter under which it still operates today. (www.Red Cross.org, 2006)

7. Volunteer Services • To facilitate the completion of my Service Learning requirement, I chose to volunteer service through the American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids & The Ottawa County Chapter located in Holland, MI. • The American Red Cross offers a variety of volunteer opportunities to those willing to donate their time to community service • Transportation Appointment Driver • International Family Tracing Caseworker. • Disaster Readiness & Response Volunteers. • Registration Services. • P&PE Marketing Intern. • First Aid/CPR/AED/Blood born Pathogens Instructor. • Preparedness & Prevention Education Instructor. • Development Intern. • Heroes Campaign Sponsorship Committee. • Philanthropic Advisory Committee Member. • Prospect Research & Grant Writing Intern. • Heroes Event Coordinator. • Lifesavers Event Committee Member. • Community Visibility Events Support Team Head. • Community Visibility Events Support Team Member. • Services to Armed Forces Caseworker. • Readiness & Response Volunteer Manager. • World Refugee Day Coordinator. • Disaster Mental Health Associate. • Measles Initiative Board Members. • Disaster Services Community Correspondent. • EHL Marketing & Community Outreach Volunteer. • Client Caseworker. • International Student Relations Intern. • Office Skills Instructors. • Youth Services Project Planner. • Blood Drive Volunteer. (www.Red Cross.org, 2009)

8. Personal Volunteer Service • I selected two volunteer roles: • Blood Services Volunteer • Community Visibility Events Support Team Member. • The majority of my hours worked were through the Blood Services Department. • I selected these two roles for the following reasons: • They interested me. • Offered scheduling flexibility with my work & school schedules. • Provided me with an opportunity to utilize my nursing skills to benefit the organization.

9. Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities Blood Services Volunteer. Community Visibility Events Support.

10. Blood Services Volunteer • Roles & Responsibilities • Blood Services Mobile Unit Unloader/Room Setup/Reloader. • Probably the most physically demanding role within Blood services. • Arrive 2 hours prior to drive start time. • Assist mobile unit driver to quickly & safely unload, move , and set-up equipment from the service truck in the room(s) provided by the sponsor. • Breakdown & Reload equipment after the drive is finished. • Registration/Greeter. • Cheerfully greet donors. • Determine if the donor is a “first time donor”. • Handout appropriate name sticker (Green=1st time donors, Red= veteran donor). • Provide information packet & request donor read all eligibility information. • Answer questions & direct donors to appropriate station. • Canteen Server/Observer. • Greet donors at the refreshment station. • Seat donors immediately and offer refreshments. • Watch and assess donors for any negative reactions from donating. • Report to head nurse if any donor should show signs of dizziness or bleeding. • Answer questions. • Thank donors. • Keep canteen area stocked and clean. (www.Red Cross.org, 2009)

11. Community Visibility Events Support Team Member • Roles & Responsibilities • Work with other volunteer team members and team leader to staff Red Cross participation in community events such as fairs, festivals, parades, etc. • Increase public awareness of Red Cross Services through communication with the general public & distribution of posters & flyers at targeted local events. • Coordinate site logistics and signage. • Increase overall community visibility and exposure for events. (www.Red Cross.org, 2009)

12. Reflection & Synthesis of Service Learning Experience RN-BSN Program Objectives American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Professional Nursing Practice

13. Critical Reflection • Initial Thoughts • Prior to my volunteer experience with the American Red Cross, I was aware that the organization provided blood donation services and some disaster relief efforts. • I was unaware of the extent of other services provided by the Red Cross. • Assumptions • Initially, I thought that having found an organization as large as the Red Cross, obtaining 20 volunteer service hours would be simple. • I learned that it is not easy to volunteer in this organization. There is an application process, criminal background check, and a 2 hour orientation process that must be completed. • I also found that opportunities to volunteer for events filled very quickly and were not as frequent as I had previously thought. (www.Red Cross.org, 2009)

14. Critical Reflection • Information Attained • Prior to working with the American Red Cross , I was required to attend a two hour orientation process in which I learned a lot of information about the organization. • Historical Background and foundation of the Red Cross. • The various services that the organization provides to the community, as previously described. • The American Red Cross relies primarily on a volunteer work force. • 40% of the Nations blood supply comes from Red Cross Blood Donations.. • Blood donations are accepted on a volunteer basis only. • The American Red Cross provides an exceptional screening process and health assessment prior to allowing a person to donate. • Donors are monitored in the canteen area closely for adverse effects of donating for a minimum of 15 minutes. • The American Red Cross collaborates with other National and global organizations like the Red Crescent and FEMA. • The American Red Cross employs registered nurses to work at blood drives. (www.Red Cross.org, 2009)

15. Synthesis • BSN Objectives • Professionalism: • Volunteers for The American Red Cross are screened for integrity and professionalism through an application process and criminal background check. A two hour orientation class is required in which the organizational mission and expectations are discussed. Volunteers are expected to dress and interact with other members & the general public in a professional manner in accordance with their signed agreement of the American Red Cross Code of Conduct. • This aligns with the ANA’s Practice Standard of Professional Practice Evaluation by meeting the competency of “interacting with peers and colleagues to enhance his/her own professional nursing practice or role performance”(ANA, 2010, p.59). • Collaborative Leadership: • The American Red Cross collaborates with National & global organizations like FEMA & Red Crescent to provide disaster relief services to communities. Volunteers through the Red Cross are required to work together in a collaborative manner to facilitate goals & services provided by the organization. For example, through my experience working in Blood Services I needed to work with registered nurses, donors, and other station volunteers to ensure that the blood drive ran smoothly. • This aligns with the ANA’s Practice Standard of Collaboration that states “the registered nurse engages in teamwork and team building processes . He/she adheres to standards & applicable codes of conduct that govern behavior among peers and colleagues to create a work environment that promotes cooperation, respect, & trust” (ANA, 2010,p.57).

16. BSN Objectives (con’t) • Generalist Nursing Practice: • I found that I was able to apply nursing process while volunteering as a Blood Services volunteer. When registering donors, I utilized assessment skills to evaluate the individuals’ physical eligibility and emotional readiness to donate. Working in the canteen/recovery area, I used physical assessment skills &nursing knowledge base to monitor & observe donors for adverse reaction signs & symptoms from donating. • This meets the ANA practice standard of Assessment in which “the registered nurse collect comprehensive data pertinent to the healthcare consumer’s health and/or situation”(ANA,2010,p.32). • Healthcare Environment: • Services provided by the American Red Cross improve quality and safety of the healthcare environment. • Transportation services are available, in which volunteers provide transportation to medical appointments to those in need. This ensures that members of the community receive appropriate primary medical care. • The American Red Cross provides lifesaving CPR& AED utilization classes to the general public. • Blood donation services ensures quality of blood supplied to healthcare organizations by vigorously screening donors & testing blood supplies prior to shipment. • This meets the ANA Professional Practice Standard of Health Teaching &Promotion that states that “the registered nurse employs strategies to promote health and a safe environment” (ANA, 2010, p.41). Synthesis

17. BSN Objectives (con’t) • Scholarship for Practice • This Service Learning experience has provided me a look into yet another role that registered nurses fill in the community. The American Red Cross employs Agency RN’s to work at Blood Drives. • While there are not any formal education requirements or certifications required to volunteer for the Red Cross, as previously mentioned, the organization has an application process that includes a criminal background check, and provides necessary orientation classes for volunteers. • Educational Information provided by the organization is based on current, evidence-based practice. Synthesis • Theoretical Base for Practice • I could not come up with a specific nursing theorist to describe my service learning experience with the American Red Cross. • The humanitarian efforts and services provided by the organization are nearly identical to the ideals of the health promotional ideals of the nursing profession.

18. I would recommend the American Red Cross for service learning experience with caution. • While I found my experiences relevant to the goals of service learning, I found working with the organizational administration to be highly disorganized & frustrating. • In order to complete my service learning hours I had to work with two chapters of the Red Cross, Ottawa County & Grand Rapids chapters. • My organizational contact person at the Grand Rapids Chapter has changed several times over the course of two years. • At one point, when e-mail communications with my contact person fell silent, I called to inquire about upcoming volunteer opportunities. The person in charge of Blood Services had no idea who I was, or who my contact person was. • I found out that my volunteer information was lost at the Grand Rapids Chapter and I had to re-apply & attend the orientation a second time. I then received another contact person and was also recommended to try the Ottawa County Chapter as well. • The Ottawa County Chapter was much more organized, I would strongly recommend anyone considering the Red Cross as a venue to go there. • I also found that volunteer opportunities fill up fast and are not nearly as frequent or convenient as I had thought. Recommendations

19. References • American Nurses Association. (2010). Scope and Standards of Nursing Practice (2nd ed., p. 57). Silver Spring, MD: Nursing Standards. • The American Red Cross. (2009). Volunteer Opportunities at the American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids. Fromhttp://greatergrandrapids.redcross.org • The American Red Cross. (2008). Volunteer Handbook of Greater Grand Rapids. Retrieved from http://greatergrandrapids.redcross.org