Service Learning Project

Self-Reflection

Despite the initial challenges, the service learning project allowed me to develop and sharpen professional, personal and team competences. A certain level of professionalism was required to conduct research and gather data about sensitive data about individuals’ sexual habits as it pertains to sexually transmitted disease risk. There was planning involved to cover all the elements of the project and required strict adherence to time frame. Clarification and guidance was sought form the clinical professor and the staff members on the best way to proceed during the designing of the study to ensure it is appropriate for the member of that particular community. The windshield survey was an in-depth assessment of different aspects of the Flatbush community and this data was analyzed to identify the area of need in the patients of this community, and a teaching plan was developed as an intervention. Communication between team members was vital throughout the project, due to the fact of limited face to face meetings; we relied on email, text messages and phone calls to coordinate tasks, and to discuss problems and solutions.

A teaching plan was developed to promote STD awareness and risk prevention, with the use of a combination of visual aids, correct condom use demonstration, and reading materials to maximize the appeal to as many patients as possible. Information technology was used to create a power point presentation of the community assessment and the documenting the entire project into an essay format for presentation to our colleagues in the class room. With the experience obtained form this project; I now possess the confidence to independently conduct community health improvement objectives. The success of this project demonstrated the collaboration between us, the healthcare team and clients to guide clients to make appropriate lifestyle choices when it comes to sexual health by teaching and encouraging actions to reduce risk factors. I certainly believe that our attempts at improving the awareness of this particular health disparity affecting the community of Flatbush, has made us into to change agents by advocating the need for more community information sessions like the one we successfully conducted at Kings County Hospital.

The clinical experience of community nursing corresponded with some aspects of the didactic class room learning by providing an illustration of the concepts that were discussed and really get to have a feel for the different roles a community nurse play in this setting. This clinical has added another aspect of nursing to possibly consider in my future career advancements. The skills learned in community are also applicable in other areas of nursing, especially here in New York which has a diverse collection of patients, and be able to recognize the community patterns and needs that your institution serves will be helpful in choosing the most appropriate interventions.