Running head: SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 1

Service Learning Proposal

Mary Skrypiec
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 2
Abstract
Ferris State University nursing program requires students to complete a 30 hour
volunteer project. This volunteer project can be chosen by the student as long as it
relates to the nursing profession. The student will create logs after every five hours of
service. These logs will include the tasks the student performed and what they learned
from that experience. Spring Hill camp is located in Evart, Michigan and is eager for
volunteers (Spring Hill, 2014).Their mission is to provide life-changing experiences to
help the youth grow with their relationship to Jesus Christ (2014). The children will
perform activities such as tubing, zip lining, and rock climbing all while obtaining an
inspirational message (2014). Spring Hill needs volunteers to help lead the children and
to have them follow all the safety precautions. Nursing students at Ferris State
University who volunteer at Spring Hill will gain knowledge in leadership, health
promotion in children, and professionalism.
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 3
Service Learning Proposal
The Service Learning Project is designed for students to volunteer at a health
care related organization for a minimum of 30 hours. The objective of the service
learning project is to perform tasks that help the community while gaining knowledge
that will help in the nursing profession.The students pick the organization, then must get
it approved by their teacher. Once the students have started to volunteer, they will
create a log after every five hours of service. In the logs, students will include the tasks
performed, what they learned, and to evaluate themselves. As the students evaluate
themselves they need relate the Ferris State University BSN outcomes to their volunteer
work.The outcomes that will be applied are collaborative leadership, theoretical base for
practice, generalist nursing practice, scholarship for practice, health care environment
and professionalism. Spring Hill camp will provide students with the opportunity to reach
all the outcomes.
Agency Description
Spring Hill summer camp is located in Evart, Michigan (Spring Hill, 2014). The
camp has been running for more than 43 years and welcomes children from the ages of
five to eighteen (2014). They provide five day camps and weekend retreat camps
(2014). There are many activities the children will participate in such as small group
meetings, rock climbing, swimming, six square and crafts (2014). The children are also
put into groups frequently to form friendships (2014). The purpose of Spring Hill is for
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 4
strengthen the childrens relationship with Jesus Christ (2014). Spring Hill aspires to
teach children the messages of grace, hope, and love all while providing fun (2014).
Volunteer Role Description
Every summer Spring Hill summer camp host up to 15,000 children on two
properties and employs over 700 adults (Spring Hill, 2014). Volunteers are able to
attend the day camps or the weekend retreats (2014). If the volunteers participate in the
weekend retreats, Spring Hill will provide the shelter and food for them (2014). Spring
Hill needs volunteers to help run activities such as zip lines, tubing, crafts, meal time
and basic first-aid(2014). Meal time includes making sure all the children are sitting at
the table and eating all their food. Nursing student volunteers get to participate in
medication distribution for children if needed (2014). Nursing students also get the
chance to perform first-aid if needed (2014). The first-aid care would include bandages,
wrappings, and splinting if needed (2014). The Spring Hill camp provides a volunteer
experience that is fun and will leave an impact on a childs life.
Objectives as Related to Program
Ferris State University nursing program has six outcomes they expect nursing
students to apply to the service learning project. These outcomes are collaborative
leadership, theoretical base for practice, generalist nursing practice, scholarship for
practice, health care environment and professionalism. Collaborative leadership will be
applied by working with the children directly. Nursing students will be accountable for
the childrens safety. The students need to promote helmets, sunscreen and hand
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 5
washing. Theoretical base for practice and nursing generalist will be used by explaining
directions to the children in simple terms. Nursing students will demonstrate scholarship
for practice by teaching the children health promotion. Health promotion teaching will
include hand washing, life jackets and helmet use for rock climbing. The health care
environment is incorporated at Spring Hill camp because they have a separate cabin for
first aid which also can supply medications (Spring Hill, 2014). Nursing students will be
able to use previous clinical experience to help that specific cabin run smoothly.
Nursing students will demonstrate professionalism by always being polite and happy.
They will use appropriate language and critical thinking skills. Spring Hill camp is an
educational way to enhance the outcomes that Ferris State University created for the
nursing students.
Activities to Meet Objectives
Nursing students will perform various tasks with the children. The nursing
students will have a choice of working the children just during the day camp or
volunteering during the day and night at the weekend retreats (Spring Hill, 2014).
Nursing students will be in charge of checking the children in (2014). They will also give
out any medication in the morning if needed (2014). Students will be following the
children during the daily activities such as swimming, rock climbing, zip lining, tubing
and crafts (2014). The students must watch the children safety by having them wear the
appropriate safety gear. If any child gets hurt, the students will be able to perform first-
aid and call for outside help if needed (2014). Hand washing regularly can reduce the
chances of spreading of infectious germs (Drey, 2014).These germs could lead to cold,
flu, or viral infections (2014). Therefore, students should practice health promotion by
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 6
teaching children the effects of poor hand hygiene. Spring Hill camp will provide nursing
students a new experience working with children outside of a hospital setting.
Evaluation Plan
Nursing students will be evaluating themselves after every five hours of service
through their logs. The logs will connect the volunteering experience to the nursing
profession. Students can evaluate themselves by sharing the personal connection they
have with the children. They can examine the differences between how the children act,
listen to instructions, and follow safety precautions. Students can also evaluate their
teaching methods by seeing how well the children respond to their instructions.
Students may have the chance to teach the other volunteers or employees a safer way
to perform the activities. Nursing students can evaluate the amount of hand washing in
the camp by creating a log. They can log how many times they see children voluntarily
washing hands at the beginning of camp compared to after they teach the importance
hand hygiene. The main purpose of the service learning project is to make sure the
students are learning; evaluation can be a tool for students to realize all the knowledge
they gained.
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 7
Appendix A
Contact Information
Name: Terri Cramlet
Title: Volunteer Recruitment
Phone: 989-506-8246
Email: Tcramlet@Springhillcamps.com
Address: P.O box 100, Evart, MI, 49631
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 8
References
Drey, Nick, and Dinah Gould. "Preventing the spread of acute respiratory viral infections."
Nursing Standard 24.5 (2009): . General OneFile. Web. 25 Apr. 2014. Retrieved from
http://0-go.galegroup.com.libcat.ferris.edu/ps retrieve.dosgHitCountType=None
&sort=DA- SORT &inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&userGroupName=lom_ferrissu
&tabID=T002&searchId=R3&
Spring Hill (2014). Main Webpage. Spring Hill Camps. Retrived from https://www.spring
hillcamps.com/MI/about.