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LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT

Summative Service Learning Reflection


NUR 4144 Professional Role Development: Servant Leadership
Browning Dailey
March 20, 2015

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Summative Service Learning Reflection
In the beginning of starting the nursing program here at Bon Secours I didn't really have
any expectations for service learning. In fact I had no idea that was part of the program or part of
the nursing profession. Therefore, Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing exceeded my
expectations by providing me with several opportunities and experiences that gave me a
perspective into the needs of the surrounding communities. My experiences included Brook
Road YMCA preschool Headstart program, Fan Free Clinic, and Richmond's Feedmore
organization Community kitchen. The surrounding community has many needs. The ones that
stood out to me most through these experiences are the basic needs for nourishment, love, and
security. As we all know through Maslow's hierarchy those of us who can not achieve these basic
needs may never make it to self actualization. Through community service programs such as
these, we can help community members meet basic needs and reach their highest potential in
return creating a better community.
The children at the YMCA needed structure and supervision but also they needed love and
nurturing physically and emotionally. The group of children that I worked with was part of the
Head Start Program, reserved for underprivileged children. Many of the children were not
getting discipline or guidance from home and showing evidence of this in their behaviors at
school. I saw children with little respect for their teachers and rules along with very aggressive
behaviors towards their peers. I did not expect the children to be as aggressive and violent as
they were. The needs of this population involve guidance, discipline, acceptance, and
encouragement. These children need good role models. The activities I did with them supported
initiative and encouraged creativity to help enhance the mental health of the children. This

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experience reinforced my ideas that this population needs a lot of intervening to help the youth
cope with the crises of poverty, changing environments, and lack of parental guidance.
My culture and experiences in life are very sheltered from what I experienced at the Fan
Free Clinic. To my surprise the people were actually very nice to us and appreciated our help and
generosity. I saw several people with hospital bracelets on indicating there recent
hospitalizations. Most of them were poorly groomed and had little to no teeth. They were not
very educated either. They had many health issues along with the wonder of how they would get
their next meal. I could see the camaraderie between them and the support system they had
managed to make for each other regarding their HIV and mental health status. I feel like the Fan
Free Clinic gives this population an excellent opportunity to gather together and care for each
other. At the same time they are helping to nourish this populations bodies and souls with good
food, love, and kindness.
My experience at Feedmore Community Kitchen was somewhat different from the others
because I was not exposed directly to the population I was serving. Instead I was given a brief
education by the volunteer coordinators about the populations I would be impacting with help in
preparing meals. I was suprised to find that 1 in 7 people living in central Virginia is in fact
hungry. The community kitchen prepares and packages meals for home bound seniors, people
living in food deserts, and kids of low income families. I found this service activity to be very
relevant to the needs of this community. Basic needs come first, if one cannot nourish their body,
how can they do anything else? Again, the pillar to self actualization and better communities
starts with basic needs. Feedmore Richmond is such a great organization, because they can
partner with local corporations and individual volunteers to really make a community change.

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Organizations like Feedmore give us all an opportunity to give back to our local community and
feel like a part of something big.
My concept of service before beginning nursing school included helping out at my
church and my kids school.My experiences described above have given me a foundation of
knowledge about the local community needs that I can build upon. Since I have been exposed to
many new populations, most of them vulnerable in more than one way, I have expanded my
concept of serving. I am now more comfortable realizing the needs in the local areas and how I
can help address and resolve those needs. Two important principles of servant leadership I have
come to know in the past three years are commitment to the growth of people and community
building (Neill, Saunders, 2008). Serving in the community encompasses these principles and
one has to really believe in them in order to make a difference in the lives of others. If I can serve
and hold true to these principles, then I can change the lives of others and increase the likelihood
of positive community outcomes.
Civic engagement is just what it states, engaging in the civic or community for a more
understandable term. My idea of civic engagement includes knowing the local community and its
surrounding populations. Realizing what the needs are and how those needs are being addressed
through government agency as well as private organizations. As a nurse it is almost our civic
duty to be educated on what populations we are serving and what the health deficits of the
population are. Nurses serve as leaders in bridging the gap between local health disparity and
wellness for all. I plan to stay engaged in the local community by practicing servant leadership as
a nurse and an individual. I will remain current on knowledge of the healthcare reform and how
it is effecting the local community. I will become involved in community awareness groups and
serve on committees to promote wellness and prevent illness. I will continue to seek out ways to

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volunteer my time and efforts to increase achievement of basic needs and contribute to a great
society.

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References
Neill, M., & Saunders, N. (2008). Servant leadership enhancing quality of care and staff
satisfaction. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 38(9), 395-400.

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