Running head: SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 1

Service Learning Proposal

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Megan Lammers
Ferris State University















SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 2

Abstract
This service learning proposal outlines what this program requirement entails. This service
learning project requires us, as nursing students, to go out into the community to make a
difference. I have chosen to work with the Child Life specialist at the Helen DeVos Children's
Hospital. As a weekly volunteer I will be working with patients as well as their families to
improve their stay at the hospital. This paper covers the agency information as well as the
contact information for the agency I am working with. Also this paper describes what I will be
doing as a volunteer and what I hope to gain from this service.











SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 3

INTRODUCTION
This Service Learning project is a requirement for the bachelors nursing program
designed to enhance learning. The service learning project is composed of 60-63 hours; these
hours involve orientation with the agency, 30 hours of onsite work, prep for the service learning
fair and finally a poster presentation. The purpose of this paper is to propose to our instructor the
description of our service learning project. This paper will also contain the contact form without
agency we have chosen to work with.
AGENCY DESCRIPTION
The agency I will be working with is within the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. I will
be working with the Child Life Specialist as a volunteer. A few things the Child Life specialist
do is "minimize fear and stress experienced by children, teens and their families throughout their
hospital experiences, encourage developmentally appropriate therapeutic play activities, and
support parents and caregivers by encouraging their participation in their child's health care"
(Child Life Services, n.d).
VOLUNTEER ROLE DESCRIBED
As a volunteer I will work three hours a week, I will help to provide children with toys or
crafts to do to make coping with the hospitalization or diagnosis easier. I will be working on the
General Inpatient pediatric floors as well as the PICU and Inpatient Hematology/Oncology floors
when volunteers are needed. During my orientation the importance of play was discussed. "Play
is the primary modality of a child life program because it is both familiar and reassuring for
children. Experts state that play is believed to be used by children as a means of reducing anxiety
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 4

produced by stressful conditions (Echiler, 2006). I look forward to interacting and playing with
children of all ages from week to week.
OBJECTIVES AS R/T PROGRAM
I hope by doing this service learning project that I can learn ways to interact with children
in hospital settings, I hope with working with children going through many different treatments
or diseases it will allow me to become familiar with, and be able to approach, each situation with
some experience in the future. Also I would like to be able to gain some knowledge with the
hospital since I hope to work there in the future. With my service as a child life volunteer I hope
to benefit the community in improving children's visits to the hospital in a positive way. I hope
to allow the visit to the hospital to be the best it can be by supporting the parents and helping
children with bedside activities. Lastly the program outcomes for the bachelors nursing program
include collaboration and an advocate for improving health care within health care environments.
With my service learning project I hope to be able to collaborate with other health care personnel
to improve patient's health within their hospital stay through play (BSN Program Outcome,
2013).
ACTIVITES TO MEET OBJECTIVES
Activities I anticipate I will do week to week are offering parent breaks to allow parents
to leave the room to go grab some food or take a walk, also getting them things such as a
toothbrush or a warm blanket or coffee, anything they need to help allow them to cope with
being in the hospital better. Many parents spend hours to days in their child's hospital room so
helping them is important to. Activities I anticipate to do when it comes to working directly with
SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 5

children would be bringing craft or games to the children's bedside and also bring children to the
playroom if they are able to leave their room.
EVALUATION PLAN
I will evaluate my own learning week to week by simply interacting with the children in
all different stages of disease. I will evaluate my effects of service on the community if I am able
to see a difference in the experiences families have while at the hospital. If I can brighten a
child's day I have made a difference. I could also evaluate my effect on the community by asking
parents if they have noticed a difference in their child's healing when child life volunteers have
been involved.
AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION/ INSTRUCTOR APPROVAL
The volunteer coordinator the deals with all the child life volunteers is Jody Ringnalda.
She has filled out a contact form that I have attached in Appendix A. Jody Ringnalda is a Child
Life Specialist as well as the Volunteer coordinator. Her phone number is (616) 267-6010, e-mail
is jody.ringnalda@helendevoschildrens.org. Her address is Helen DeVos Children's Hospital,
Child Life Department MC 237, 100 Michigan SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503.







SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 6

References
BSN Program Outcomes (2013). In Ferris State University Nursing School. Retrieved April 25,
2014, from http://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/colleges/alliedhe/Nursing/SON-Organizing-
Framework-2013.pdf
Child Life Services (n.d.). In Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. Retrieved April 22, 2014, from
http://www.helendevoschildrens.org/ChildLife
Echiler, J. (2006, October 4). Child Life Services. In Pediatrics Child Life Counsil. Retrieved
April 22, 2014, from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/4/1757.full#sec-2



















SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 7

Appendix A
SERVICE LEARNING AGENCY CONTACT FORM
Agency Name:___Child Life Services at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital_________
Contact Person:____Jody Ringnalda_____________________________
Contact Phone :____(616) 267-6010_____________________
Contact Email:___jody.ringnalda@helendevoschildrens.org___________
Contact Address: Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Child Life Derpartment MC
100 Michigan SE
Grand Rapids MI
49503

Description of Agency and Type of Service Learning Student will be engaged in:
As a Child Life volunteer I will facilitate activities for the patients, such as crafts or games. Support the
parents by offering breaks or refreshments. I will be able to supply the patients with movies, computers,
arts and crafts, and board games. I will be working on the General Inpatient pediatric floors as well as
the PICU and Inpatient Hematology/Oncology floors.
Signature of Agency Representative (Agreeing to student volunteer):

Jody Ringnalda
Printed or typed name


Signature


SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 8

SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL RUBRIC
STUDENT NAME_______________________SITE__________________

POINTS POSSIBLE 50 POINTS EARNED
INTRODUCTION Introduce assignment.
Purpose of paper, 5
AGENCY DESCRIPTION What is role of
agency, not just name? Should be sourced. 5
VOLUNTEER ROLE DESCRIBED What will
you do or how will this be determined? 5
OBJECTIVES AS R/T PROGRAM What do
you hope to learn or how will you benefit AND 5
how will your service benefit the community?
ACTIVITIES TO MEET OBJECTIVES What
specifically do you anticipate your activities 5
will be?
EVALUATION PLAN How will you evaluate
your own learning and the effects of your 5
activities on the community?
AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION /
INSTRUCTOR APPROVAL Include all 5
pertinent information for contact. Name, title,
phone, street address, email


SERVICE LEARNING PROPOSAL 9

REFERENCES:
The following areas should be addressed and
a reference included to support each:
Support for agency information
Role of service learning in professional 5
education . Support for planned outcomes is there
evidence that the activities positively influence
the outcomes desired?

APA /Writing including:
Title page w/ running head, Abstract, Margins, 10
Headers, Headings, References, Sentence
Structure, Grammar, Punctuation, Typos &
clarity of ideas.

TOTAL POINTS OVERALL 50