Community Service Proposal 1 Running header: COMMUNITY SERVICE PROPOSAL FOR THE UNINSURED

Community Service Proposal: Providing Health Care to the Uninsured Elizabeth McManus Ferris State University

Community Service Proposal 2 Abstract I have chosen this Community Service Learning Program to offer my skills as an RN to the Community Free Clinic. This proposal focuses on helping the community of the uninsured in Petoskey, Michigan. In this service learning proposal I have given an explanation of the activities and the responsibilities that I will provide for the clinic. It also explains my expected learning experiences and its benefits to the community. Information about the clinic and how to contact them is also available.

Community Service Proposal 3 Community Service Proposal: Providing Health Care to the Uninsured The purpose of this Service Learning Project is to offer a service to the community while having the opportunity for personal and professional growth. I will participate at The Community Free Clinic affiliated with the Northern Michigan regional hospital by offering my skills as an RN. I will continue to work on this project throughout the course of the Bachelors of Science of Nursing program at Ferris State University. Agency I plan to volunteer at the community free clinic where medical care is offered to people with little or no insurance. Those eligible for this clinic must have an income less than 225% of the Federal Poverty guidelines. The clinic is staffed by professional and lay volunteers and is supported by donations. It is open from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday for scheduled office visits and the walk in clinic is open Wednesday evenings between 5-630pm. The clinic also offers additional hours on Mondays from 1-5pm by appointment only for those who work on Wednesday evenings. Basic medical services are provided, while many specialty services not available. Volunteer Role My role at the free clinic will be professional, utilizing the skills I have obtained as a nurse in a step-down cardiac unit at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City. As an RN, at the community free clinic I will be participating in patient assessments, carrying out orders and educating patients on relevant health issues. I will work with both professional and lay volunteers to accomplish the mission statement of the facility: Committed to compassionate care. I will volunteer on Wednesday nights from 5-6:30pm throughout the course of this program.

Community Service Proposal 4 Objectives and Activities I would like to educate these patients on nutrition, smoking cessation, and the importance of exercise while treating their current illness. This service learning will benefit the community by utilizing a nurse without using the resources to pay an RN salary. The donation of my skills will provide the community with a professional and new perspective along with specialized skills in cardiology. I anticipate my activities to be somewhat the same as a bedside nursing admission with the exceptions of more wide-ranging medical issues. Learning Experience I expect to experience nursing in an environment different than the one that I have become proficient at. I would like to become skilled in procedure that I do not have the opportunity to do in my current position (for example lab draws). I would like to be exposed to a more broad spectrum of health issues and it is my hope that this will be fulfilled in my experience. Another goal is to learn to use critical thinking on a different level, possibly with the initial care of a patient (before admission to the hospital). This community service will give me the knowledge about the resources my community offers. Most of all I feel that I will benefit from this service learning by the simple act of giving. Evaluation I would like to have my peers and preceptors evaluate me and the progress I make during the time I volunteer at the community free clinic. One of the most important evaluations will be my own, considering I will be able to evaluate most accurately if my objective are met.

Community Service Proposal 5 Agency Contact Information Community Free Clinic Micky 820 Arlington-Suite 6 Petoskey, Michigan 49770 Phone: 231-487-3600 Email: nkenny@northernhealth.org