2. Service Learning Denise Montero Ferris State University

3. Agency Description  Reverence Home Health & Hospice in Grand Blanc, MI provides care, state-wide through the Michigan Health Ministries of Ascension Health – Borgess Health, Genesys Health System, St. John Providence, St. Joseph Health System and St. Mary’s of Michigan.  Home Health Services  Hospice Services  Infusion Services  Grief Support (Reverence, 2014).

4. Volunteer Role  Hospice Volunteer:  Provide companionship,  Provide respite for family caregivers  Running errands  Support for individuals at home or in a long term care facility  Administrative assistance

5. Critical Reflection  Giving my time at Reverence Home Health and Hospice has allowed me to meet the following RN to BSN program outcomes:  Collaborative Leadership - Working with other disciplines as a team towards a common goal.  Professionalism - My research and leadership skills that have developed during the course of the RN to BSN program have supported my ability to work as an individual as well as in the group setting.  Generalist Nursing Practice - Organize the interdisciplinary health care needs of diverse populations (FSU, 2011).

6. Synthesis  FSU has four criteria related to the service learning project (FSU, 2011). They are:  Develop a plan for volunteer service. Completed in conjunction with Reverence Home Health & Hospice  Provide a health-related service to a community in need. 20 hours of community service completed at Genesys Convalescent Center in their hospice wing.  Work with FSU faculty to create the volunteer experience. Completed as directed and approved by Dana Lehmann, instructor at Ferris State University, as well as Loraine Travis, director of Reverence Home Health and Hospice.  Complete a capstone assignment that reflects on the project and personal growth. Completed through the service learning experience at Reverence Home Health and Hospice.

7. Recommendations  As nurses, we do our best to treat our patients with the goal of wellness in mind; however, recognizing and accepting that wellness may not happen is often a difficult concept to accept (for both patient and health care provider). Volunteering with hospice has given me the personal satisfaction and fulfillment knowing that I have made a difference in someone's life. It has made me a more well-rounded nurse and I feel privileged knowing that I provided care and companionship for someone when they needed it the most. To be invited into the last months, weeks, and days of a person's life is an honor and a privilege. I would recommend a hospice volunteer opportunity to anyone in the health- care field.

8. References Ferris State University (FSU). (2011). BSN program outcomes. (2011, January). Retrieved from: http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/colleges/alliedhe/Nursing /BSN-program-outcomes.htm Reverence. (2014). About reverence. Reverence Home Health and Hospice. Retrieved from: http://reverencehomehealth.org/