Enact the role of service as a professionally educated member of society
From the start of my nursing career at PLU I have been attending Delta Iota Chi. I was the only Sophomore 1 at meetings our first semester. It gave me insight into my future as I listened to the upperclassmen talk about their struggles and their triumphs. In October of 2006 I was nominated Class Representative for the Sophomore 1s. One of my first assignments as class representative was my job to alert our class about a project that Delta Iota Chi runs every Thanksgiving. Baskets filled with everything needed for a delicious Thanksgiving feast are delivered to the less fortunate . Our class decided to donate 10 baskets. Most everyone in our class pitched in something, whether it was time or money. Natasha Wills, Ashlynn Owen and I went shopping for food one rainy Sunday afternoon. 5 hours later we had everything we needed to assemble baskets!
Baskets were supposed to be delivered to the East Campus building on a Tuesday morning at 7am. Due to a scheduling conflict with our clinical we had to drop everything off by 5:30am. This required a 4:30am basket assembly party in the lobby of Ramstad. Natasha, Ashlynn and I used our considerable charms to convince plenty of our classmates to join us. We got the baskets delivered and made it to clinical on time. Rumor has it our baskets were the most extensive and most talked about baskets that year! I was/am very proud to be a part of such a great class!
In the future I expect to have many more opportunities for service endeavors and I am really excited about the prospect!
As a result of my participation in and support of the Delta Iota Chi Thanksgiving Basket Drive, I was awarded a certificate of service from the project coordinators and Delta Iota Chi which is available upon request.
I also walked in RELAY FOR LIFE on behalf of the Delta Iota Chi team and I personally raised $125 for our team.(Portfolio, 2007)
The way I define service is to give
back to my community at large but also service can be done on a case by case,
individual basis as well. Nursing lends itself to service and encourages
service as a part of practice. This
started with Florence Nightingale and has been in perpetual motion in the
nursing community ever since. As nursing students we are encouraged to serve in
any capacity that helps the greater good. During my Senior I semester we
volunteered our time at HOMELESS CONNECT. This experience was invaluable to me
as it put a face on the “homeless” issue that we have talked about in several
classes. Homeless Connect is a program put on every year in the Tacoma Dome to
serve the homeless population of Pierce County.
There are many services provided from haircuts to flu shots to dental
work to full medical checkups. My cohort Natasha and I were responsible for the
area giving HIV/AIDS testing and HEP A/B/C testing. It was a great day and as a result, I signed
up for the Medical Services Corp in order to help in the event of a disaster.
After graduation I plan to volunteer
my services to my daughter’s Fastpitch Club in terms of assessing hydration,
wrapping and minor cuts and abrasions during tournaments. I also plan to
continue to volunteer with Homeless Connect each year as well as keeping my eye
out for any other service opportunities that come my way. Pacific Lutheran University has instilled in
me the value of helping my fellow human beings and I plan to do what I can to
make my Alma Mater proud.
