My service learning experience was spent studying abroad in Donegal, Ireland. My course, HNRS 396: Study Abroad: Global Health and Ireland, was spent learning about the public health and social constructs in northern Ireland. This experience included bring American methods of managing health to the rural area of Donegal. For example, my group focused on teaching the individuals at Ionad Naomh Padraig how to manage their blood sugar and blood pressure. We conducted this by performing ankle/brachial pressure testing in order to teach the community how to identify arterial blockages. Further, we toured the community to see how the social climate influences physical, emotional, and mental issues.

Provide an example of a service learning project in which you set a goal and achieved it in collaboration with others from within the community. What parties were involved? Why? What need was being addressed? Reflect on how you developed a plan, worked with others, resolved issues, and used responsible decision-making in order to to pursue this goal. What might you do differently when faced with a similar situation in the future? Include a PDF of this project

My service learning project included developing a lesson plan to teach to different age groups. This lesson plan displayed the benefits of eating healthy and being aware of one’s blood sugar and blood pressure. The parties that were involved included the professors of the nursing program as well as the TA for the assigned course. The need that was being addressed is the high cholesterol, fat, and sugar content of the traditional Irish diet. I developed my plan by consistently meeting with my group partners and developing a flexible plan through google docs. My group had issues surrounded around time constraints. We worked through the problems by understanding that some audiences may not need to view the whole lesson. If I were faced with a similar situation I would continue to analyze the climate of the group that I am presenting to. I would also focus on the overall goal, which is education.

I have included a PDF of the lesson plan. 

Reflect on your service learning course by discussing how lectures, assignments, and experiences had you explore and analyze civic issues. Provide specific examples and your views of those experiences.

My service learning course helped me analyze civic issues by understanding the policies and legislation of health. In the U.K. there is standardized health care that offers assistance to a majority of the country’s people. Over 80% of patients have some sort of health insurance. On the other hand, the United States has health issues that have caused for many people to be without insurance and endure harsh payments for services and medications. Furthermore, I have been able to view the struggles between the U.K and the Republic of Ireland that affect health care. I saw that the struggle to find adequate health management is universal. There is no perfect system. However, different countries can learn from one another to better the care for their communities.