Service Learning Blog Entry 2

Final Summary

My experiences with Early Childhood Partnerships of Adams County (ECPAC) and Mile High United Way (MHUW)have been tremendous over the past 22 months. The preschool referral and tracking system has evolved through many stages while I was working with these groups. The first service learning hours involved learning about the objectives of the initial grant funded project and producing ideas about how to implement the system. We formed partnerships with agencies and organizations around the county. We chose our underserved pediatric preschool population. At this time my capstone project also emerged as a result of statements made by organizational members throughout Adams County. The members (nurses, dentists, doctors, social workers, mental health workers) stated they always hear about the objectives for these grants but never have any concrete outcomes. This is when I realized I could latch onto this grant project and transform it into a project with measureable, evidence based outcomes.

During the second stage of the project, we iniated ideas about how to implement the referral and tracking system. We pulled all of our agencies and preschools together and implemented the system. A data collection system was also set up. During the final service learning hours, data was collected and finalized to be presented to the ECPAC committee and MHUW this summer.

The grant funded portion of the project will continue for the next 2 years. They will continue to collect data about healthcare access. The ECPAC members feel the partnership with a Regis DNP student has pushed them miles ahead of their expected deadlines for their project goals. ECPAC is looking to continue partnerships with students from Regis University. I plan to continue to help ECPAC with data collection over the next several years. I am committed to improving healthcare access for our youth. Additionally, I plan to continue my partnership with several other non-profit organizations that I worked with and develop other projects for the underserved adolescent population that I now serve working in a school based health center.

As an educated, privileged citizen in our society, what is your role in creating a society rooted in equality and justice? Do you feel you have a responsibility and why or why not?

As an educated citizen I believe my first role is continued advocacy for the underserved populations. Specifically, my role is to promote advocacy for healthcare equality in the pediatric population. This means continued support and political involvement to advocate for health care access and prevention of chronic illnesses. The DNP program and service learning assignment have made me realize now more than ever, that I do have a responsibility to advocate for social justice in healthcare every day. I have a responsibility because I am now equipped with the knowledge and tools to improve outcomes for these populations.

What have you learned about yourself and what are your future plans?

I have learned that I am deeply committed to the health and well-being of the underserved pediatric population. I have also learned that I have a new responsibility to promote healthcare equality, something that I did not feel responsible for before entering the DNP program. I have also learned that advocacy, education, and role modeling evidence based practice is a way to practice, not just a skill to apply now and then. My future plans are to continue this mission for the pediatric underserved population in the Jesuit High School Based Health Clinic where I am currently employed. I discovered I want this passion to be a part of my life everyday, not just something I do a few hours a month!

It was great working with you all!
Joanna