N479 Professional Activity Evaluation Form

Your Name: Morgan Postal Date of Activity: 11/19 and 11/21/19 Faculty name: Linda Perez
Describe the community service/professional activity/s you attended or participated with

(be specific about the purpose and your role):

This semester I attended a cookie baking and gave a presentation to elderly members of a

local church. At this event, I educated about ways to stay healthy during the winter including tips

on diet, exercise, and socialization. Following the presentation, I took vitals and baked cookies

with them to promote socialization. I also attended a professionally led advanced cardiovascular

life support (ACLS) class. In this class I functioned as a student in mock codes, did EKG rhythm

interpretation and passed a certification exam.

Where was this held and what was program/activity length?
The cookie baking activity was located at Oro Valley United Church of Christ and was four

hours long. The ACLS class was located in a CPR certification office and was five hours long.
Discuss the value of this experience to you (be specific).
The cookie baking activity was of great personal value to me. I found it humbling that

something as mundane as baking cookies could give these elderly individuals so much needed

socialization and enjoyment. I am honestly not sure how much they got out of the educational

portion of the day, however I feel that my spending time with them and listening to their stories

did a lot to lift their spirits. I left the church feeling proud that I was able to make someone else

happy. The ACLS class was of great professional value to me as I learned about pathways of

disease and disease management that I will encounter in my future as an RN. While I have never

been in a code in the hospital, it was something that scared me. I was not sure if I was smart

enough to know what to do if someone were to decompensate. After completing this course, I

realized that this BSN program has more than adequately prepared me for life as a nurse, I will

know what to do, and that I do have what it takes. I will enter clinical spaces in the future not

with trepidation but confidence that if and when a code does happen, I will respond effectively.
How would you continue to use this experience throughout your nursing career?
 In regards to cookie baking, I will continue to ask my patients about themselves and

allow them to share as much or as little as they want to. Not only will the sharing of my patients

build trust between the two of us, but much like the elderly individuals at the church, it will keep

them engaged and socialized. In the hospital and especially and ICU setting, socialization is

decreased for both patients and family members. Keeping this in mind, I will provide care that

increases the amount of socialization that they get. In regards to the ACLS class, I know that I

will continue to use my assessment skills on EKGs in every setting I work and feel more

comfortable than ever analyzing rhythms. Additionally, as I prepare to be an ICU nurse, I know

that I will be exposed many types of codes in the hospital. As I continue as a nurse, I will use the

assessment and treatment protocols that I learned in this ACLS class to care for my patients.
Would you recommend this specific communnity/professional experience in the future; why

or why not? (Describe)

I would recommend both activities to students in the future. The cookie baking was fun, tasty,

and I did a lot to care for someone emotionally. Taking vitals was something exciting for the

audience that they felt connected to and engaged in. I would also recommend taking an ACLS

class to expand your clinical understanding of acute situations, and to refresh your basic life

support skills. I would also recommend the class for the confidence that was gained.
Brochure or proof of attendance obtained if applicable? Yes
Signature on validation of clinical hours form obtained? No