Essay Sample on Volunteer Nurse Gives Back to Community: Homeless Health Education Program

Introduction

Volunteer services to the homeless has always been my fascination and a chance to give back to the community as a practicing nurse. From a young age I have always wanted to be part of something bigger than myself in the community within my professional area of nursing. It was only two years ago when I realized this goal after a colleague introduced me to the hospital homeless shelters health education program that acts as an extension of the hospital to offer volunteer education in the community. The program operates over the weekend a time I used wrongly by pursuing hobbies that were not beneficial in the long term such as watching Netflix films and reading adventure books. For 24 months now I have been actively in the homeless healthcare education volunteer program which has significantly changed my personality and my orientation in life. The volunteer activities to the homeless shelters involve group activities with like-minded nurses every Saturday where we visit a homeless shelter within the community and offer health education which ranges from sanitation, reproductive health education, and diabetes management. Through the network my resolve and responsibility as a nurse has improved which has also been key towards improving my engagement with patients. Thousands of homeless individuals today are able to observe correct sanitation, proper diabetes management and reproductive health especially for women which has been instrumental in improving their health care outcomes and overall wellbeing (Naylor, Mundle, Weaks, & Buck, 2013). This has significantly supplemented the government efforts in providing health to the homeless who are significantly affected due to the lack of insurance cover and the high cost of care in the United States. In the future, I would love to run a volunteer organization focused on providing diabetes care management education to the homeless due to the high number of the homeless people living with diabetes.

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Benefits of Engaging in Volunteer Health Education

Despite a busy schedule and other social responsibilities that comes with life there is are numerous benefits of getting involved in public health education volunteering. Volunteering in public health education goes a long way in helping the needy access health knowledge that they are not in the financial capacity to access due to lack of insurance covers and incomes. Therefore, I have found my volunteer engagement to provide healthcare education to the homeless worthwhile. The following are the core benefits of health education volunteering;

Volunteering Improves Critical Thinking

Volunteering as a health care provider to the needy in the society helps one to have different perspectives on social problems in relation to health. In career development, having a broad mind and perspectives acquired through volunteer activities improves one's overall decision making capabilities and care outcomes (Clark, 2017).

Volunteering Increases Career and Social Connection to other People

Volunteering activities in healthcare has been known to increase the overall ability to engage and interact with people in a common line of career as well as connect with other people. Social connection is instrumental in one's overall psychological well-being (Clark, 2017). Social connection during volunteer work in a cultural diverse population improves one's cultural competence which is an important element in improving cultural competence application in one's formal practice. Besides, one's acquire important skills of relating with patients in a formal setting an element key in improving the overall patient experience.

Volunteering is Fun and Fulfilling

Volunteering involves engaging activities that are greater than one self which is fun and also improves life fulfillment. Volunteering provides opportunities to engage and interact with different type of people and situations which promotes personal and career growth (Clark, 2017). Generally, my decision to engage in volunteer health education to the homeless has brought more benefits and general fulfillment and given me an opportunity in engaging in an activity greater than myself.

References

Clark, M. A. (2017). Hoping to help: the promises and pitfalls of global health volunteering. Cornell University ILR School. Retrieved from https://read.dukeupress.edu/jhppl/article-abstract/42/2/409/13918

Naylor, C., Mundle, C., Weaks, L., & Buck, D. (2013). Volunteering in health and care. Securing a sustainable future. The King's Fund 2013. Retrieved from https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/field/field_publication_file/volunteering-in-health-and-social-care-kingsfund-mar13.pdf