Running head: COMPLETED SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT 1

Your name:

Tiebe Michael Green

Date:

12/11//2017

Discussion of completed service learning project:

The Community service learning project that I had selected to take part in was the Community of
Prince Williams County and the epidemic or the crisis over opioids addiction. Community
organizations provide multiple state funded health services to approximately 513,000 residents
with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Increase number of drug users: The county lost 46
residents over opioid overdose in 2016, As this is also a national problem this sudden increase is a
burden for the healthcare system as it impacts Ambulance services, Rehabilitation services,
Hospitals and police departments (Dart, 2015). The service that was extended out was on October
21, 2017 to bring awareness to the community regarding overdose and signs and symptoms of
addiction from opioids by CCI health clinic. An informational table was set out at the front of the
shopping center where families of different back ground shop. Educational pamphlets were handed
out along with conversations that concentrated on the signs and symptoms of addiction, it included
what a loved one can do a phone number was provided by the clinic for those that wanted to attend
the community sessions. Part of the other half of the service was on October 22nd which focused
more on a conference that was held by Inova health systems with VA safe hospitals association
which I got a chance through my job that focused on medication safety and opioid crisis that the
health care system is facing. It showed the number of fatalities due to overdose and the amount of
patients that are seen in the ED monthly from one hospitals data. The education was provided to
clinicians in the community that take part in first hand patient care, it also involved area EMS
transporters, Police officers regarding opioid emergency management. The discussion that narcan
will be provided over the counter and what that will mean to the health care system was also
discussed. Education was provided regarding new upcoming drugs that could prevent addiction in
the future time as a long term plan.

Evaluation of the selected intervention:

COMPLETED SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT 2

The service plan of fighting the crisis of opioids addiction was one of the very important epidemic
of our time therefore knowing that 11% of Prince Williams county residents could face addiction
overdose is a very scary number for one community (Dart, 2015). With a little bit more resources
for the group and better weather for the shoppers (to aid people to stop by the table), I believe we
could have reached the identified goal. The service that was provided at the shopping center the
aim was to have at least 40 people stop and have an educational session for 5 minutes handing the
pamphlets and briefly explaining to them the signs and symptoms of addiction and what to do as a
family member or friend. The group had 23 people that stopped for a full session and 47 people
that took only informational pamphlets but not discussions. Even though I expected more people to
show that they wanted to know we had more people that only stopped for information but not full
conversation. This service showed me the need for more awareness of the opioid crisis by the
public.

Discuss how this project contributed to professional collaboration & community engagement:

The community service of fighting the crisis of opioids specially in Prince Williams County was a
collaboration of community leaders and health services. The community leaders needed to see the
need for this epidemic and for the fight to decrease the fatalities that occur due to overdose on
opioids. Many professionals from different practice back grounds were involved in making the
conference a success. There was one scientist that spoke regarding new oncoming medication that
could possibly stop the addiction effect of opioids. The more clinicians and doctors are also aware
of the data and the evidence it will be easier to change practice accordingly. The involvement of
everyone was very important in fighting this epidemic of opioid addictions. The fact that EMS
transporters, police, Doctors, Nurses, Therapist all discussing this epidemic shows that
collaboration is needed among all aspects to engage the community and fight this crisis.
On the other part of the community service it directly involved the community as the goal was to
reach out and educate or create awareness of addiction signs and symptoms. The direct
conversation and watching the reaction of the people we spoke with that had no idea that one of
the leading causes of death in Prince Williams County is drug overdose. Working with the
community clinic and see the collaboration it takes between the community leaders and the
community health clinic was important factor to the contribution of this project to professional
collaboration and community engagement.

Reference:

Dart, R. C., Surratt, H. L., Cicero, T. J., Parrino, M. W., Severtson, S. G., Bucher-Bartelson, B., &
Green, J. L. (2015). Trends in opioid analgesic abuse and mortality in the United States. N Engl J
Med, 2015(372), 241-248.

Ruan, X., Luo, J. J., Kaye, A. M., & Kaye, A. D. (2017). Nonmedical use of prescription opioids
is associated with heroin initiation among US veterans. Addiction, 112(4), 727-728.