Benefits of Graduate Nursing Students Participation in a Community Health Clinic

Benefits of Graduate Nursing Students Participation in a Community Health Clinic.

 Description of clinic

The Parkview Medical Clinic (PMC) is a branch of the Parkview Outreach Community Center (POCC) which is located at 1205 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Haines City, Florida.  PMC is an independent nondenominational faith-based, not-for-profit organization offering free medical services to uninsured and underinsured residents of Polk County (under 200% of poverty level).  PMC began providing limited medical services in February 2009 using several volunteer medical providers who saw the need in the local community. 

The building that currently houses the clinic was built by Parkview Christian Center at the request of medical providers and community volunteers who had been delivering free medical services, twice a month, under an oak tree in the Oakland Community in Haines City.  After a year of operation with a part time volunteer leader, the Board of Directors for POCC requested funding from the Parkview Christian Center to hire a consultant and part time staff member to pursue funding through grants and contracts.  The church provided temporary funding, through a loan, which resulted in obtaining a $100,000 grant from the Polk Health Care Plan in late 2010 and a three-year $100,000 grant from the Florida Blue Foundation in early 2011.  POCC has also received grants from the Community Foundation of Central Florida and smaller donations from several local churches. 

Grant funds have been used to hire two full-time staff members, purchase medical supplies and equipment, and support operating expenses. Full-time staff members are a Clinic Administrator/ARNP and a Medical Assistant as well as a part-time bookkeeper.  Staff works with many volunteer physicians, ARNPs and nurses as well as non-medical volunteers who assist with administrative functions. POCC is managed by a nine-member Board of Directors representing a wide variety of professions; the Board provides expert advice and recommendations on the operations, goals and mission of the organization.

Meeting CCNE requirements/Masters Essentials

 

Since 2013, PMC has been a clinical site for a handful of local and national universities’ nurse practitioner programs.  NP students fulfil their clinical requirements by taking medical histories, examining patients, making differential diagnoses, and creating a plan of care. The plan includes treatments, diagnostic services, and SOAP notes, under the direct supervision of the clinical preceptor who then evaluates the students according to their individual university’s protocol.

The students are taught to collaborate with other members of the health care team

Student Clinic Experience

 

For the Fiscal Year 2014-2015, PMC provided a primary care (medical home) for 1,960 patients; 511 of these were new patient’s visits.  Two hundred forty of those visits were considered emergency room aversions.  Top diagnoses include:  Diabetes Mellitus, hypertension, asthma, hypercholesteremia, hyper/hypothyroidism, depression and dermatological issues.  The demographics of PMC’s patient population offer exposure to risk factors and cultural mores common to different ethnic groups. Following is one students’ statement:

            “As a Nurse Practitioner student, I had the privilege of doing two clinical rotations at PMC.  The first day on site, I was extremely impressed by the care provided by the Staff.  The patient population seen at Parkview is diverse.  The care each individual receives is culturally based and patient centered.  The Clinic treats the acute medical needs of the uninsured in the (Polk) county and also manages the chronic conditions/diseases many of these people have.  Every patient at the clinic is treated holistically and their medical needs as well as any psychosocial concerns are incorporated into the care they receive.  Nurse Practitioner students are empowered to learn and make the transition from the nursing model to the medical model.”

Equilla Cherry, Florida Southern College NP Student

 Conclusion

The experiences provided by clinics, such as PMC, exemplify foundational principles for which Nurse Practitioners are educated: Providing health care to people who do not have access to health care, for whatever reason. Providers and students are challenged to find solutions and concrete answers to basic human physical and psychological needs often using services created by other philanthropic entities, governmental services, or private sector providers.