Felicia's Service Learning Blog Entry 1

How would you describe in detail your service learning site?

           The facility that I have chosen for my service learning site is Good Samaritan Clinic in Fort Smith, Arkansas. The clinic is a faith-based healthcare ministry that provides healthcare for the homeless and uninsured low-income working persons and their families. Services available include primary healthcare services, prescriptions, eye examinations, gynecological services, and patient education programs.

            Good Samaritan Clinic charges fees based on a sliding scale with average charge of $5-$7 (maximum of $35), and no person is turned away if unable to pay for services.The clinic is funded by donations from local individuals, churches, and businesses. Healthcare services are provided by physicians, residents physicians, and nurse practitioners from AHEC Fort Smith. There are also professional services provided by local healthcare professionals on a voluntary basis.

What is it about the community partner that calls you to work with them?
         
          My first experiences at Good Samaritan Clinic occured in 2008 during my nurse practioner clinicals in my master's program. My NP preceptor (Dr. Landis) was performing services through AHEC Fort Smith. I learned much from the patients and their families during my time spent at the clinic. My heart warmed each and every time that I entered the facility and saw the smiles on the faces of the staff and patients at the clinic. There is such hope and faith exhibited at the clinic.

           When I learned that I was going to perform service learning in my doctoral program, I immediately thought of Good Samaritan Clinic. My NP preceptor was still working at AHEC and performing services at Good Samaritan Clinic. She agreed to once again become my clinical preceptor. I truly am blessed to have such a wonderful person as my preceptor. Dr. Landis is a PhD-prepared FNP who has many years of clinical experience. She is a terrific role model and caring person.

             When I think of expressing what my passion is for choosing this facility and my purpose for being here, I have only to look at the mission statement of the Good Samaritan Clinic.

Good Samaritan Clinic is an ecumenical healthcare ministry, which seeks to reclaim the biblical and historical committment of the church to care for the poor. With the volunteer services of health care professionals, along with the Good Samaritan Clinic staff and volunteers, the Clinic provides on-site affordable health care for the working poor, children, the elderly, and the homeless. The Clinic cares for the whole person by providing not only medical care but counseling, health education, and preventive care. It reaches out to the entire community by providing and encouraging healthy lifestyles and disease prevention. 
http://good-sam-clinic.net/good-samaritan-clinic/mission-statement/

             Because I am an advanced practice nurse and a nurse educator, my passion is nursing and teaching students and patients. Health promotion strategies encourage improved care outcomes and enhance quality of life. I could not think of a more appropriate site for my service learning experiences than Good Samaritan Clinic.

What are you currently doing with this organization and how do you see it evolving as you sustain your commitment with them?

              My role in this service learning experience is an active one. I am collaborating with my DNP preceptor to provide health education services at the clinic. I have spent about 4 hours this semester at the clinic site and have perfomed literature searches on providing healthcare for the homeless and uninsured client populations. After a preliminary needs assessment, there is a great need for diabetic education services at the clinic. I am working on identifying what teaching methods would best serve the patients at the clinic. There are also opportunities for me to volunteer my services as an FNP to provide healthcare services as well.

             For my future plans, I am collaborating with the clinic and the University of Arkansas Fort Smith to provide clinical experiences at Good Samaritan Clinic for undergraduate nursing students. I see this as a way to truly serve in a capacity that would fulfill a longitudinal service learning committment to the clinic. I would like to have this implemented in the fall 2011 semester.

God bless and talk with you later!

Felicia