Service Learning Blog Entry 1 - Midterm Entry Summer 2011

Well here we are in our second semester of service learning opportunities. I have chosen to remain at the same site where I performed the service learning hours in the spring semester. It has been a very hectic time so far this semester but I am enjoying all of the learning opportunities that have been prompted through service learning. I have had meetings with the executive director of the clinic, the clinic nurse, and my DNP clinical mentor in order to develop ongoing objectives for my service learning. I have offered one diabetic education class so far this semester and enjoyed the engagement with the clients who attended the class. I am looking forward to additional educational offerings at the clinic.

The following are my answers to the questions that were posed to the entire class for our midterm blog entry:

·      Review in detail your service learning site:

·         Where are you serving?

Good Samaritan Clinic is the wonderful site where I am engaged in service learning. I have had such great experiences with the clients and staff at the clinic. These experiences have allowed me to develop a broader perspective regarding vulnerable and underserved populations.

·         What does the agency do?

This agency provides free to low cost primary medical care services for homeless and uninsured "working poor" adult clients in the Arkansas River Valley.

·         Who are the clients and what needs are served?

The clients are adults who are either homeless or have a household income at or below poverty level. The needs that are served at the clinic include primary medical care by a full-time advanced practice nurse, collaborative physician, and volunteer physicians. There is also an optician and social worker on site. The clinic has a limited supply of medications available on site and offers “pharmacy vouchers” for medications as well.

·         What is the agency funding support?

The agency is funded through grants, private donations, and a local church organization.

·        What roles do DNPs play in promoting health and wellness in underserved populations?
DNPs have the opportunity to be involved in several roles that promote health and wellness in underserved populations. There are opportunities for the DNP to advocate, educate, support, research, collaborate, coordinate, and lead efforts to engage individuals, families, and communities in promoting health and wellness. Through this engagement, resources can be mobilized and allocated toward increased access to healthcare for underserved populations.

·         How do you perceive your individual role in this?

Through my roles as an advanced practice nurse and a nurse educator, I have had the opportunity to facilitate and implement diabetic education classes on site at the clinic. I am also planning to incorporate teaching related to hypertension and cardiac disease as well.

I have had the ability to apply the evidence available in the literature to promote best practices in these client populations and have challenged myself to encourage and promote the integration of these concepts into the care provided at the clinic. I am looking forward to engaging my undergraduate students in learning opportunities at the clinic during the fall semester. I have begun preliminary planning for a Health and Wellness Fair to be on site at the clinic in September.

Take care and God Bless!

Felicia P.

               

Service Learning Blog Entry - End of Semester 2

Hello to everyone who is following my Service Learning Blog!

I can't believe that the semester is coming to an end soon. It has been a great learning experience for me, and one that I look forward to continuing in the semesters to follow. The following are my answers to the specific questions that we as a class have been asked to address in our service learning blog:


Are people you came in contact with through this experience having some needs met through the community activities? Are community activities like these necessary and/or sufficient to fulfill these community and individual needs? Do you see other means to do so?
 
The people that utilize the clinic are having some of their health care needs met through community activities. At Good Samaritan Clinic, appointments for primary health care services are available but often there is a wait of 1-2 weeks for an appointment time. There is very limited time for acute or "sick" visits. This is a concern since many patients will have to use a local emergency room instead or choose not to have care due to inability to pay. For dental needs, the Community Dental Clinic offers services but there is a 2-3 month wait for an appointment. Again, many of these patients will utilize one of the local emergency rooms for acute dental emergencies and often can't afford to pay. There is a dental clinic at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith that offers dental services on a reduced pay-scale. Appointments are limited there also. Western Arkansas Counseling and Guidance Center offers mental health services to all ages and reduced rates are available to qualifying clients.

I view all of these services as necessary although many are insufficient due to the lack of appointments and/or wait times for appointments. Many individuals' needs are not met by services in the community especially if ability to pay prohibits their access to care. There are other means to do so but unfortunately there is a lack of local, state, and federal funding to expand and/or develop additional health care service programs in the area. This is a national problem that needs to be addressed but unfortuately in this political climate neither side seems willing to negotiate for an improved health care environment for the most needy and underserved client populations.


What was the best/worst/most challenging thing that happened this semester?

 The best and also the most challenging thing that happened this semester was the planning of the diabetic education classes themselves. Most of the diabetic teaching materials that were in use at the clinic were outdated, and I needed to locate additional materials to use for my project. I was able to contact the American Diabetes Association (ADA) and locate patient education materials in English and Spanish. The ADA also has a Patient Education Toolkit that has great information! Another source of information on diabetic education materials is the MERCK-sponsored Conversation Map Program. I was able to receive a firsthand account of how this education program works at AHEC-Fort Smith. I spoke with one of the trained facilitators in the facility, and she was able to offer valuable information for me to locate the necessary materials and register for the training online. I am excited about the possibility of bringing this program to Good Samaritan Clinic.

 What have you learned about yourself?

I have learned a great deal about myself through the service learning experience. I often do not stop to appreciate everything that I have been blessed with in my life, including health, children, family, friends, etc. It is truly a blessing to have an education and have the ability to pursue a doctoral degree. I have found that I take many things for granted and need to appreciate each day that God gives me on this earth. After having had the privilege of meeting some of the employees at the clinic, I am looking forward to working with them and to serve the clients that utilize the clinic. Although I have had limited exposure to the clients themselves, I have been struck by the stories that I have heard and the needs that have been expressed by the clinic workers and the clients themselves.


What are your future service learning plans?

I have several plans for longitudinal service learning at the Good Samaritan Clinic. This summer I plan on beginning to offer the diabetic education classes at the clinic on a bi-monthly basis. I would like to complete the online Conversation Map Program (Healthy Interactions, 2009) training course before beginning the classes. There are plans for a Health Fair in the fall semester, and my students will be involved as well. I am really excited about all of the possiblities.

God Bless!

Felicia

Conversation Map Program information available at
http://www.healthyinteractions.com/conversation-map-programs/helping-manage-chronic-disease/diabetes

Off to a great start and more!

Well we are off to a great start so far on identifying the needs at the Good Samaritan Clinic and the patient population that is served at the facility. I was able to have a very productive meeting this week with the Executive Director of the clinic and the Executive Director of the School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. Through a combined effort, we will be offering educational opportunities related to diabetic education initially on a monthly basis but with plans to facilitate weekly educational offerings later this year. We also began the planning for an onsite health fair at the clinic to include food, health screenings, educational offerings, a whole lot of fun and fellowship. I am really excited to include my students in this project and introduce them to Service Learning! More to come...

Take care and God Bless!

Felicia

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