Community Development Through Faculty Practice in a Rural Nurse‐Managed Clinic

Abstract

This article describes a community-academic partnership that led to the development of a nurse-managed clinic (NMC) in 1996 in a rural Indiana area designated by the state as a medically underserved area (MUA) and a health professional shortage area (HPSA). Application of the community development model in faculty practice is described in relation to the clinic. The project is ongoing; lessons learned to date, which have implications for others involved in faculty practice, are described.

The Strength of Rural Nursing: Implications for Undergraduate Nursing Education

“…Community development focuses on working to achieve community-identified goals and developing partnerships in which power and decision-making are shared (Krothe, Flynn, Ray, & Goodwin, 2000). Involvement of community members and a sense of community ownership enhance outcomes and community empowerment (Glick, Hale, Kulbok & Shetting, 1996).…”

Educating for rural nursing practice

“…These definitions, however, fail to describe the diversity of rural locations and the heterogeneity of nursing practice adequately. Although it is impossible to provide a succinct definition of rural nursing that encompasses the diversity of geographic locations, the varied nature of the rural nursing role has been reported internationally (Bushy 1998, Handley & Blue 1998, Anderson‐Loftin 1999, Hegney & McCarthy 2000, Krothe et al. 2000, Offredy 2000, Bushy 2001, Francis et al.…”

Contextual Factors Influencing the Evolution of Nurses' Roles in a Primary Health Care Clinic

“…Because of the significant focus on primary care versus primary health care, and emphasis on outcomes rather than nurses' roles, the research to date has not contributed appreciably to the delineation of nursing roles in nurse‐managed primary health care clinics. Much of the literature in relation to such clinics is anecdotal; it supports clinics as avenues for faculty and student clinical practice and research, as well as providing quality health care in an accessible way to underserved clients (Clendon, 2003; Kroethe, Flynn, Ray, & Goodwin, 2000; Shiber & D'Lugoff, 2002). Falk‐Rafael (2005a) stresses that nurses in primary health care settings are charged with the dual responsibility of meeting the needs of clients and influencing health policy.…”