Nurse Managed Centers earn national award

York College’s Donald and Dorothy Stabler Nursing Program has earned the Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for its Nurse Managed Centers, which serve economically disadvantaged and medically under-served residents at several housing complexes in York. The award recognizes the outstanding work of AACN member schools to re-envision traditional models for nursing education and lead programmatic change.

A collaborative effort between the York College Department of Nursing and the York Housing Authority, Nurse Managed Centers (NMCs) were established to create clinical placements for nursing students at the College, particularly those enrolled in the community health nursing course. In addition, the Centers’ goals included providing wellness services to a medically underserved and economically disadvantaged population, and establishing a community-campus partnership.

In September 2001, York College opened its first Center in East King Street’s Broad Park Manor, a complex for low-income elderly and disabled individuals. Students provided individual health assessment and health teaching, and carried out interventions such as blood pressure screening, exercise class, and health fairs. 

Because of the success of the Broad Manor Wellness Center, the York Housing Authority provided space for a wellness center to serve residents in other low-income housing complexes. The Jefferson Wellness Center, located on North Pershing Avenue, opened in the fall of 2004.

The following year, a representative from another housing agency, Delphia Management Corporation, contacted the community health nursing course coordinator requesting similar collaboration. Delphia provides low-income housing in York City for a variety of population groups. In the spring of 2006, the Delphia Wellness Center was opened on East Philadelphia Street. The opening of this center allowed sufficient clinical sites for each student in the community health nursing course to have a rotation in one of the NMCs.

Each NMC is open two days per week when the College is in session, and one day per week during class breaks. Remaining open year-round improves continuity of care for the residents, provides clinical practice opportunities for faculty, and gives students who are particularly interested in community health nursing the opportunity for additional clinical experience as paid student nurse externs.

During the first year of operation, 382 client encounters were documented at NMCs. More than 4100 client encounters between nursing students and York city residents were documented during the 2008-09 academic year.

The clinical experience that students have received in the NMCs has been “remarkable,” according to Nursing Department Chair Jacqueline Harrington. “Our initial goal was that the students would be able to meet the clinical course objectives, but students have expressed learning that goes beyond those objectives. In the NMCs, students are able to have continuous client contact, allowing them to establish a therapeutic nurse-client relationship in ways they have not previously experienced. Based on student feedback regarding the value of this experience, students now spend an entire semester in the NMC, rather than for a half-semester rotation.”

In addition to the clinical experience, the NMCs expose York College nursing students to a culture that’s often different from their own. “Most of our students are white, middle-class, traditional-age college students,” Harrington said.  “This clinical experience with low-income clients is a cross cultural experience for our students. Through working at the NMCs, they see differences in quality of care from what they are accustomed to. They see the hardships these individuals face, and they tell us it will change the way they view patients in any setting.”

In addition to establishing campus-community partnerships with the YHA and the Delphia Management Corporation, the Department of Nursing has collaborated with other service providers, including the York City Health Bureau, to provide influenza immunizations, and numerous agencies to conduct health fairs and screenings. The Department has also obtained funding for special programs, such as an Asthma Safe Kids program that provides in-home teaching for caregivers of children with asthma. Students who conducted these visits collaborated with faculty in research data collection and in presenting findings.

Interdisciplinary collaboration with other departments in the College has also occurred. Students in a graphic arts design course developed the NMC logo. Those in a grant writing course have written grant proposals, and students in a Social Aspects of Aging course have collaborated with faculty in the Behavioral Science Department to conduct an oral history project research study.