Community development through faculty practice in a rural nurse-managed clinic

Area of Science:

• Community Health Nursing
• Rural Health
• Faculty Practice

Background:

• Rural Indiana faces designation as a medically underserved area (MUA) and health professional shortage area (HPSA).
• A critical need exists for accessible healthcare services in these identified underserved regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of a nurse-managed clinic (NMC) through a community-academic partnership.
• To illustrate the application of the community development model within a faculty practice setting.
• To share lessons learned from an ongoing faculty practice initiative in a rural MUA/HPSA.

Main Methods:

• Community-academic partnership formation.
• Implementation of the community development model.
• Establishment and operation of a nurse-managed clinic (NMC).

Main Results:

• A sustainable NMC was developed in a rural, medically underserved area.
• The community development model proved effective in guiding faculty practice.
• The project provided ongoing healthcare services and valuable operational insights.

Conclusions:

• Community-academic partnerships are vital for establishing NMCs in underserved areas.
• The community development model offers a robust framework for faculty practice.
• Lessons learned from this ongoing project have broad implications for rural health initiatives.