Undergraduate preparation for primary health care roles in an academic nursing center

The goal of the Nursing Center at the University of North Dakota is to prepare professional nurses to meet priority health needs of the next century through service to people currently in need. Health needs in the state, educational needs related to preparation for primary health care roles, and an explicit nursing paradigm for primary health care framed the development of the Nursing Center. As an integral part of the College of Nursing, the Nursing Center serves as a primary site for undergraduate clinical experiences. Family-centered, community-based programs were designed to simultaneously meet health needs of underserved rural populations and educational needs of undergraduates for preparation in primary health care roles. Implementation proved feasible from both service and educational perspectives. Initial evaluation data demonstrated a high level of effective clinical activity and role development for students beyond that experienced in more traditional settings.