St. Louis University: Access to Compassion
The door wouldn't open for another 45 minutes but already the line was 12 deep. A 33-year old man needed a hepatitis A shot so he could start his job at McAlister's Deli.
A 25-year-old woman with a family history of hypertension was feeling lightheaded and wanted her blood pressure checked. A 56-year-old man needed antibiotics for his recurring pneumonia. 72-year-old woman wanted a physical because she'd been feeling a bit "off" following the 20th anniversary of her daughter's death.
Although their needs were different, the patients had one thing in common - they were either underinsured or uninsured. No insurance, however, did not translate into no care today. The patients were waiting in line at the
"I'm not working yet so I don't have insurance," said
Medicine students established the
The half-day nurse-run clinic offers physical exams and treatment of acute illnesses in adults and children; TB tests; hepatitis A vaccinations; pregnancy and STD screenings; lab tests; and screenings for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol and lead.
"Providing care to underserved populations is part of our Jesuit mission and we infuse that mission into our students," said Joanne Thanavaro, D.N.P., A.P.R.N., A.G.P.C.N.P.-B.C., A.G.A.C.N.P.-B.C.,
Taking the Lead
Six volunteer undergraduate nursing students serve as clinic leads. They are responsible for staffing the reception desk, taking vital signs, collecting patient histories and administering vaccinations. They also draw blood and take specimens to
"We always talk about health care disparities in
Johnson also said the clinic gives her experience in looking at the whole person when providing care.
"They're coming to us for medical care but they might have unmet mental health needs or basic needs," she said. "If their basic needs aren't met, their medical needs probably aren't going to be met."
Providing care to underserved populations is part of our Jesuit mission and we infuse that mission into our students.
Joanne Thanavaro
To help patients meet those needs, the HRC employs a social worker, who helps patients tap into community resources; and an insurance navigator, who helps patients apply for Medicaid and get connected with medical homes at federally funded community health care centers. Student volunteers from the
The undergraduate nursing students are overseen by students from the Nurse Practitioner program, who, in turn, are supervised by nursing faculty.
"Volunteering here teaches you to think outside the box," she said. "You have many needs and few resources so you learn to work with what you have. You find creative ways to help your patients."
Twenty-one-year-old
"If we weren't here, the patients might not get the care they need," she said. "They look to us more as nurses than students and I take that responsibility seriously."
Life Changing Experience
"She came in because she was having abdominal pain and she learned that her life was about to change completely," said Kemp. "We told her she was four-to-five months pregnant. She was so upset. She didn't have the resources to take care of herself much less her baby. We had to talk her through it because it was all so overwhelming. You can't say everything will be OK because maybe it won't. We just had to help her in that moment, which I think we did. I'm so glad we didn't turn her away."
Kemp said she learned a lot about communicating with patients from the NP student who broke the news to the woman and helped her process the nformation. Thanavaro said role modeling is a secondary benefit to volunteering at the clinic.
"It's important for our undergraduate students to have contact with our graduate students and to work alongside one another," she said. "The hope is that our undergraduates will develop a better idea of the role of the NP and this may encourage them to further their education."
Mekus, Kemp and Johnson said volunteering at the clinic has inspired them to become lifelong volunteers. Kemp, who is a nurse technician on the labor and delivery unit at a local hospital, plans to remain in women's health. She sees herself as volunteering at other free clinics and with international missions. Johnson wants to work in the NICU and maybe volunteer at Nurses for Newborns.
"I've had a privileged life," said Johnson. "My needs were always met. I didn't take that for granted but this clinic has opened my eyes to the scope of unmet needs and the number of people who do without. I not only feel a desire to help, I feel an obligation to serve."
The HRC always can use more volunteers. If you're a student, faculty member or alumni interested in sharing your gifts with the clinic's patients, contact Dr. Thanavaro at [email protected]. The clinic is open Thursdays from
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