Fall/Winter 1999 - Parish Nurse Program

Ada Jenkins Center
Parish Nurse Program Update
By Frank Hague

The Ada Jenkins Center Parish Nurse Program in Davidson, North Carolina began its second year of operation in July. Beth Bleavins, RN, MPH, the program’s nurse, is based in an office in the Ada Jenkins Center, where she counsels patients and conducts various health screenings. But the majority of her work is conducted out in the community she serves, getting residents the services they need, such as helping them understand their medical bills, linking home-bound clients to services like Meals on Wheels, or finding volunteers to help provide them with transportation or regular visits. "Sometimes, that’s the best medicine of all," Bleavins says, "just knowing that there’s someone there for support and companionship. It’s that whole mind, body and spirit connection."

The first year of the Program was highly successful and revealed that the community had a number of health needs that were not being addressed. In addition, existing health resources in the community were often not being accessed and lacked any form of coordination.

“Sometimes, that’s the best medicine of all: just knowing that there’s someone there for support and companionship.”

An important function of the program is to make residents aware of all of these services and to act as a mechanism to ensure that they work cooperatively.

In 1999, the Parish Nurse Program accomplished a lot. It was responsible for over 500 home visits and consultations (combined), as well as several health education presentations to the community on topics such as prostate and breast cancer, nutrition and exercise, and child safety. It began monthly health screenings for senior citizens, and worked in close collaboration with Ada Jenkins Center service providers (family counselor, clinical social workers) to develop an integrated approach to the health problems of community residents.

The Center’s nurse also receives ongoing support and training from the Parish Nurse Development Program at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. The ability to tap into this network has been a great benefit to the development of this program. Bleavins now works with Presbyterian Hospital to help promote and mentor Parish Nurse Programs that are in development at other community centers throughout the state. The model adopted by the Ada Jenkins Center is one that may be attractive to smaller communities that cannot effectively offer a community nursing program through any one church or organization.

Bleavins’ goals for this year are to expand the reach and impact of the program in the Davidson community and to increase the numbers of community members who participate as volunteers. Volunteers provide respite care, visit patients in the home, and provide transportation for patients to get to medical appointments. Bleavins is supported by a Health Cabinet composed of representatives of several local churches and organizations. Health Cabinet members keep Bleavins aware of health issues in the "parish" and will be called upon in year two to actively help her recruit more volunteers and organize programs. In the spring of 1999 the Health Cabinet sponsored a series of lectures on Aging presented by a local Geriatrician, Dr. Michelle Stowe Ong. This series was well attended and brought citizens from many different corners of the Davidson community together to discuss their concerns about Aging and care for the elderly.

The goals for the year 2000 include offering programs that will address alcohol and drug abuse treatment and prevention, providing good health practice information for all ages, and celebrating cultural diversity. The Program will be sponsoring a teen health fair in the Spring of 2000 and will continue to offer educational programs, vaccinations, and health screenings throughout the year. Additionally, outcomes measures for the program will be revised to better reflect the improved health status of the community as a result of the efforts of the Parish Nurse.

The program continues to successfully attract funding from various organizations and will build on the partnership it has formed with the Davidson community, the basis of which is the belief that the health needs of our neighbors must be addressed by an integrative and active community effort. The Ada Jenkins Parish Nurse Program is also working toward the development of an international service project. This would include promoting the mission of DGH and perhaps helping DGH locate medical supplies and equipment to be donated for use abroad.

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