ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This paper presents findings from six community focus groups that addressed the impact of academic nurse-managed centers (ANMCs) on the overall community being served as well as the quality of care provided in the centers. DATA SOURCES: Experts in focus group methodology from a public health institute conducted the six focus groups at ANMCs from four universities in the Midwest. Discussions were guided by nine questions presented to each group. All groups were tape-recorded and transcribed. A total of 37 participants were recruited from the ANMCs and included patients and families, advisory board members, and local community organizations. CONCLUSIONS: Four themes were identified across the six focus groups: valuing patient-centered care, which included two subthemes-continuous specific provider and specific aspects of care; quality of care; increasing access to care/addressing the safety net; and evidence of outreach. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings from these focus groups verify that community members do "get it" in terms of the unique aspects of ANMCs. Participants were able to articulate the differences between nurse-managed care and other types of ambulatory primary care. The unique strengths of nurse practitioners were repeatedly articulated as well as the centers' outreach into the community.
Subject(s)
Attitude to Health , Community Health Centers/organization & administration , Nurse Practitioners/organization & administration , Nursing Faculty Practice/organization & administration , Primary Health Care/organization & administration , Adult , Case Management , Continuity of Patient Care , Evidence-Based Medicine , Feedback, Psychological , Female , Focus Groups , Health Services Accessibility , Humans , Male , Michigan , Needs Assessment , Nurse Practitioners/education , Nurse Practitioners/psychology , Nurse's Role/psychology , Nursing Evaluation Research , Nursing Methodology Research , Quality of Health Care , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
A comprehensive evaluation plan was developed to assess the outcomes of a multiuniversity project to support the development of academic nurse-managed centers (ANMCs). The evaluation included measuring ANMC impact on the clients and communities served, on students, and on the sponsoring faculties and universities. This article includes a discussion of the processes used in evaluation plan development, the variables measured, the tools developed to measure selected variables, and a summary of evaluation findings. Recommendations for use of selected evaluation components across ANMCs are presented.
