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Healthy South Carolina
Initiative:
The Family Nurse Practitioner Rural Health Fellowship in Primary Health Care Elizabeth A. Erkel, PhD, RN |
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The lack of access to primary health care in South Carolina is nearly twice the national rate (19% vs. 11% in 1995). Many of the rural residents in the Low Country are poor, unemployed, underinsured, poorly educated, elderly, and African American. They are at high risk for adolescent pregnancy, infant mortality, chronic illness, accidents and communicable disease. Family nurse practitioners can increase access to care in rural South Carolina. This project will recruit eight family nurse practitioner (FNP) students from rural, low income backgrounds, with the assistance of the Low Country Area Health Education Center. The Fellowship will provide financial support for the eight Fellows during the FNP program, which includes study of the unique challenges and opportunities of the rural practice environment. Fellows will work closely with a primary care provider in a rural health center over a 2-year period to develop clinical expertise, collaborate with other health professionals, participate in community health programs, and address a health problem in the community. The South Carolina Recruitment and Retention Center will facilitate job placement in rural, underserved communities. Evaluation of the Fellowship will focus on practice setting following graduation, community involvement, and cultural sensitivity. |
