CONTACT - Volume 8, Number 1
2001: The Primary Care Nursing Center Odyssey

We are in the beginning of a new millennium, the real new millennium, and some galactic changes are underway in the PCNC. Two wonderful nurse practitioners have joined the PCNC. Imelda Jean-Pierre is at the Gratigny Full Service Clinic four days a week. Imelda comes to us with years of nurse practitioner and school health experience. Our nurse practitioner for the Catholic Schools is Anna Slack who also comes to us as a seasoned nurse practitioner in school health and women's health.

Another change is that we no longer provide the nurse practitioner for Safespace, the domestic violence center; however, we will continue our association with Safespace by providing health education for the clients, children, and staff. As a result of our initial grant to establish a nurse practitioner-run primary care clinic, the position and service have become permanently funded. The success of this endeavor even supported the institution of nurse practitioner services in a second domestic violence center.

Some of the other happenings include the Fourth Annual Teachers' Workshop on January 26, 2001. We are also planning the school spring day with the Miami Ballet presentation on April 6. The Barry University Nursing Student Association, as their community project for the year, has begun distributing DNA kits to the children and families in our Catholic schools. Students in all classes and programs will be providing health education classes and health fairs at the PCNC schools. I want to thank the students, faculty, and coordinators for their yeomen's effort.

We are hoping to begin renovations in the school health clinics in the very near future so we can have real school health clinics with all the necessary equipment (know any benevolent donors?). The PCNC is now associated with the Florida Association of School Based Health Clinics and the National Association of School Nurses so that we comply with national association standards for school based clinics and nurses. As you can see, we're moving ahead at warp speed.

Shirley Schantz, Ed.D., ARNP; PCNC Director