Journal of Community & Public Health Nursing
Open Access

Abstract

IAPNE is educational and healthcare delivery model with a two-fold purpose of creating a built, yet flexible environment that promotes, fosters and extends inter professional collaborative practice for service agencies, while improving the Health- Related Quality Of Life (HRQOL) for underserved populations. This innovative practice is a system transforming model that achieves the World Health Organization’s (WHO) call for inter professional education and collaborative practice and the United States’ Healthy People 2020 objective of increase in self-reported better physical and mental health for the adult population. This practice model of IAPNE utilizes HRQOL initiatives that encompass physical, mental, emotional and social functioning. These four areas are addressed through a Mobile Medical Health Clinic (MMHC) that includes the inter professional education and collaboration of nurse practitioners, baccalaureate prepared nurses, pharmacists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, health managers, social work, mental health providers, barber/beauticians and spiritual guides. This delivery model works to improves access and coordination of health-services for vulnerable populations while decreasing tension among service agencies. The setting of the MMHC further works to increase patient and practitioner satisfaction, promote greater acceptance of treatment, reduce health-care cost and improve mental and emotional health. The culture shift that has been created by IAPNE has provided students of service agencies with an understanding and consideration of vulnerable, underserved populations and instilled the necessity of inter-professional collaboration with the professional obligation to support communities for which they serve.

Biography

E-mail: ablanco-knezovich@southuniversity.edu