Start a free "clinic"?

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 22, 2011

just remember that you are still as liable as the nurse who gets paid. I would recommend a book of referrals so you do not get in over your head. Are you an Advanced Practice Nurse? You might need an MD to approve the treatment protocols for minor situations. Try contacting the Health Dept alsoa to find out what they offer and if they have any advice on referrals (such as transportation, or who provides pro bono dental care, etc). Good luck!!

Oh-there may be an association for parish nurses. Look that up too.

NaKcl, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

sounds exciting! I admire your enthusiasm in this project.:)

like above post stated, check with your BON for the rules and regulations first.

you probably need to involve some social service to provide the needed medical treatments for those people.

It appears to be a lot more work than just giving them health assessments. but it will be worth it.

Good Luck !!!! and let us know how it is going :) :nurse:

Whispera, MSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

There's some liability if something goes wrong. Check with other churches in your area to see if there are Parish Nurses you can talk to about this. They would have lots of information for you. Also, your diocese might have information about what's being done in the diocese, and you could find other people to talk to about it all through their resources.

Back in the olden days I had a free "clinic" once a week, in an apartment building that was for the elderly and others with chronic life-altering illnesses. I was sponsored by a hospital though, so it was different than going it pretty much on my own as you might be doing. I checked vital signs, blood sugars, and did education. I also promoted socialization by having "coffee, tea, and cookies" once a month. I set up in the building's community room and people dropped in all day to see me. They'd talk about their lives, health, and I'd check their blood pressure. They'd get to visiting with each other because they'd run into the same people pretty often.

Be sure you do nothing outside your scope of practice as it's written by your state's Board of Nursing. Don't recommend any treatments other than to see a doctor. It's so helpful if you have a list of doctors willing to see your clients, remembering that they can't pay for medical services.

Good luck. It's a good thing you're planning!

noahsmama · Mar 22, 2011

Hi Dinah77,

A church group near me opened up a free clinic in the fall of 2008. Here's a link with more info:

http://www.orderofmaltausawestern.org/medical-and-humanitarian-activities/-medical-and-humanitarian-activities/99-the-western-associations-order-of-malta-free-clinics.html

They were staffed almost entirely by volunteers. They did have a doctor who was getting paid to be their medical director, and a nurse to be their director of nursing -- in both cases, I think the salary was nominal -- they were both retired. I volunteered there briefly because it was the only place I could find where I could actually volunteer to do nursing, when I was a new grad trying to get experience. Other than the head doc and head nurse, all the other doctors and nurses are volunteers -- many are retired and many are affiliated with the church in which the clinic is located (they do actually have a nice reception area and decent exam rooms -- all paid for by the Order of Malta -- see link).

Maybe you could call them and talk to them about how they went about setting up. I know that, even as a volunteer, I had to give them a copy of my RN license -- they were doing everything by the book (as they should!).

Good luck!!!!!

futrn · Mar 22, 2011

This is great! I really hope you can make this happen and if so please post about your process from beggining to end...I am a pre-nursing student right now but I would love to do something like this in the future. =)

freeclinicguru · Mar 22, 2011

I commend your passion for serving the uninsured.

If you decide to take the next step in actually creating a free clinic to serve your community, then you should explore an organization call ECHO that provides free consulting and resources for churches starting clinics. Their website is www.echoclinics.org. Full disclosure, I am the executive director of ECHO and we have facilitated the launch of 18 clinics and have 24 under development in 14 states.

TheMrsRN · Mar 22, 2011

You could offer health teaching and promotion, but your scope of practice will limit you regarding treatment of any illness. Since you can not make a medical diagnosis, you can't tell them what to do regarding treatment, even if it is OTC. For example, when I worked as a school nurse, even if I knew the child had ringworm. I couldn't tell the parent and send them out to buy an antifungal cream because diagnosing was out of my scope of practice. I had to refer them to a doctor, even though the treatment was OTC.

Heidi the nurse, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2011

Our medical reserve corp does a similar thing with the homeless a couple times a year. You might not be able to do all the things you want on your own D/T the above mentioned scope of practice, but if you have a similar program in your area I'm sure they would love your help.

dinah77, ADN · Mar 23, 2011

Hi Dinah77,
A church group near me opened up a free clinic in the fall of 2008. Here's a link with more info:
http://www.orderofmaltausawestern.org/medical-and-humanitarian-activities/-medical-and-humanitarian-activities/99-the-western-associations-order-of-malta-free-clinics.html
They were staffed almost entirely by volunteers. They did have a doctor who was getting paid to be their medical director, and a nurse to be their director of nursing -- in both cases, I think the salary was nominal -- they were both retired. I volunteered there briefly because it was the only place I could find where I could actually volunteer to do nursing, when I was a new grad trying to get experience. Other than the head doc and head nurse, all the other doctors and nurses are volunteers -- many are retired and many are affiliated with the church in which the clinic is located (they do actually have a nice reception area and decent exam rooms -- all paid for by the Order of Malta -- see link).
Maybe you could call them and talk to them about how they went about setting up. I know that, even as a volunteer, I had to give them a copy of my RN license -- they were doing everything by the book (as they should!).
Good luck!!!!!

THank you so much!!! this is very helpful- I will denfiintely call them!

dinah77, ADN · Mar 23, 2011

This is great! I really hope you can make this happen and if so please post about your process from beggining to end...I am a pre-nursing student right now but I would love to do something like this in the future. =)

Thanks Mariah! If this thing actually takes off, I wil journal my process both for my own reflection and to possibly help others..

dinah77, ADN · Mar 23, 2011

I commend your passion for serving the uninsured.
If you decide to take the next step in actually creating a free clinic to serve your community, then you should explore an organization call ECHO that provides free consulting and resources for churches starting clinics. Their website is www.echoclinics.org. Full disclosure, I am the executive director of ECHO and we have facilitated the launch of 18 clinics and have 24 under development in 14 states.

This is huge! I will absolutley be in touch with you after some more research and I start to get this off the ground a lot more- what an amazing job you have!