UK College of Nursing Fills Need for Community Health in Wilmore
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 23, 2015) — The University of Kentucky College of Nursing opened its first faculty-run community health center to bill for patient services in historic downtown Wilmore, Kentucky, on Sept. 14.
Located beside the Sims Pharmacy on East Main St., the Phyllis D. Corbitt Community Health Center provides health care services for common illnesses such as respiratory infections, allergy symptoms, sore throats and skin infections. Other services such as school, sports and pre-employment physicals, immunizations and health education and counseling are also provided. The clinic, operated by nurse practitioners in the UK College of Nursing, is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and accepts walk-ins as well as appointments.
In addition to fulfilling a need for accessible basic health services in Jessamine County, the clinic provides a space where students from the UK College of Nursing can train under faculty in a clinical setting. In a recent report titled, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” the Institute of Medicine challenged the next generation of nurses to practice to the full extent of their knowledge and training. The new clinic accomplishes this objective by allowing students to see the range of health services a nurse practitioner is able to deliver in a small community.
“It’s nice for us to be able to demonstrate to our students how you practice to the extent of your license,” said Sharon Lock, professor, director of faculty practice and coordinator of the primary care doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program at the UK College of Nursing. “Some faculty members can practice here, and we can place our students here so they can see how a nurse practitioner-run clinic works.”
Family physician Dr. Phyllis Corbitt served the Wilmore community for more than 40 years. When Corbitt retired, the clinic building owner Hugh Sims, a graduate of UK, notified faculty members in the UK College of Nursing of the vacancy. The College of Nursing named their new clinic after Corbitt to honor her long-time service to the community and relational approach to health care.
Practitioners at the Phyllis D. Corbitt Community Health Center collaborate with Dr. Sam Matheny in the UK Department of Family and Community Medicine on cases requiring more complex care. The clinic will operate under a limited services licensure and accepts most insurance providers.
“The clinic is not only an opportunity for community engagement, but it signifies our commitment for advancing integrative and collaborative UK HealthCare learning and working environments,” Janie Heath, dean of the College of Nursing and Warwick Professor of Nursing, said.
To make an appointment at the clinic, call 859-858-0339. The clinic is located at 317 East Main St.
MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Adams, elizabethadams@uky.edu