Discovering NHC Members' Impact on Patient Care

Some may wonder, how does National Health Corps Chicago (NHC Chicago) use its members in order to serve the community areas of Chicago? We do so by informing patients about available health services, bridging the gap between access to health services, educating on disease prevention, and educating on steps to living a healthier life. NHC members serve alongside clinics by upholding the programs that were reserved by previous members and NHC host site employers. Some of these programs include Cooking Matters, Get R.E.A.L, Nutrition Counseling, and Reach Out and Read.

To better understand the impact of NHC on the healthcare community of Chicago, I have interviewed the previous AmeriCorps member at Erie Family Teen Health Center, Lacey Johnson, who has since accepted a position as an Adolescent Healthcare Promoter, about the impact NHC has on Erie Teen Center.

A question that seemed important to ask was,'As an alumni of NHC, what changes have you seen implemented by NHC members at Erie Family Teen Center for the betterment of the patients?"

Lacey Johnson noted a few things:

• Having a co-facilitator for the centering pregnancy program at Erie Teen Center has provided another familiar face for nervous first time mothers. These mothers attend ten sessions during their pregnancy to learn more about the stages of pregnancy and the care of their new addition. Having consistency is important for continuity of care for these new mothers.
   
• Before Lacey's NHC term in 2015, there hadn't been an AmeriCorps member at Erie Teen Center in a while. With that being said, it has been a relief for some providers and workers at Erie Teen Center that National Health Corps members work within their confines. They are appreciated for being a resource for providers and other healthcare workers to lean on for nutrition counseling, birth control education, and health promotion. It adds another layer of care for patients all while helping providers and other teen center staff.

I continued and posed the question'What do you think Erie is most grateful for, pertaining to NHC members and their patients?"

Johnson stated that'Erie is most grateful for the dedication from NHC members; they are always willing to go the extra mile, participate in outside events, and lend a hand in whatever is needed. I think that with strong NHC members at Erie sites, patients, providers and staff know that they have reliable and hardworking assets to their team. They come from all walks of life, diversity, and educational backgrounds, which helps connect with community members and staff. Having well-rounded members is really valuable to this position."

My final question was'What advice do you have for me and future NHC members?"

Lacey learned this from her previous supervisor Kimberly Williams:'You will not change the world during your 10-month service time, but keep in mind that all the little impacts that you will make are much bigger than you think. Do not get discouraged, even when you think you are not making a difference, you really are."

As much as NHC members would like to cure the whole Chicago community of health disparities, increase healthcare access, and provide nutrition education, it isn't always possible due to some systematic barriers that is out of reach of the public health realm. But what is possible is that on a daily basis we have the opportunity to make 1 impact. 1 impact a day = approximately 200 impacts during our 10 months of service. I would say that makes a tremendous difference.

This blog post was written by NHC Chicago 2016-17 member Mica Noel.

Mica is a Health Educator at Erie Family Health Center - Teen Center.