Community health centers help increase access to critical primary care by reducing obstacles and barriers such as cost, lack of insurance, distance, and language for their patients. In doing so, community health centers have a positive impact on the health outcomes of the communities they serve and beyond.
This leads us to a very special HCOP session with an organization that is “close to the heart” for the HCOP team. Heart Ministry Center is not only an official HCOP community partner but a community health center that has had an astounding impact in the North Omaha, Nebraska community for decades. Heart Ministry Center provides food, health care (medical and dental), job placement and a slew of additional services to its surrounding community. It is important to note that community health centers such as Heart Ministry Center enlist many volunteers in many forms, especially health professionals. And one of those volunteer health professionals was invited to join approximately thirty-five (35) HCOP high school and health professions students to discuss what she provided as a volunteer health professional at Heart Ministry Center.
On Saturday, April 9, 2022, Ms. Lisa Johnson, DNP - Nurse Practitioner at Heart Ministry Center and Assistant Professor at Creighton University - School of Nursing joined the HCOP virtual classroom to share what a day, week, and month looked like at the Heart Ministry Center - Monen Healthcare Clinic where patients are seen on a walk-in basis. She discussed patient population; health conditions treated; scope of treatment services; referral processes; cultural competency; patient interactions; as well as her extensive journey in the healthcare field and now as a college professor.
Aside from all the amazing academic and professional knowledge she provided the students, we all learned that she loves to enjoy a slice of strawberry cheesecake from time-to-time!!!
Heart Ministry Center – Dignity For All!