EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan State University College of Nursing’s primary care clinic remains in the same location, but now carries a new name and a newly focused mission which includes expanded services.
The clinic is now known as the MSU College of Nursing Primary Care Center, a name that more accurately reflects what the clinic does. Owned and operated by the college for the last seven years, the center is housed in the MSU Clinical Center with care directed by nurse practitioner faculty from the College of Nursing.
“Our goal is to have a positive impact on the health of our community,” said Kathy Forrest, the center’s acting director. “In our primary care center we establish a relationship with each patient, a relationship in which the patient is an integral part of the health care team.
“We are the only nurse practitioner, nurse-managed center in this area. And we’re a partner with the MSU Health Team that links our academic center to many clinical specialties.”
A nurse practitioner is a nurse with a master’s degree, an advanced-practice provider who is nationally board certified. This extensive experience enables the nurse to diagnose and manage most common and many chronic illnesses, either independently or as part of a health care team.
Nurse practitioners focus largely on health maintenance, disease prevention, counseling and patient education. In addition, they have the ability to prescribe medications, order laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostics as needed to manage chronic and acute conditions.
“The benefit of choosing primary care from a nurse practitioner at MSU is the seasoned team that is dedicated to improving health through innovative approaches to effective health care,” Forrest said. “This is possible in part because of our electronic medical records and the connection to vital information they afford. Consistently high patient satisfaction scores and improved health care outcomes are a product of the services we offer.”
The center offers a holistic approach to a patient’s health care needs in a setting where radiology and laboratory services and a pharmacy are available.
The College of Nursing Primary Care Center offers a wide variety of services, including:
- Managing chronic health problems
- Managing acute illnesses
- Providing health maintenance and screening
- Offering preventive care and education
- Providing physical examinations and assessments
- Providing immunizations
The center accepts all patients age 14 and older. It is located in Room A109 of the MSU Clinical Center, which is located on Service Road between Hagadorn Road and Bogue Street. For information call (517) 432-4311.
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Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming lives through innovative teaching, research and engagement for 150 years.
The mission of MSU College of Nursing is to enhance the health of the community by providing excellence in nursing education, advancing the profession of nursing and serving as an advocate for optimal health care for all people. The college currently enrolls more than 500 undergraduate and graduate students. Its 80 faculty members represent a diverse blend of leading scholars and distinguished health care professionals who bring real world experience to the classroom. In addition, MSU is the only university in the country with three medical schools – the College of Human Medicine, the College of Osteopathic Medicine and the College of Veterinary Medicine.