New report shows nurses are taking on bigger roles

Grand Valley State University nurses are doing just that

An article in U.S. News & World Report this week highlights nurse practitioners and how they perform everything from minor surgery to emergency room crises. The report, which can be found at http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/050131/health/31nurses.htm, says many nurses are performing tasks as part of their advanced practice role that were once handled only by physicians.

Since 1999, advanced practice nurses at Grand Valley State University have operated academic nurse-managed health centers. The GVSU Family Health Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., opened in 2002. Pat Schafer, associate dean of community and clinical services at Grand Valley, said staff members at the center consist of nurse practitioners, a professional nurse case manager and office support personnel.

"The nurse practitioners diagnose, treat, manage and refer patients, while focusing on promoting health and encouraging client responsibility," she said.

The Health Center, located at 72 Sheldon Blvd., is a primary health center serving a wide spectrum of people from faculty, staff and students to those who reside in the local community. It is also a teaching, learning and research facility for faculty and students of the Kirkhof College of Nursing and other educational programs at Grand Valley.

For more information, contact Pat Schafer at 616-331-7166 or Grand Valley's News and Information Services department at 616-331-2221.