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OUTREACH INITIATIVE: AUGSBURG CENTRAL HEALTH COMMONS
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Nursing program: Augsburg University, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Educational program: RN-BSN, MAN, DNP
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In 1992, Augsburg University nursing faculty, students, and volunteers partnered with a downtown congregation to launch the Augsburg Central Health Commons (ACHC) in response to the increased number of people experiencing homelessness in Minneapolis (Augsburg University, 2022). Now in its third decade of existence, its nursing faculty and students continue to provide basic care to those who are marginalized, through a holistic approach addressing the impacts of the social determinants of health (SDOH). Health concerns of community members are often the result of intersecting stressors such as economic instability, food insecurity, lack of housing opportunities, and inadequate healthcare access emerging from social, political, and historical conditions. Though chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension are typical concerns expressed by guests of the ACHC, the need to secure food and shelter takes priority. Issues around securing prescriptions, transportation, and funding, compounded by previous experiences of discrimination or feeling judged within healthcare systems, create further barriers to care.
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When the COVID pandemic forced buildings to close and people to socially isolate, those engaging in work at the ACHC had to respond quickly and get creative. Though keeping the community safe from the virus was a priority, so was ensuring that people experiencing homelessness or who were marginally housed had places to access food, toileting, and resources in the cold winter months. Leaders from the ACHC collaborated with others working with this community and with those experiencing marginalization. They found ways to not only keep the ACHC open but also expand the ACHC work to include bringing food and water to nearby homeless encampments and community outreach. This also required leaders to engage in advocacy around water sanitation issues. When vaccines became available, nurses partnered with local public health departments, and multiple events were hosted onsite.
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During open hours on Monday and Thursday mornings, guests often come to receive simple hygiene items, socks, underwear, and diapers and to request nursing assistance and consultation for basic care such as blood pressure checks, foot care, health education, and referrals to healthcare providers or services. No proof of need, identification, or insurance is required in the hope to remove any barriers to developing relationships that are based on mutuality and trust. Services are organized and staffed by Augsburg University nursing faculty, students (nursing and non-nursing majors), and committed volunteers. Nurses learn essential skills, grounded in transcultural nursing practice, to address health inequities and advocate for change within systems and communities. The nursing practice model focuses on hospitality, or welcoming people without conditions, and encourages students to suspend judgments and challenge biases. The four stages of the care model include acknowledging others’ needs, attending to their struggles, affirming strengths, ...