Nurse-Managed Health Center assists patients during COVID-19 efforts

The College of Nursing’s Nurse-Managed Health Center, located on the first floor of the Health Sciences building, is playing a critical role in the Augusta University Health response to the COVID-19 crisis.

The NMHC team, led by Dr. J. Dwayne Hooks and Tracy Brickey, is comprised of a broad array of faculty and staff from the college assisting in this important community response. Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), faculty RNs, and AU Health nurses are providing all AU Health patients their positive and negative test results.

Additionally, the APRNs continue to participate in the virtual screening of patients utilizing the AU Express Care telehealth app. Administrative members of the team are also working to provide those who have received COVID-19 test results with proper work release documentation.

“This is an important step in getting people back to work as soon as possible,” Brickey said.

Every person who has been tested at an AU Health testing location is contacted in order to provide key information about the virus.

“I am pleased our center is able to support the AU enterprise in its overall response to the pandemic in our community,” Hooks said.

Along with Hooks and Dr. Tranika Brown, the center’s full-time nurse practitioner, the APRNs in the clinic are able to educate patients receiving positive test results on how to proceed with care.

“We are touching every community member tested to share essential educational points as recommended by the CDC in an effort to mitigate the spread of this virus,” Hooks said.

Dr. Tanya Sudia, College of Nursing dean, expressed admiration for the team’s work.

“The CON is proud to play a key role in the interprofessional team of health care providers serving our community,” Sudia said. “In addition to providing COVID-19 telehealth screening and results call back services seven days per week, we continue to see patients in our NMHC, thereby easing the burden on other service providers. Additionally, we were able to loan CON telehealth equipment where needed in the community to further support the AU Health team.”

The CON is also playing a key role in other aspects of the coronavirus response in our community. The college loaned telehealth equipment to Windermere Health and Rehabilitation Center, which has been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

The equipment was purchased through a Health Resources and Services Administration grant written by Dr. Jean Pawl. The ImPPAACT HRSA grant provided the college with the funds to purchase four telehealth carts to assist patients who have obstacles accessing care.

Facilitating the use of this technology for the Windermere facility allows care providers to conduct patient assessment in place, communicating directly with AU Health providers and limiting patient transportation to the hospital only when necessary.

Call the Nurse-Managed Health Center with questions about COVID-19 or to schedule an appointment at 706-721-1225.