Two ISAPN Members Highlighted in The Herald News

May 13, 2009

By JEANNE MILLSAP For The Herald News

One place that nurse practitioners have made big inroads in the area is the University of St. Francis Health and Wellness Center in downtown Joliet. The primary care clinic was the brainchild of Maria Connolly, USF's dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health, and is run by nurse practitioner Mary Maragos, the clinic's director.

The center is exactly the type of clinic where nurse practitioners shine.

In addition to being run by an NP, the center employs seven advanced practice nurses -- (including nurse practitioners) all with their master's or doctoral degrees -- one advanced practice nurse who specializes in mental health, and a nurse practitioner who is certified in acupuncture and midwifery.

There are no medical doctors on staff at the center, but they have three doctors with whom they collaborate on certain cases.

"We offer a full range of primary care service," Maragos said, "from babies to the elderly and mental health services. We provide complete, thorough assessment, counseling and treatment with an emphasis on patient education. We don't rush people through their visits, ever. We try to give them the time they deserve."

Maragos said the health-care providers at the center routinely hear such comments as, "You listen to me," or "You are the first ones who took the time to explain that to me."

"We try to see the whole person, instead of focusing on that one sore throat," Maragos explained. "We also try to attend to their social needs, always mindful of such considerations as the cost of their prescriptions."

The center's acupuncture treatment has been providing a needed service to the community, as well. Begun in February, Maragos said acupuncture has been working for management of knee and neck pain, fibromyalgia and migraines. The treatment can also be used for weight loss and smoking cessation.

"I have seen some great success stories with acupuncture," Maragos said.

The center is also a certified sexually transmitted disease screening site. They do not offer prenatal care at this time, however, but they do have plans on offering dental services in the future.

Maragos said staff takes into consideration their patients' financial concerns when issuing treatment. They sometimes work with pharmaceutical companies to get medications at a discount for lower income patients.

The center also functions as a clinic where the university's nursing and health occupation students can practice and where university nurse practitioners and others can get in their required annual hours of clinical practice.

Working at the clinic are undergraduate and graduate nursing and social work students; recreation administration students; and volunteers, such as a USF computer science student. The university emphasizes service learning, Maragos said.

The center closes on Fridays to "take our show on the road," providing school physicals at Joliet grade schools or high schools in Joliet, Romeoville and Bolingbrook. They also give flu shots to staff at various schools and other arenas and provide blood pressure and diabetes screenings at other locations.

The center also has a second location at Groundwork, the Joliet homeless shelter, and offers free exercise classes at the Senior Services Center, thanks to the Kiwanis Club.

Maragos said the center has a goal of going into businesses to provide on-site health care or screenings. Businesses are healthier when their employees are healthy, she said.

The USF Health and Wellness Center also works closely with the Will-Grundy Medical Clinic, the Will County Community Health Center and the Will County Health Department. The staff is thankful to many community partners, including Harrah's Casino Joliet, which is just a couple of blocks south of the clinic. Donations from the casino enabled the center to put sinks in the clinic. Donations from the Plainfield Lions Club and the Will County Community Foundation allowed for the start of hearing and vision screenings.

The center welcomes new patients. Those currently living in shelters are not charged, and patients without insurance are charged on a sliding scale. The center takes private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid, as well.

More information about the University of St. Francis Health and Wellness Center is available by calling 815-774-9037.