Smithfield Community Accessible Resources, Education, and Screenings (CARES)

Abstract

The Smithfield Community Accessing Resources, Education, and Screenings (CARES) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project’s purpose was to provide healthcare services, support, and education that focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and management of disease to residents at the Smithfield Rescue Mission (SRM). The SRM is an “organization dedicated to helping those in need” including “those who are homeless and in crisis by providing shelter and necessities of life and life changing programs to break the cycle of poverty”. The purpose of this project was to incorporate the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) 2017 Triple Aim of improving the quality of life and health for the homeless in Johnston County by increasing access to quality primary healthcare in a cost-effective manner. This was a quality improvement group project divided into four components, primary prevention, secondary prevention, primary care clinic, and community outreach, to improve the health care process for the SRM by bringing community awareness and communication, fundraising, and collaboration within the Johnston County community. Specifically, this project coordinated local partnerships and met with community organizations and individuals about raising monetary funds, increasing volunteers at the mission, and food donations.