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Los Lunas nurse selected for special training atJosephine Waconda of Los Lunas is one of the first eight registered nurses who have been selected to train as nurse practitioners at The University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center.She has undertaken the tough one-year course in order to expand her nursing skills to be able to work in the state’s rural areas.UNM trained the nation's first family nurse practitioner, Martha Schwebach, who is now director of the Hope Medical Center in Estancia, N.M.The new training program is jointly sponsored by the UNM College of Nursing and School of Medicine. Funding is through an award to the College of Nursing from the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare’s div ision of nursing.Mrs. Waconda, 39, received her diploma from the Regina School of Nursing in 1955 and is presently enrolled in the baccalaureate degree program at UNM. A pueblo Indian and the mother of five children, whe will work with the Indian Health Service in the Albuquerque area.After graduation, the nurse practitioners will work in clinics, physician’s offices, and in small communities without other available health serv ices, with back-up from a licensed physician. They will be trained to assess and handle common health problems, illnesses, manage pa tients with chronic illnesses, emergencies and provide health maintenance programs for families and individuals.In the course of their studies, the nurses will spend eight months at the University doing course work and clinical practice, then will spend four months working with a physician under direct supervision.During their eight months of study, the nurses will gain skills in taking health histories, doing physical examina tions, performing basic labo ratory procedures, managing common pediatric and adult illnesses, identifying developmental problems, performing well-baby checkups, identifying common medical problems, doing health counseling, dealing with geriatric prob-NURSE PRACTICTIONER . Josephine Waconda, a Lot Lunas nurse notes the medical history of Lucinda Shlje as part of her training in a new program at the UNM Health Service*Center.lems and common emergen cies.“We feel this program is important to New Mexico, especially considering the scarcity of physicians in the rural areas of the state,” said Ms. Maureen Nash, project director. Nurse practitioners can help meet the health care needs of rural residents, so they won’t have to travel long distances to metropolitan centers.Mrs. Darlene Jelinek is medical school coordinator forthe program. An instructor in the department of family and community medicine, she is national chairwoman of the Council of Family Nurse Practitioners and Clinicians.Pending refunding, the next class of nurse practitioners will begin in September. Additional information may be obtained from the Nurse Practitioner Program, Health Sciences Center, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, N.M. 87131.
Newspaper Details
Belen News Bulletin
Belen, New Mexico, US
Mon, Feb 17, 1975
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Susun W.
USA 06 Aug 2023
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