Today is the “1 Year” mark for Street Nurse-Sacramento. Serving the at risk and homeless population has been a part of my practice for the past 38 years both working in hospitals and clinics. I have also for much of that time ventured out into the streets and alleys to help those in need in anyway I could.
Street Nurse-Sacramento was started as a catalyst project to get others involved in providing care where people lived on the streets and in camps and move from endless talk into action. I came to know people like Dr. Jim Withers and The Street Medicine Institute and learn about street medicine programs in other communities. I then met Crister Brady a medical student at UC Davis School of Medicine and learned of his oral history project with our homeless population and traveled out with him and learned much from those we serve.That connected me with other outreach groups like Harm Reduction Services, Wind Youth Services, the UC Davis School of Medicine student run clinics and more.
We co-hosted Dr. Jim Withers in a one day conference on street medicine that was held at UC Davis School of Medicine. The support has been amazing and we have developed many partnerships along the way. We continue to take medical, nursing and PA students on rounds, conduct training and give talks on health care inequity and street medicine both at the medical school and out in the community.
To date we have provided care and health resources to more than 250 individuals and provided health supplies, preventive care, health education, clothing and basic comfort items to many more. We have developed trust and long term relationships with those we serve. During this time we have taken or had transported by EMS 6 individuals to local emergency departments that were admitted for acute care. During those admissions we have continued to attend inpatient rounds and follow their care. We have had 1 death that occurred in hospice care (not on the street) and 1 birth also not on the street. We have also assited many others into appropriate clinic and specialty care centers. So now we are on to the next step.
Watch this page in the coming days to see what we have planned. I look forward to introducing our team. Thank you all for the encouragement and support you have given. I also want to thank Dr. John Lovejoy who has provided medical oversight to me as well as joining me often on rounds and always availble by phone. There is much more to come on this journey. Peace.