Nurse-led care supports patients and health care providers at South Island UPCCs

Nurses at South Island Urgent and Primary Care Centres (UPCCs) are expanding the type of care they provide by offering several services that patients would traditionally receive from physicians and nurse practitioners. 

“People in the community might not be aware of just how much nurses can do, which not only supports physicians and nurse practitioners, but also opens up opportunities for patients to access care,” said Jennifer Hoffman, a Downtown Victoria UPCC (DVUPCC) nurse with certified practice who also has a background in substance use disorders. 

“Our physician colleagues encourage us and trust that we are going to listen to patients, advocate for them when they need it, and act as a sounding board to answer their questions.”

Nurse-led appointments often allow nurses to do a deep dive into a patient’s concerns and collect important information for physicians and nurse practitioners.

“Because we have the time, we can unwrap the layers and help to figure out the root of the problem, allowing patients to feel seen, heard and understood,” said Chau Nguyen, a DVUPCC nurse who enjoys family care. “These relationships help us to relay potential patient benefits to our primary care providers and really provide that wrap-around care.”

Julie Grant, a nurse at the DVUPCC agreed, explaining how her ability to assess, diagnose and treat certain conditions frees up appointments with primary care providers at the clinic.

“I have more time in my schedule to spend with patients and build connections,” she said. “We want people to know that they can come to us with their concerns, and we will do our best to help them navigate the health care system and empower them to take control of their health through patient education.”

Patient education often extends to sexual health services, like those offered by Devan Cooper at the Esquimalt UPCC (EUPCC).

“As a registered nurse with certified practice, I can independently provide sexual health education, assessment, testing and treatment,” she said. “I enjoy creating a rapport with patients and helping to remove some of the stigma around sexual health.”

Jaclyn McDonough has worked at the EUPCC since it opened in 2021. As one of the first nurses with certified practice at the site, she finds working to her full scope to be incredibly rewarding.

“One of my favourite things about my role at the UPCC is the opportunity to work autonomously where I can follow someone’s health care journey while they are a patient at the clinic,” she said. “People seem so grateful that nurses can provide that kind of support,” she said.

In addition to offering services like wound care, suture and staple removal, and injections, EUPCC nurse Christy Morris also enjoys helping patients to better manage their own health through special nurse-led projects. This includes a preventative screening program that began at the Gorge UPCC and was also launched at the EUPCC earlier this year aimed at patients over the age of 40 without a primary care provider.

“When people come in for an appointment at our clinic, nurses determine if screening for certain types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes is due. We also provide patient education about why screening is important,” she said. “Giving people skills through health promotion, education and disease prevention helps them maintain better health over their lifespan.”

While the EUPCC is becoming known for its sexual health services and partnerships with Island Sexual Health and the Vancouver Island Women’s Clinic, the DVUPCC has also implemented several nurse-led programs including Opiate Agonist Therapy, an HIV prevention initiative, and a refugee clinic. 

“It’s rewarding to know we have that impact and voice – we will often identify that there is a community need and bring it forward to the team for consideration,” said Alison MacLaggan, a clinical nurse leader who helps to identify and implement nurse-led programs at South Island UPCCs. “It’s a very grassroots approach to service delivery by determining which programs are most needed in each individual community.”

South Island UPCC nurses are passionate about exploring benefits to both their patients and the larger team of caregivers by continuing to suggest and support unique, patient-centred programs and services. 

“Patients appreciate the time that the nurses are able to spend with them and the kindness that they show,” said fellow clinical nurse leader, Estephanie U. Acebedo. “I am very proud of the compassion, commitment and perseverance that UPCC nurses bring to our clinics each day.”

Other health care providers are also grateful for the services being offered by nurses at the UPCCs, which have become known for their integrated team-based care model that includes physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, mental health and substance use consultants, and medical office staff.

“Our clinic offers dozens of independent nursing appointments per day, allowing patients access to high quality primary care,” said Dr. Paul Sawchuk, a physician at the DVUPCC. “Physicians like me benefit from being able to share the workload with trusted colleagues, while nurses find it rewarding to fill such an important role in our health care system.”

Nurse-led appointments for a variety of conditions at South Island Urgent and Primary Care Centres can be arranged by calling 1-833-688-8722 and selecting a UPCC in your area from an automated list.