Where the rubber meets the road: Application of the Clinical Scholar Model to address teen motor vehicle accidents in Jefferson County, Colorado

Two of public health's ten essential services are diagnosing and investigating health problems in the community and assuring a competent workforce. In 2006, the Maternal Child Health (MCH) indicators for Jefferson County, Colorado, showed an increase in the incidence of teen motor vehicle (TMV) accidents. To address this problem, the public health nurse (PHN) supervisors of the Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE), identified the clinical scholar model (CSM) as an appropriate practice-education partnership that would allow for the further diagnosis and investigation of TMV accidents. This model would also assure that baccalaureate nursing students in their public health rotation gain competencies related to a community concern. Over the course of the 2007 – 2008 academic year, student projects from two universities focused on the issue of TMV accidents. These projects included two problem-focused community assessments and four health planning projects. The clinical scholars were able to reinforce assessment and intervention concepts related to public health practice while contributing to the development of professional, competent graduate nurses. Early results include the development of new partnerships, a work plan addressing TMV accidents, stronger relationships between JCDHE and local universities, and achievement of mutual goals reflective of agency needs, university curriculum, and student desire for relevant, beneficial clinical experiences. The CSM allows flexibility as a template for use by other agencies to address their community concerns. Use of the CSM to address a public health issue, such as TMV accidents, benefits the agency, university, and students, as well as the community.