The advanced practice nurse role in implementing and evaluating two nurse-managed wellness clinics: lessons learned about structure, process, and outcomes

By the year 2000, the baby boom generation will be reaching its sixth decade and 34 million U.S. citizens will be over the age of 65. One strategy for promoting healthy aging is having older persons participate in health promotion programs. Nurse-managed wellness clinics (NMWCs) staffed by advanced practice nurses (APNs) offer an option for health promotion among older individuals. This article describes the APN role in implementing and evaluating two NMWCs for older people living in urban, high-rise apartment buildings subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Lessons learned about structure, process, and outcomes in a community-based wellness center are identified and discussed.