Funded in part by the Golden Lamp Society — the premier giving society for Rush University College of Nursing — and foundations including Polk Bros. Foundation and VNA Foundation, this is the College of Nursing's third Chicago school-based health center.
 
To mark the opening of the new health clinic, a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by city officials, and executives from Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and Rush was held on Friday, Jan. 27, at the Simpson Academy, which is located at 1321 S. Paulina St. in Chicago. Attendees included Rush CEO Dr. Larry J. Goodman, CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard, Cook County Commissioner Robert Steele, Simpson Academy Principal Joi Kidd-Stamps, Alderman Walter Burnett of the 27th Ward, Alderman Bob Fioretti of the 2nd Ward and others.
 
The Simpson Academy is a small school serving grades six to 12 that accepts students from throughout Chicago. Nurse practitioners from Rush University Medical Center and students from Rush University College of Nursing provide on-site health and educational services. They also provide services for infants at a day care center at the school. The aim is to help mothers and expecting mothers remain focused on schoolwork.
 
“This special health service provides an additional type of support to keep these girls on a solid academic track,” said Sally Lemke, RN, an instructor at Rush University College of Nursing and the lead health care provider at the clinic. “So many of the girls were missing school because of prenatal visits or physical complaints related to their pregnancies. The hope is to increase the attendance rates.”
 
The health services at the clinic encompass primary care, prenatal care, school and sports physicals and contraceptive services. There is also a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner to provide one-on-one and group sessions with students. A family nurse practitioner provides infants with well-child care, urgent care and immunizations, among other services.
 
In addition, the clinic has an educational component. There is time set aside once a week during the school day when Simpson Academy students can take part in programs such as prenatal classes for pregnant students and parenting support classes for the mothers.
 
Having a clinic on-site allows teachers to keep their focus on educating students rather than addressing students’ medical needs.
 
Rush University College of Nursing also operates school-based health centers through CPS at Richard T. Crane Technical Preparatory Common School and at Rezin Orr Community Academy High School. As part of the comprehensive health care services available at these sites, the centers offer family planning and education programs. During fiscal year 2011, nurses and students from Rush provided 2,168 clinic visits at Crane and more than 1,000 at Orr.