Improving client outcomes through differentiated practice: A rural nursingcenter model

The TriCounty Community Health Center (the Center) was created in 1994 with federal grant monies to increase access and to provide outreach and primar y health care services for rural residents. The Center employs a differenti ated practice model of nursing care in which all nurses use the nursing pro cess targeted to client systems that match the nurse's level of educational preparation and competence. The model allows nurses to intervene with vari ous client systems, including the individual, family, aggregate, and commun ity. Program outcomes for the Center suggest that using a differentiated nu rsing practice model for outreach and primary care services appears to have a positive impact on the health of individuals, families, and aggregates i n rural settings, using the Omaha Classification System as a framework for evaluation.