At Yale School of Nursing (YSN), we believe that our mission of better health for all people should start right here, in our community. Students gain hands-on experience in local clinical rotations, vaccine clinics, and volunteer programs, while faculty provide healthcare services to underserved populations and conduct research that will help establish best practices for community healthcare.
Here are two examples of the healthcare work that YSN faculty and students bring to New Haven, living out our mission of better health for all. Support from donors helps provide the resources necessary for these important community programs.
Women’s Health in New Haven and Beyond
YSN’s midwives serve as advocates and support the growth of patient autonomy, empowering women and all persons to create health and wellness in their lives. In New Haven, this includes a focus on reducing health disparities through our Group Prenatal Care program, which is a patient-centered model of care that takes prenatal visits out of the exam room and brings them into the group space. Over the course of 10 two-hour sessions, patients and significant others receive more extensive health education and additional peer group support. The result: improved pregnancy outcomes, especially for underserved communities, including reduction in health inequities, improved rates of preterm birth, improved rates of breastfeeding, and decreased rates of postpartum depression.
YSN midwifery students have received training on Group Prenatal Care with the hopes of bringing this model to the communities they will serve upon graduation.
Gina Novick, YSN faculty member and midwife spearheading Group Prenatal Care in New Haven shares, “Patients have been coming to the Center for Women’s Health and Midwifery from all over Connecticut to attend our Centering Pregnancy Group Prenatal Care program. Patients have expressed enthusiasm about the interactive prenatal education and preparation for birth they have received. They have been especially appreciative of the opportunity to connect through these groups with other pregnant people. They often create text groups, remaining connected with other group members well after their babies are born. This can be especially valuable in supporting parental mental health in the first year of life.”
Transforming Lives at Local Clinics
The Haven Free Clinic serves as a sustainable free clinic that provides uninsured adults in New Haven with primary care, wellness education, and assistance in securing healthcare while simultaneously educating nursing students at Yale about patient care and community health.
“The Haven Free Clinic stands as a national exemplar among student-run free clinics, offering an exceptional interdisciplinary and inter-university learning experience. It empowers students to support under-resourced and uninsured individuals in the greater New Haven area. This initiative represents a highly effective model of community engagement, showcasing the university’s commitment to giving back while fostering a successful partnership to address healthcare needs for those with limited access to care,” explains YSN faculty member Dr. Ami Marshall.
YSN Student Brenna Keogh ’25 MSN shares, “I recently enrolled in the Haven elective, a course for students who volunteer at the Haven Free Clinic in New Haven. In many ways, my time at Haven has been my most formative experience at YSN. Beginning as a medical interpreter and more recently serving as a senior clinical team member, my work at Haven has informed my future goals while enriching my capacities as a future clinician.”
Join Us to Amplify the Power of Nursing in Our Communities
These are just two examples of how Yale School of Nursing has always been dedicated to providing local healthcare. Your gift will directly support our community partnership programs that our students and faculty proudly participate in. Please join us in being on call for health with a gift of support. Click here to give.
For more information, please contact Gail McCulloch (gail.mcculloch@yale.edu or 203-785-7920), Associate Dean of Development & Alumni Relations at YSN.