University Daily Kansan
Wednesday, August 24, 1977
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Med Center schools raise program status
It has been three years since the College of Health Sciences at the KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan., formally split into three distinct schools—Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health, but the results of change are only now beginning to be felt.
Two of the deans, John L. vawn, School of Medicine, and Ronald Harper, School of Allied Health, were appointed earlier this year. Mr. Harper was appointed to the School of Nursing, was appointed in April 1975.
The change has been seen by many as an elevation in the status of the nursing and allied health programs and a recognition of the importance of the "health team," rather than the individual physician, in medical practice today.
Marge Duffey, associate dean of nursing, said she saw the future direction of health care as an incorporation of many people trained in different areas.
"ALL OF THESE people will make a
unique contribution to the health care
So far, the change to a three-school system has been felt most keenly in the administrative levels. Separate schools have meant separate budgets, more office space and equipment—and most of all—more paperwork.
Jean Watson, assistant dean for undergraduate programs in the School of Nursing, said, "There's definitely more education in the curriculum when you have your own school."
BY SEPARATING INTO three distinct schools, the College of Health Sciences, has followed a national trend. Many of the graduates have been in existence as department for years.
"I think the students identify with the School of Nursing. They feel the independence and pride of the faculty. As a result, they've become very open and direct with the physicians in a peer relationship—they're much more assertive."
For example, the nursing program was organized in 1966, the same year the Med School was established. In 1973, the School of Allied Health, such as the physical therapy program, date back to
Duffey said, "We're not a leader in this by any means. We had been asking for the change for 15 years. It took years trying to convince the doctors that it would be better."
Llowan said, "It was the feeling of the stuff that the programs had come of age and became more popular."
WATSON AGREED, "It's nice to be out of the parent-child relationship. The old model of the doctor-nurse relationship is passe now. It wasn't very efficient.
"It's slow, but we're getting there. It takes awhile to change attitudes."
The main reorganization efforts have been made in the School of Allied Health. Nineteen programs are being drawn into emergency medical intensive care
technician, nurse anesthetist, respiratory therianist and scence pathology
Harper said the School of Allied Health would be in transition stages for at least another year. He said that initial efforts should be made to establish existing programs, rather than extension.
THE SCHOOL HASN'T been operating long enough to notice all the changes yet, he
"The major thing is for us to begin the organization of committees and bylaws." Harper said. "We're trying to clarify the relationship among the other schools so there won't be any friction. Cooperation is the key."
Lowman said, "Time and direction will define where the programs will reside."
...e, we are now anticipated a steady growth in science classes offered in the School of Medicine. To avoid duplication, courses won't be offered in the other schools.
SEVERAL OF THE DEEN interpreted the change to separate schools as a step toward becoming more integrated with the Lawrence campus.
Harper he favored increased interaction between the campuses because
many of the Allied Health students were the same ages as the traditional college students in Lawrence. Many Allied Health programs offer a certificate instead of a bachelor's degree and are open to high school graduates.
"MANY HEALTH care needs are going to be served by others than physicians."
Along with the idea of integrating the two campuses, are the more complex changes in health care that will be available today. There is a growing recognition that health teams are a solution to health care as medical practices become increasingly organized. Lowman refers to it as a network.
Lownian cited increasing team activity in the fields of cancer and mental retardation
“It’s a very appropriate move,” he said. Harper said he hoped to develop team practices for the Medical Center in the future to be used as models for other towns,
Watson said that nurses were also feeling the need for assuming accountability.
"Much of what a nurse does is outside the realm of a doctor's orders, and the courts
“There’s a feeling now of ‘I'm not a robot—I am a responsible person.’ Doctors are finding that nurses can assess better than they thought we could.”
ACCORDING TO DUFFEY, nurses in graduate school have long done many of the jobs associated with doctors. Community health nurses can give physical examinations, hold screening clinics and sometimes even work in clinics without doctors.
are holding the nurse responsible for every act she does," Watson said.
Watson said, "Specialities are just multiplying. Nurses are now doing a number of complex procedures."
She said that midwifery, intensive care nurses, counseling and abortion clinics
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Harper said he bowses an expansion of the Allied Health programs in the future. For example, Goutreach program which now sends medical and graduate nursing students to the United States.
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