A ministry of caring

“When a patient is homeless or uninsured, you can’t just say, ‘Here’s your medicine, here’s your test referral,’ and send him out the door,” nurse practitioner Donna Chambers said. “You have to figure out what the patient really needs. Just because they don’t have money doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get services.”

After seeing patients three days a week, Chambers, RN, MS, FNP-C, spends long hours on the phone talking to hospital social workers, doctors’ offices, diagnostic testing facilities and community resource agencies to get treatment for her clients.

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Barry Williams / AJC Special

Donna Chambers helped restructure The KSU Clinic at MUST Ministries. ‘I like going to the clinic. I know I’m helping people, and the patients are so grateful,’ she said.

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“It takes it out of you. I don’t think people realize how busy most nurses are, but I love this job,” said Chambers, 54, a nurse for 31 years.

Along with fellow Kennesaw State University faculty member Kathie Aduddell, Chambers took on the challenge of restructuring The Community Clinic at MUST Ministries when the school’s nursing department adopted it in 2007.

“The clinic is largely nurse-managed, so we do it the way we like to do it, which means we really get to know our patients and spend a lot more time on education,” Chambers said. “We often have to work through the cultural and language barriers, but it pays off to show people how to take better care of themselves.

“We rotate different faculty through the clinic to do research, and undergraduate and nurse-practitioner graduate students to learn about community health.”

Employed previously at Grady Health System in Atlanta, Chambers came to her current job with a generous heart and extensive experience in working with underserved populations.

“I like going to the clinic. I know I’m helping people, and the patients are so grateful,” she said.

“Without the clinic and the care I received from Ms. Donna, I would not be here today,” an unidentified patient said. “The clinic and Ms. Donna saved my life. I was having heart problems and they took care of me. They got me into the hospital, where I had surgery.”

Chambers believes she’s just doing her job, but her colleagues know better. They notice how often she comes in on days off to monitor patients.

“Donna has become a light unto this community and her work has helped brighten the lives of the people in this area,” said Julie Barton, one of Chambers’ former students.