Empowering the Next Generation of Caregivers
At Malta House of Care, we are committed to fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals by offering them hands-on experience while ensuring that our patients receive the compassionate care they deserve. Two partnerships with the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) bring both Family Nurse Practitioner students and undergraduate nursing students into our clinic, allowing them to learn and grow while directly contributing to our mission.
A Transformative Partnership
Our partnership with USJ goes beyond traditional education. As Dr. Rhona C. Free, President of USJ, puts it:
“The University of Saint Joseph’s partnership with Malta House of Care enriches our students’ studies through the transformative hands-on experience of providing health care to people who otherwise might receive none. This work shapes their understanding of patient care and is a perfect complement to the part of the University’s mission that speaks to encouraging ‘strong ethical values, personal integrity, and a sense of responsibility to the needs of society.’ I am very proud of this affiliation and the benefits it offers both our students and the patients they serve.”
This partnership embodies the core values of both institutions, fostering not only the education of future healthcare providers but also contributing to the well-being of our community.
Family Nurse Practitioner Program:
A Holistic Approach to Patient Care
Led by Lynne Benjamin, an instructor in the Family Nurse Practitioner program, this partnership began in Spring 2023 and has quickly become highly sought after by students. Each semester, one student joins the Malta team for a day each week, gaining unique insights into a free clinic environment that they might not encounter in private practice.
Lynne emphasizes the importance of considering social determinants of health—patients’ access to care, medication affordability, and their ability to maintain sustainable treatment plans. This holistic approach is critical when working with Malta’s patients, who often face complex life challenges that affect their health, from transportation issues to personal loss.
Lynne’s student, Chantal Felix, appreciates the independence she is given at Malta. Chantal, who speaks Spanish, has found that the time and care provided at Malta allow her to develop meaningful relationships with her patients, helping them understand and manage conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Chantal notes, “Malta grounds me more—you have to think about the other aspects of a patient’s life and how that impacts their care.”
USJ Nursing Program:
A Glimpse into Public Health
In addition to the Family Nurse Practitioner program, Janet Knecht, Director of the Undergraduate Nursing Program at USJ, has been bringing nursing students to Malta for a clinical rotation since 2009. This partnership is part of their Public Health Course and provides students with an opportunity to interact directly with the Malta nursing team.
For novice students, this rotation helps them gain hands-on experience in patient care, often working with our volunteer nurses and medical assistants. More senior students who come in the spring can operate with greater autonomy, using their classroom knowledge in a practical setting. Janet hopes that this experience helps students recognize the barriers some patients face in accessing healthcare and encourages them to consider the ethical implications of providing care in underserved populations.
A Shared Commitment to Healthcare Access
Both programs reflect the shared commitment between Malta House of Care and USJ to provide quality healthcare to uninsured adults in the Greater Hartford area. Through these partnerships, students gain valuable experience and insight, while our patients benefit from the extra attention and care they provide.
We look forward to continuing this fruitful collaboration with USJ and welcoming more students to Malta, as we all work together to create a healthier, more equitable future for our community.
A Memorable Patient Encounter: USJ Student Brings Compassionate Care to Malta
During her clinical rotation at Malta House of Care, USJ Family Nurse Practitioner student Chantal Felix had a memorable experience with a 68-year-old diabetic patient from El Salvador. The patient, who spoke only Spanish, arrived for a follow-up diabetic appointment with several nearly empty medication bottles.
As a trained medical translator, Chantal was able to communicate directly with the patient, ensuring she understood her medications and the importance of ordering refills—something that required extra explanation due to language barriers. With guidance from her preceptor, Lynne Benjamin, Chantal conducted a thorough medication review and a physical assessment, answering all of the patient’s questions.
At the end of the visit, the grateful patient expressed her appreciation by calling Chantal “little doctor” in Spanish—a term of endearment that touched Chantal deeply. This experience underscored the power of connection and compassionate care, leaving a lasting impact on both the patient and the student.
In November 2023, our newly appointed Medical Director Dr. Angela Stein, M.D. FACP, initiated an internal educational series titled “A Minute with Malta.” This innovative program aims to provide brief recorded sessions covering essential timely health topics exclusively for our staff and volunteers.