By Rachel Coleman
With a horse-drawn carriage and a black leather bag, the country doctor is a well-known character in folklore and local history — but in the 21st century, what does it mean to provide rural healthcare? Physician Mark Frakes will explore the many answers to that question in a continuing education seminar for nurses and healthcare professionals April 20.
The Business & Industry branch of Seward County Community College will present “Rural Healthcare” with Frakes, from 1-4:15 p.m. April 20, room 229 of the Student Union on SCCC’s main campus.
“We’re really excited to welcome Dr. Frakes to talk about this aspect of medical care,” said SCCC Nursing Program Director Susan Ingland. “I think that living in a rural setting, as a nurse practicing, whether you are in a clinic or the emergency, you’re going to see farm-related injuries. It’s important that nurses are aware of the different things that can happen.”
A rural resident herself, Ingland has firsthand experience with the perils of barbed wire and the occasional run-in with livestock.
“Not all our nursing students live on a farm like I do, and it’s important for them to be aware,” Ingland said. “Health care is always about real life, and sometimes that involves horses or chickens or large-scale equipment.”
Frakes, a 2016 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, completed special training with the National Center for Rural Health Professions during medical school. He completed residency training at the Texas A&M Family Medicine program in Bryan/College Station, in 2019. In 2021, Frakes began practicing at Kearny County Hospital and Family Health Clinic in Lakin.
Rural healthcare is more than an academic interest for Frakes, who grew up on his own family’s farm and understands the ebb and flow of rural and agricultural life.
“He’s really passionate about rural communities and their need for access to high-quality health care,” Ingland said. “I’m excited to hear him speak.”
In this three-hour lecture-style event, Frakes will lead participants in taking a closer look at what healthcare in the heartland means, from what we mean when we use the term “rural,” to common barriers facing communities like those that dot the High Plains region.
Special topics include common causes of agriculture-related injuries and hazards, including grain entrapment and rescue, livestock-related health issues, and other environment factors unique to rural settings.
Frakes will also address the organizational and practical aspects of rural health care. How can communities set themselves up for success in the management of various medical conditions and needs? What issues drive the most common challenges for small-town health professionals? And how can nurses and other healthcare providers prepare themselves to deliver the best possible care in rural settings?
SCCC is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the Kansas State Board of Nursing, and the “Rural Healthcare” course is approved for four contact hours for RN or LPN re-licensure.
Depending on their state licensure, working nurses are required to complete as much as 30 CEUs of training over each two-year period, Ingland said, “and we hope this seminar will be relevant and engaging for them as they stay up to date with the requirements.”
To register for the “Rural Healthcare” seminar, cal 620-417-1170, or email bandi@sccc.edu. The $40 registration fee must be paid in advance. For more information, contact Ingland at 620-417-1407 or susan.ingland@sccc.edu.
