Glynn News

Date November 02, 2009

Section(s) Local News

Byline By LINDSEY ADKISON, The Brunswick News

On the verge of graduating from the University of Georgia, Morgan Bishop was looking for real life experience. She found it by teaming up with the school’s Archway program.

The university’s Archway project partners with communities throughout the state.  It makes resources from the school available to the various partnership areas. Within the partner communities, a steering committee and an executive committee of local officials dictate the direction the program takes.

Students like Bishop who join the project can complete their internships in the communities. It’s a win for the university, students and the partner communities.

Its funding is a collaborative effort between the participating local organizations and the university. The local partnership includes the city of Brunswick, Brunswick-Glynn Development Authority, Glynn County Board of Education, Glynn County Commission and Southeast Georgia Health System.

Since Bishop is a Bryan County native, she wanted to complete her Archway work in a nearby area. The Brunswick hospital of the Southeast Georgia Health System offered her an opportunity to get involved.

“I wanted to work in a community close to my hometown and my department put me in contact with Archway,” she said.

Bishop, who recently graduated with a master’s degree in public health and is a certified health education specialist, was linked up with the Brunswick hospital.

“They really needed someone to help get their new memory care wing up and running, so I decided to help them with this project,” she said.

“Everyone at (the hospital) treated me like a team member, not an intern, and I gained so much new knowledge, more practical experience, than in my course work. I did research on Alzheimer’s disease, interviewed local agencies who work with people who have AD, developed a staff resource binder, made marketing templates for the services that our new memory care center will offer,” she said.

Bishop also worked with staff to develop and implement training sessions. After completing the Archway internship, she was hired by the health system to serve as the memory care program coordinator.

“I am working on a ton of different things. We are still trying to get everything ready for our opening. We are a 30-bed unit and would like to open when all 30 beds are filled, we currently have about 15 residents,” she said.

The hospital also benefited from Bishop’s involvement.

“She visited both local and regional Alzheimer’s associations and did an extensive literature review on the topic.

“As part of her project, she developed both training manuals for our staff, as well as information for families of residents exhibiting these symptoms,” said Marjorie A. Mathieu, health system vice president.

“She has developed an activities guide specific for this population.  Now that she is the coordinator of the memory care center, she is helping develop the program as it grows,” Mathieu said.

Gary Colberg, president and chief executive of Southeast Georgia Health System, said Archway is valuable for the entire community.

“Interns are a great source of fresh ideas about newer and improved ways to provide health care to our community. They bring a current and unsullied perspective that allows the health system to research new programs, services and innovations,” Colberg said.