In the Community

Community health nurse:
Banner Health brings health care services to those who can't easily access them.

Every month, a community health nurse visits 25 communities in the east Phoenix metro area. She has seen as many as 1,600 patients in one month.

She checks blood pressure and blood glucose, as well as provides education and counseling to patients who don't have a physician or may have trouble getting to their doctor's offices.

Stroke checks:
Stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability among adults. 

Every year, Banner Baywood offers a  free stroke check for the community. About 120 people get checked at this annual event.

Nurses can help people learn if  their cholesterol or blood pressure is too high. In some cases, they to evaluate people with diabetes, irregular heart beats and severely high blood pressure, some of whom were sent to the emergency room that day for more tests.