School of Nursing

School of Nursing

Community Involvement and Publications

Oregon Govenor Kate Brown holds up two signed bills while surrounded by members of the public who contributed to the bill change.

SMART Pharmacy bill - SB 698

I-CAN students work with a wide range of clients, including immigrants and refugees, most of whom speak a language other than English. Nursing students working on medication reconciliation with I-CAN clients noted many medication errors, which caused physical and mental distress, poorer health outcomes and more frequent hospitalizations. Using a population health lens, students examined the causes of these medication errors and realized that their pill bottles had English-only labels, which many clients could not read. I-CAN students studied this systemic issue through literature reviews, interviews with clients, prescribers and pharmacists, and many meetings with key stakeholders. Components of the law stem from expertise developed by nurses working in the community and visiting people in their homes. Working with Oregon legislators OHSU students and faculty brought a bill to the 2019 legislature mandating that prescription labels be translated into at least 14 languages upon request. SB 698, “Safe Medications for All Require Translation,” passed with a bipartisan vote in June 2019 and took effect on January 1st, 2021. I-CAN students continue to work on outreach issues with limited English-proficient communities, Oregon Health Authority and CCOs. They have also developed materials to be shared with other states interested in passing similar legislation.

For more information on the SMART Pharmacy Bill – SB 698: 

Media coverage

The I-CAN project is focused on community involvement, and from time to time, we receive media attention for the work that we're doing. We've been covered in internal and external publications and featured on local news.

Research and dissemination

Explore articles and presentations from data collected throughout the I-CAN program.

  • Lemon, E., Bradley, K., Sanders, C., Paredes Renteri, L., Directo, L., Evans, E., Running, S., Disher, N. (2021, March). I-CAN in Rockwood: A Partnership for Health Equity? OHSU Health Equity Symposium. Portland, OR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK-TKe16tek 
  • Bradley, K, LaForge, K, Voss, H, Wros, P. (2018, October). Evaluating a Social Determinants of Health and Healthcare Navigation Program: A Mixed Methods Approach. Oregon Public Health Association Annual Conference. Corvallis, OR. 
  • Beiers-Jones, K, Coon, C, Ibuye, M, Ngo, M, Park, B, Presley, M, Shakibinia-Shirazi, M. (2018, October). Interpreting Medication Labels: Launching An Interprofessional, Grassroots Advocacy Campaign for Health Equity. Oregon Public Health Association Annual Conference. Corvallis, OR. 
  • Beiers-Jones K, LaForge K, Mar, A. (2018, June) I-CAN: An Innovative Care Model Addressing Whole Person Health in Refugee Communities. Oral presentation North American Refugee Health Conference, Portland, OR. 
  • Mathews, L. (2018, May). I-CAN: An innovative interprofessional model for clinical education, practice and health care delivery. International Nurse Education Conference. Banff, Canada. 
  • Wros, P.  (2017, May). Interprofessional Care Access Network: Scaling health professions education in population health statewide. Oregon Public Health Association –Nursing Section. Portland, OR. 
  • Wros, P, Bradley, K., & Mathews, L.R. (2017, April). I-CAN, an innovative community-based interprofessional clinical education model. Podium workshop. Provocative Ideas for Practical IPE: National Center Summit on the Future of IPE. Minneapolis, MN.  
  • Beiers-Jones, K., Rose, T., Mathews, L. R., Bookman, N., Wros, P., Voss, H., & Bradley, K. (2016, November). Refugee health and I-CAN: An innovative model to improve health, teach interprofessional students, and advocate for social justice. Oral session presented at the 2016 Baccalaureate Education Conference of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Anaheim, CA. 
  • Bradley, K., Bookman, N., Wros, P., Mathews, L. R., & Voss, H. (2016, October). I-CAN: Interprofessional student teams address social determinants and improve client health outcomes. Oral session presented at the 144th Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association, Denver, CO. 
  • Wros, P., Azuete, D., Bradley, K., Bookman, N., Mathews, L. R., & Voss, H. (2016, October). I-CAN: Interprofessional student teams: Impact on health in three low resource neighborhoods. Oral session presented at the 144th Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Public Health Association, Denver, CO. 
  • Mathews, L.R., Wros, P., Boyd, J., & Bookman, N. (2016, September). I-CAN: An innovative interprofessional clinical education project. Podium session accepted for presentation at the 8th Bi-Annual International All Together Better Health Conference, Oxford, England. 
  • Boyd, J., Mathews, L.R., Wros, P., Osborne, M., &Bookman, N. (2016, August). I-CAN: An innovative community-based interprofessional clinical education model. Interactive workshop session accepted for presentation at the 2016 Annual Summit of the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, Minneapolis, MN. 
  • Wros, P., Mathews, L. R., Voss, H., Bradley, K., & Bookman, N. (2016, April). Interprofessional Care Access Network: A community-based academic practice model. Oral session presented at the 49th Annual Communicating Nursing Research Conference of the Western Institute of Nursing, Anaheim, CA. 
  • Wros, P., Mathews, L. R., Bookman, N., Boyd, J., &Osborne, M. (2015, October). The Interprofessional Care Access Network: Coming to a neighborhood near you! Interactive workshop session presented at the 5th Bi-Annual Collaborating Across Borders Conference, Roanoke, VA. 
  • Bradley, K., Wros, P., & Bookman, N. (2015, October). Assessing the impact of community-based interprofessional student teams on health outcomes & healthcare costs. Oral session presented at the 71st Annual Conference of the Oregon Public Health Association, Corvallis, OR. 
  • Wros, P., & Mathews, L. R. (2015, May). Interprofessional Care Access Network: Partnering to promote social justice within Oregon. Panel session presented at the 25th Annual Kinsman Bioethics Conference, Portland, OR. 
  • Wros, P., Mathews, L. R., Devoe, M., Ramirez, J., Mason, J., Morin, P., … Osborne, M. (2015, April). Clinical education and community outreach in underserved neighborhoods: The Interprofessional Care Access Network (I-CAN). Oral session presented at the 2015 Spring Quadruple Aim Symposium of the Oregon Primary Care Association, Portland, OR. 
  • Bradley, K., & Wros, P. (2014, October). Reducing Health Disparities in Underserved Neighborhoods through the Interprofessional Care Access Network (I-CAN). Oral session presented at the 70th Annual Conference of the Oregon Public Health Association, Corvallis, OR. 
  • Mathews, L.R., Beckett, A., Grondal, K., & Knuth, S. (2014, October). I-CAN: Clients, partners, and outcomes. Oral session presented at the 70th Annual Conference of the Oregon Public Health Association, Corvallis, OR. 
  • Bradley, K., Mathews, L.R., Voss, H., & Wros, P. (2014, June). I-CAN: Educating Nursing Students for Emerging Roles in Health Care(page 401). Oral session presented at the 2014 Conference of the National Nursing Centers Consortium, Alexandria, VA. 
  • Mathews, L.R. (2013). The I-CAN project: Potential implications for nursing and health. Podium session presented at the Public Health Nursing Conference, Portland, OR. 
  • Wros, P., Mathews, L. R., Voss, H., & Bookman, N. (2013, October). The I-CAN Project: Working together towards improving health outcomes for underserved people in Oregon's neighborhoods. Panel discussion presented at the 69th Annual Conference of the Oregon Public Health Association, Corvallis, OR. 

  • Add Bradley, K, Mason, J, & McGuire, J. (2020, June) The Interprofessional Care Access Network (I-CAN): A Community-Based IPE Program. US Public Health Service & Interprofessional Education Collaborative Conference. Hosted remotely. 
  • Bradley, K., Wros, P., Bookman, N., Mathews, L.R., Voss, H., & Ostrogorsky, T. (2017, April). I-CAN Evaluation of Client Outcomes. Poster session presented at the 2017 Western Institute for Nursing Conference, Denver, CO. 
  • Beiers-Jones, K., Mathews, L.R., &Wros, P. (2016, November). I-CAN: Benefits to clients, populations, and students within Portland refugee and immigrant communities. Poster session presented at the 2016 Baccalaureate Education Conference of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Anaheim, CA. 
  • Blankenship, A., Rose, T. (2016, July). Interprofessional Care Access Network: Health profession students in a rural community collaborate on care coordination for socially isolated and vulnerable populations. Poster session presented at the 2016 Bi-Annual International Conference of the Rural Nurse Organization, Rapid City, SD. 
  • Beiers-Jones, K., Mathews, L.R., &Wros, P. (2016, May). I-CAN: Benefits to clients, populations, and students within Portland refugee and immigrant communities. Poster session presented at the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education, Eugene, OR. 
  • Bradley, K., Sengenberger, D., Voss, H., Bookman, N., Wros, P., & Mathews, L.R. (2015, November). I-CAN: Building academic, community &health networks in underserved communities in Oregon. Poster session presented at the 2015 Annual Coordinated Care Model Summit of the Oregon Health Authority, Portland, OR. 
  • Wros, P., Boyd, J., Ostrogorsky, T., Mathews, L.R., Voss, H., Beckett, A., … Ramirez, J. (2014, June). Interprofessional Care Access Network (I-CAN): Clinical Education in Underserved Neighborhoods. Poster session presented at the 7th Bi-Annual International All Together Better Health Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. 
  • Wros, P., Mathews, L. R., Voss, H., Beckett, A., Bookman, N., Boyd, J., … Ramirez, J. (2014, May). Interprofessional Care Access Network (I-CAN): Neighborhood Collaborative for Academic Practice Partnerships. Poster session presented at the 13th International Conference of the Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, Chicago, IL. 

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