It Takes a Village

Christina Feggans-Langston, MSN, RN, has a guiding mission that has remained consistent throughout her career: Nursing isn’t just about treating patients. It’s about caring for the community. She’s been building on that commitment as a clinic nurse at the Westhaven CARES Center and a clinical nursing instructor at UVA’s School of Nursing. She connects Westhaven residents with critical medical care and vital resources like food banks, job programs, and a range of social services while she helps nurture the next generation of nursing professionals. 

Born and raised in Charlottesville, Feggans-Langston grew up just two blocks from Westhaven, one of Charlottesville’s first public housing developments. In grade school, it’s where her friends lived, and she found herself ingrained in the vibrant neighborhood, one that was filled with protective grown-ups and extended family members who became like her own. It was there that she learned what it meant to be a community. It’s a philosophy that continues to inform her work at the center’s nursing clinic. 

“I call it the safe haven,” said Feggans-Langston. “This clinic is just a safe space for everybody.” 

Established in 1994, the Westhaven CARES Center provides a holistic approach to caring for residents. The center’s services range from providing blood pressure checks and sports physicals for kids to stocking a food pantry and supply closet with staples like diapers, laundry detergent, and toiletries, providing a new lens for UVA nursing students to understand the inextricable ties between community health and individual health. 

“People may not look at these services as health, but every moment of life can affect your health in some way,” said Feggans-Langston.

LEARNING TO CARE 

For many of these students, there can be a sharp learning curve for those who have never set foot in public housing. 

“I think Christina is really good at making us feel comfortable in that space,” said Donna Nkurunziza (Nurs ’24), who was raised in Fairfax, Virginia. She also recognized, “There are a lot of stereotypes associated with living in public housing.” 

Under Feggans-Langston’s instruction, undergraduate and graduate-level nursing students learn what it means to help residents navigate the complexities of the healthcare system. As part of both the Public Health Nursing and the Community Health Nursing courses, students get to see Feggans-Langston make referrals and arrange transportation to medical appointments, all while filling a variety of roles, from nutritional adviser to scheduler to social worker, which is such a valuable experience. 

Nkurunziza, a bachelor’s student in Feggans- Langston’s Public Health Nursing class, is just one of the students who has witnessed the unique obstacles faced by patients managing challenging issues like food insecurity, poverty, and homelessness. At Westhaven, Nkurunziza became aware of the challenges that residents face, which are often as basic as food shopping. 

Whether the students are learning by doing at the center, interacting with patients in their home environments, or familiarizing themselves with the neighborhood on a walking tour led by Feggans-Langston, the impact of their work is evident. 

“The collaboration at the Westhaven CARES Center is a great model and framework for how multiple partners can work cohesively to improve individual and community health,” said Tracy M. Downs, MD, FACS, chief diversity & community engagement officer for UVA Health. 

After graduation, Nkurunziza plans to return to Fairfax, where she aspires to be a labor and delivery nurse. However, due to her experience at Westhaven, her perspective of community health has changed. 

“Now I have a new frame of reference to ask myself key questions like, ‘How are we following up with their care so that they don’t end up back in the hospital?’” she said.

Brumbaugh said his experience with the CARES Center “definitely influenced my career path. Working with the residents at Westhaven reminded me of why I got into nursing in the first place. I’m starting out in the ICU after graduation, but I would love to graduate to a community health practice someday.” 

He said the experience has made him consider important questions about patients’ lives outside the hospital: “How can we help prevent future hospitalizations? Do they have the resources they need to be successful? If not, what can we do as patient advocates to try and facilitate healthy practices in the outpatient setting?” 

For Feggans-Langston, watching students learn by interacting with the community is a testament to the value of community clinics like the Westhaven CARES Center. And while their nursing careers may take them in different directions, each student leaves with a better understanding of what it means to truly care for the community. 

“Watching our students connect with our communities and learn about what it means to serve these populations, that’s powerful,” said Feggans-Langston.