WHAT IS A FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE

Faith Community Nursing, also known as Parish Nursing, Congregational Nursing or Church Nursing, is a movement of over 10,000 registered nurses, primarily in the United States and Canada, but growing in numbers in the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. It is the intentional integration of the practice of faith with the practice of nursing so that people can achieve wholeness in, with, and through the community of faith in which faith community nurses serve.

A Faith Community Nurse focuses on the whole person to emphasize wellness, disease prevention and health promotion, including healthy spirituality. Care is based on the belief that health is growth toward well being and emphasizes the interrelationship of body, mind and spirit. Health is related to everything a person does, thinks, and feels and is not merely the absence of disease. Faith Community Nursing (FCN) is recognized as a specialty nursing practice. Faith Community Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice was approved by the American Nurses Association in 2005 and define the specialty as "...the specialized practice of professional nursing that focuses on the intentional care of the spirit as part of the process of promoting holistic health and preventing or minimizing illness in a faith community."

ROLE OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE

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Spiritual and Health Support

Assesses the spiritual and health needs of the congregation and community.

Participates in planning and providing a health ministry.

       

Health Educator

Develops, prepares, presents and /or coordinates educational programs based on specific needs identified by the congregation and community.

Utilizes community resources to secure outside speakers for health ministry topics of interest to the congregation and community.

Health Counselor

Collaborates with pastor(s) in planning for counseling needs of congregation and Community.

Provides health counseling related to modifying life styles towards wellness, understanding medications and managing chronic or acute illness, disability and terminal disease as well as other health concerns.

Makes home and hospital visits to congregation and community, providing health counseling / spiritual support.

 

Community Liaison

Provides congregation and community with referrals to licensed/qualified health care services and resources within the community.

Networks with other FCN / Parish Nurses

Health Advocate

Provides information to congregation and community that will encourage active participation in their health maintenance and prevention.

Provides spiritual integration of health and prayer. that promote wholeness.

FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE