The Faith Community Nurse
Is a Registered Nurse who has completed the Foundations of Community Faith Nursing Program who is in a place people frequent and trust – their faith community who:
Impact
Encourages persons to recognize the impact of spiritual well-being on their overall health.
Universal
Works with the needs of all age groups: newborns, children, teens, adults and seniors.
Identify
Helps identify concerns through health education and screenings, and encourages health promotion and disease prevention.
Encourage
Encourages the congregation to be good stewards of the gift of health and life.
The Nightingale Tribute
The Nightingale Tribute is a heartfelt remembrance of the many differences a nurse made in the lives of others. It includes reading a special poem in their honor. A white rose is then presented to honor the nurse and show appreciation for their service as a colleague. Finally, the Nightingale lamp is lit and the nurse’s name is called three times as a request to report to duty, and after the third call goes unanswered, the nurse is announced as retired.
What is Faith Community Nursing?
Faith Community Nursing also known as Parish Nursing is a congregational-based health outreach, which cares for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—and arises from the specific needs of the faith .community It is realized through the expertise and experience of Registered Nurses who combine health and wellness science and spiritual care.
While each faith community or congregation is unique, all programs support health promotion and disease prevention, as well as access to advocacy, referrals and resources.
The American Nurses Association recognizes Faith Community Nursing as a specialty practice and nurses abide by the ANA Faith Community Nursing Scope & Standards of Practice.
Faith Community Nurses coordinate Health Ministers, and Volunteers to increase the fitness of mind, body and spirit of the person from a variety of denominations and faith perspectives. FCN of SEF enjoys the company and support of peers at monthly networking meetings and share a common mission–they not only provide personal counseling and health education, but they also listen, support and pray with others within their faith tradition.
THE FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE IS A…
Health Counselor
Discusses concerns and health issues with individuals; makes home, hospital, nursing home and assisted living visits.
Educator
Promotes the relationship between physical and spiritual health through faith-based programs.
Advocate
Assists members of their congregation to understand their health and strives to
protect the health and safety of vulnerable populations.
Liaison
Builds community and connects members to appropriate community resources.
Trainer
Coordinates additional volunteers for outreach, support groups, and/or health & stewardship fairs and provides educational resources to assist them in various roles.
Healing Presence
Provides a listening, caring presence. Refers to support services including Pastoral support for additional support.
FAITH COMMUNITY NURSES
A Sample of the Services Offered…
Home visitation for the Homebound
Pre and post-hospital preparation Nursing home and hospital visitation
Respite for Caregivers
Expectant and new parent visits
Health Education Topics
Journey Towards Wellness Series ‘Walk to Jerusalem’
DVD Series – Aging & health topics
Medication Management
Mental Health First Aid & NAMI classes
Living Healthy: Nutrition & Diabetes
Caregiver Education
Stress management
AED/CPR First Aid
Advance Directives
Chronic Disease Management Seminars
Facilitator Volunteers
Caregiver support group
Hospital/nursing home visitation
Consolation/Bereavement support groups.
Health Education & Screenings
Monthly Blood pressure screening
Diabetes Risk Factors Survey
Life Line Screening
Bloodmobile
About Us
In 1738, Marie-Marguerite d’Youville founded the Sisters of Charity of Montreal. The Grey Nuns brought nursing services into the homes of the sick in North America. D’Youville is considered to be the mother of community health nursing.
The modern concept of parish nursing is attributed to Dr. Granger Westberg, a Lutheran minister who served as chaplain for a large Chicago hospital in the 1980s and saw the professional value of nurses.
