Faith Community Nurses Faith Community Nurses Impacting CommunitiesImpacting Communities

Externally Focused ConferenceExternally Focused ConferenceCharleston, SC Charleston, SC

October 3-5, 2011October 3-5, 2011

Renatta S. Loquist, MN, RN, FAANRenatta S. Loquist, MN, RN, FAANJenny E. Holmes, MSN,RNJenny E. Holmes, MSN,RN

Faith Community Faith Community NursingNursing

……the specialized practice of the specialized practice of professional nursing that focuses professional nursing that focuses on the on the intentional careintentional care of the of the spiritspirit as part of the process of as part of the process of promoting wholistic health and promoting wholistic health and preventing or minimizing illness in preventing or minimizing illness in a faith communitya faith community

Evolution of FCNEvolution of FCN

Nursing has historical roots in ancient Nursing has historical roots in ancient traditions of major religionstraditions of major religions

Religious groups founded hospitals to Religious groups founded hospitals to care for the vulnerable populationscare for the vulnerable populations

Religious groups developed schools of Religious groups developed schools of nursingnursing

Parish nursing movement begun by Parish nursing movement begun by Dr. Granger Westberg (1979)Dr. Granger Westberg (1979)

Assumptions of FCNAssumptions of FCN

1.1. Health and illness are human Health and illness are human experiences.experiences.

2.2. Health is the integration of the Health is the integration of the spiritual, physical, psychological, and spiritual, physical, psychological, and social aspects of the patient social aspects of the patient promoting a sense of harmony with promoting a sense of harmony with self, others, the environment, and a self, others, the environment, and a higher power.higher power.

3.3. Health may be experienced in the Health may be experienced in the presence of disease or injury.presence of disease or injury.

Assumptions of FCNAssumptions of FCN

4.4. The presence of illness does not The presence of illness does not preclude health nor does optimal preclude health nor does optimal health preclude illness.health preclude illness.

5.5. Healing is the process of Healing is the process of integrating the body, mind, and integrating the body, mind, and spirit to create wholeness, health, spirit to create wholeness, health, and a sense of well-being, even and a sense of well-being, even when the patient’s illness is not when the patient’s illness is not cured.cured.

Professional PracticeProfessional Practice(Legal/Professional Guidance)(Legal/Professional Guidance)

Code of Ethics for Nurses (ANA, Code of Ethics for Nurses (ANA, 2001)2001)

Nursing’s Social Policy Statement Nursing’s Social Policy Statement (ANA, 2003)(ANA, 2003)

Nursing: Scope and Standards of Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (ANA, 2005)Practice (ANA, 2005)

ConfidentialityConfidentiality

Common ExpectationCommon Expectation

The FCN must posses an The FCN must posses an understanding of the faith understanding of the faith community’s traditions in addition community’s traditions in addition to the competence as a to the competence as a registered nurse utilizing the registered nurse utilizing the nursing process to integrate care nursing process to integrate care of the mind, body and spirit.of the mind, body and spirit.

Preparation of a FCNPreparation of a FCN

Continuing education programsContinuing education programs Baccalaureate and graduate level Baccalaureate and graduate level

nursing coursesnursing courses Religious education to include dual Religious education to include dual

master’s degrees in nursing and master’s degrees in nursing and theologytheology

Health ministry trainingHealth ministry training

Goals of the FCNGoals of the FCN

To protect, promote and optimize To protect, promote and optimize health and abilitieshealth and abilities

To prevent illness and injuryTo prevent illness and injury To respond to suffering in the To respond to suffering in the

context of the values, beliefs and context of the values, beliefs and practices of a faith communitypractices of a faith community

Collaboration With Collaboration With Other Nursing Other Nursing

SpecialtiesSpecialties

HospiceHospice Community Community

HealthHealth RehabilitationRehabilitation

Home HealthHome Health Acute Care Acute Care Critical CareCritical Care

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

FCN is a member of the FCN is a member of the multidisciplinary staff of a faith multidisciplinary staff of a faith communitycommunity

FCN is the sole healthcare FCN is the sole healthcare provider in this non-healthcare provider in this non-healthcare settingsetting

SettingsSettings

WorshipWorship Educational programsEducational programs Support or special interest groupsSupport or special interest groups Spiritual growth or renewal Spiritual growth or renewal

groupsgroups Support services like soup Support services like soup

kitchenskitchens

Models and Best Models and Best PracticesPractices

Hospital BasedHospital Based– PaidPaid– UnpaidUnpaid– NetworkNetwork

Church BasedChurch Based– PaidPaid– unpaidunpaid

Hospital BasedHospital Based

PaidPaid– Hospital hires nurses to work in Hospital hires nurses to work in

various faith based areas of the various faith based areas of the communitycommunity

Program: NetworkProgram: Network– Hospital program provides support, Hospital program provides support,

education and resources for FCN’s education and resources for FCN’s working in their faith communitiesworking in their faith communities

Examples of Best Examples of Best Practices in Hospital Practices in Hospital

Based ProgramsBased Programs

Color Me HealthyColor Me Healthy Nutrition Nutrition Education Education

for the for the CongregatioCongregatio

nn

Community Health Community Health Information Information PartnershipPartnership

Computers & Computers & Internet access Internet access for faith for faith communities. communities. Training and Training and education for education for FCN’s. FCN’s.

Bulletin Boards in a Bulletin Boards in a BagBag

Church Challenge at CPR Saturday

Church BasedChurch Based

Best PracticesBest Practices

Health Ministry TeamsHealth Ministry Teams

AccountabilityAccountability

ImpactImpact

Reduces health care costsReduces health care costs Improves quality of lifeImproves quality of life Assists individuals to learn new Assists individuals to learn new

and modify lifestyle behaviorsand modify lifestyle behaviors Assists in maintaining the frail Assists in maintaining the frail

elderly in their home settingselderly in their home settings Serves as a resource to those with Serves as a resource to those with

chronic and functional disabilitychronic and functional disability

“The most important potential impact that faith communities can have is not in replacing acute care or even primary care health services but in health education, disease and injury prevention and those activities which reduce the isolation and marginalization of people.”

Gary Gunderson, Director, The Carter Center Interfaith Health Program

Questions?Questions?