Faith Community Nursing (FCN) is a specialized nursing profession, acknowledged by the American Nurses Association, which is centered on the intentional care for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of patients (Holy Cross Health, 2018). A Faith Community Nurse is an approved licensed nurse serving as a member or staff of a faith community, and has relevant knowledge in integrating faith and health. The Holy Cross Faith Community Nursing program is a unique program within the Washington metropolitan area started in 1993. The Holy Cross Faith Community Nursing is mandated to provide indigenous faith communities to promote the health of the community and its individuals (Holy Cross Health, 2018). The Holy Cross FCNs work as health counsellors and educators and interpreting health and faith. They also act as advocates for individuals with health needs, recruiting and training volunteers, spiritual support and provision of health ministry resources. The target vulnerable groups include the elderly in the community and nursing homes. People who have limited access to health care, the obese and diabetic people in the society (Holy Cross Health, 2018). The aim of The Holy Cross FCN program is focused on the ideology that healing incorporates the purposeful nursing of the mind, body, and spirit. Therefore, this article focuses on the roles and benefits brought by FCNs within the Holy Cross faith community settings
Community Setting
The Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse program within the Washington metropolitan area initially operated under numerous departments before moving to the Mission service department (Holy Cross Health, 2018). Washington metropolitan area consists of an interfaith community. There are several denominations within the area consisting Christian and non-Christian faiths. Christian faiths include Catholics, Protestants, Mormon, Orthodox Christians, and other Christians. Non-Christians include Muslims, Buddhists, Hindu, Jewish and other world religions. In addition, the metropolitan area has a rich racial composition and attracts more immigrants yearly. The early outreach program focused on incorporating licensed nurses in a partnership association between the local communities and Holy Cross Hospital (Holy Cross Health, 2018). The association was to enable cohesive health ministry’s exertions that would connect the demands of the local communities and neighboring communities to the hospital resources and various community outfits. Hence, it led to the enhancement of holistic well-being of patients. The Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse program extends mutually to nurses and non-nurses individuals in all faith communities regardless of their denominations, all settings, faith, and traditions (Holy Cross Health, 2018). Currently, it collaborates with an excess of two hundred leaders in the assimilation of health and faith in addition to thirty-one Faith Community health ministries (Holy Cross Health, 2018).
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The goal of the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse program was to offer health care assistance to the vulnerable population within the Holy Cross society which include the provision of screening programs for checking blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and bone density to the affected or at risk populations (Holy Cross Health, 2018). Besides, fitness programs that targeted those at risk of obesity or obese people. The program also targeted those with medical needs but had limited access to the healthcare system such as immigrants, poverty-stricken, or elderly patients.
The Holy Cross FCN nurses serve various roles within the healthcare community. FCNs operate in underserved communities to deliver referral and health information to the Holy Cross health centers in addition to services like support for employment, notification of foodbanks, or several other services that can assist people in tackling social factors of health (Holy Cross Health, 2018). Through the outreach programs, FCNs have promoted insurance enrolments, to enable eligible people to obtain more dependable healthcare access via insurance coverage. The Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse programs have also made it possible to involve people in managing their health (Holy Cross Health, 2018). For instance, with the help of FCNs, every weak 1200 people partake in Senior Fit exercise lessons provided for free by the Holy Cross Health in the 23 regions. Holy Cross Health's Medical Adult Day Center offers secure, medically managed, involving setting for vulnerable adults, especially those who have dementia. FCNs also provide intentional chances for spiritual support via theological reflection groups, yearly retreats, among other activities. The FCN also offers initial and continuing training to health team members and ministry leaders. The FCN is also mandated with the integration of health and faith via its monthly electronic publications such as The Dove.
Health Promotion Nursing Intervention
FCN s can implement patient self-management interventions. Health promotion interventions are consistent despite the paradigm of the changing sickness and care needs they focus on. Therefore, it allows people with chronic incapacitating conditions adopt active duties in their healthcare programs (Alexa, 2018).The intervention aims at not only controlling sickness and ameliorating disease symptoms, but also enhancing the physical and spiritual quality of life of the individuals. Providing information on health promotion to an individual living with a particular condition or disease helps them mitigate the symptoms of the condition an adopt behaviors that enhance their quality of life.
Transitional care intervention programs can also be employed by FCNs in the Holy Cross community setting. A significant objective of national-to-local health care safety and quality is to minimize the number of hospital readmissions (Deborah & Katora, 2016). To minimize the number of such cases, FCNs can constantly keep in touch with freshly discharged patients, uninsured patients in hospitals, and affirm that patients adhere to follow-up visits to physicians, medication regimen prescribed. FCNs as Transitional Coaches can assist in providing spiritually-focused and clinically compassionate care in a manner that supports objectives of hospital discharge, enhance a client’s experience of care, and minimizes the prospect of readmission (Deborah & Katora, 2016). Normally, most readmitted patients are the elderly population suffering from chronic illnesses (Deborah & Katora, 2016). Therefore, this intervention can be of significance to the old people suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes within the Holly Cross faith community.
To implement the interventions, FCNs can cooperate with church ministers, especially in scenarios where knowledge on health care and health care system is required by church ministers or congregation. FCN and health ministers can serve as leaders in faith communities. FCN and church ministers can build and suport the ability of families and individuals to become advocates of their health guided by the faith and tradition they uphold (Holy Cross Health, 2018). Health ministers and FCNs have the full backing in their duties by ministerial leadership and health team, integral for running a sustainable program (Holy Cross Health, 2018). FCNs can also link with the hospital and the doctors involved in discharging patients, especially those suffering from chronic illnesses, to ensure that the progress of such patients is monitored (Alexa, 2018).
Professional Nursing Organization
FCN as a nursing profession was recognized by the American Nurses Association (ANA) in 1998 in its publication of the “Scope and Standards of Parish Nursing Practice" established by the Health Ministries Association (Holy Cross Health, 2018). FCN was founded on the premise of "whole person health," a lively and relational procedure, with the mandate of providing care that covers all aspects of human beings and delivers it in the concept of the faith community (Deborah & Katora, 2016). According to ANA, FCN differs from the "medical model of care" in that allotted roles of professional nursing, conducting or offering invasive protocols or "hands-on" care are not included in the practice. However, there is no professional nursing association linked with Holy Cross faith community nursing program, but the high-quality services are provided in adherence with the professional requirements of ANA.
Summary
The Holy Cross community setting health enhancement program is spiritually organized, culturally respectful, and community-based. Hence, Holy Cross church commits to the excellence of the people within the community. FCNs can provide holistic and competent care to the community. Transitional healthcare interventions and patient self-management interventions are key to patient safety and well-being. American Nursing Association approves FCNs function in providing holistic care to patients. Therefore, the model adopted by the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse program can be employed in other situations.
References
Alexa, S. (2018). Building Health Promotion Interventions for Persons With Chronic Disabling Conditions. Lippincott Nursing Center . Retrieved 27 th May 2019 from https://www.nursingcenter.com/journalarticle?Article_ID=622111&Journal_ID=289834&Issue_ID=622100
Deborah, Z., & Katora P, C. (2016). A Transitional Care Model Using Faith Community Nurses. Retrieved 27 th May 2019 from https://www.nursingcenter.com/cearticle?an=00005217-201604000-00015&Journal_ID=642167&Issue_ID=3386802
Holy Cross Health. (2018). Role of the Faith Community Nurse and Health Minister. Retrieved 27 th May 2019 from http://www.holycrosshealth.org/faith-community-nurse-and-health-minister-role
