Is a Faith Community Health Ministry in Your Future?
Interesting in being part of Faith Community Health Network? We’re training faith ministers and faith community nurses to support a diverse community.
Faith community nursing is a recognized nursing practice specialty. Actively licensed registered nurses (RNs) trained as faith community nurses (FCNs) practice autonomously under their Oregon State Board of Nursing Registered Nurse license and can be a tremendous support to both pastoral leadership and to congregations they serve.
Training and retaining RNs in a faith community setting is a win-win.
It brings valuable nursing expertise into the community – specifically the faith community – where it is desperately needed and provides a means for nurses who are called to serve to bring their nursing expertise to their faith community.
The FCN begins by assessing faith community health needs through surveys, focus groups, informal conversations, and/or observation. They use these findings to coordinate or conduct health ministry activities, which may include providing health information individually or in groups, health screenings or other health-related events (such as blood pressure screening), and/or office hours for individual health coaching or consultation. An active FCN practice and needs ministry based on a thorough faith community health assessment will help to reduce suffering, improve spiritual care and overall health, and improve healthcare access for faith community members. These RNs are not direct caregivers in the traditional sense, but the services they provide can improve the health of both individuals and the faith community as a whole.
A Faith Community Nurse is not simply a registered nurse who happens to be a member of a faith community. Faith Community Nursing is a nationally recognized nursing practice specialty. The Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Course prepares nurses to stand in the gap; to bridge the health care system and faith community. Faith Community Nurses and Health Ministers work together to open the door for important conversations about health and wellness of the mind, body, and spirit and provide additional caring connection and support for faith community members facing today’s many challenges.
Faith Community Health Network is partnering to offer the Foundations for Faith Community Nursing for licensed registered nurses (RNs) and a parallel Foundations for Health Ministry course for nurses with inactive licenses and faith community lay members.
We’re supporting faith community nurses and health ministers bringing access to preventive care to faith communities in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties of Oregon and beyond.
The Faith Community Health Network is a 509(a)(2) public charity and can receive tax deductible donations under its 501(c)(3) tax exempt status.