Faith Community Nursing

Faith community nursing holds the spiritual dimension to be central to the practice. It also encompasses the physical, psychological and sociological dimensions of nursing practice. The focus of the practice is the faith community and its ministry. The faith community nurse in collaboration with the pastoral staff and congregational members participates in the ongoing transformation of the faith community into a course of health and healing. Through partnerships with other community health resources faith community nurses foster new and creative responses to health concerns. Faith community nursing services are designed to build on and strengthen capacities of individuals, families and congregations to understand and care for one another in their light of their relationship with their God, faith traditions, themselves and the broader society. The practice holds that all persons are sacred and must be treated with respect and dignity. In response to this belief, faith community nurses assists people to come to a new understanding of health, while working with individuals to become more active partners in the management of their personal resources. The faith community nurse understands health to be a dynamic process which embodies the spiritual, psychological, physical and social dimensions of the person. Spiritual health is central to well-being and influences a person’s entire being. Therefore a sense of well-being and illness may occur simultaneously. Healing may exist in the absence of cure. Faith community nurses must take responsibility for their own professional development. However, the structure and content of lifelong professional development opportunities should meet both their immediate and future professional goals. 1.’

1 Solari-Twadell, P.A., McDermott, M.A., Ryan, J. A. Djupe, A.M. 1994. Assuring viability for the future: Guideline Development for Parish Nurse Education Programs. Lutheran General Health System, Park Ridge, Illinois (Modified).