Faith Community Nurses

Who: Faith Community Nurses (FCN) are spiritually mature, licensed registered nurses (RN).

What: For each person she/he serves, the FCN blends the congregant’s faith and definition of living with the science of medicine to create an acceptable quality of life. The specific roles of the FCN include:

• Health educator
• Health counselor
• Advocate
• Resource liaison
• Developer of support groups
• Coordinator of volunteers
• Integrator of spirituality and health

When: FCNs provide care and resources in all stages of life and its many transitions.

Where: FCNs interact with faith community staff, lay leaders, the congregation and the greater community in order to strengthen their capacity to carry out the congregations mission of growing in faith as it relates to caring for one another and their broader community.

Why: FCNs feel a “call” to this ministry and come from a variety of both faith and nursing backgrounds. They take great care to meet people where they are spiritually, physically, emotionally and psychologically. FCNs consider all people to be sacred and therefore treat them with the utmost dignity and respect.

What is a Congregational Health Promotor?

Congregational Health Promotors are non-nurses who work together with Faith Community Nurses and the Health Ministry Team to:

• To promote healthier lifestyles in the congregation and community through education and encouragement.
• To assist the Faith Community Nurse and congregation in sponsoring health events or activities, this will raise health awareness and issues of the people in their church or community.
• To work collaboratively with the lead Faith Community Nurse on all health ministry plans and events.
• To confidentially share, with the permission of the individual, any urgent health needs and concerns with the lead Faith Community Nurse.