Faith Community Nurses Association is an affiliate member of ONA
story by Denise McGough, RN, MEd, FCN
As nurses, we are privileged to accompany our clients and their loved ones during some of the most pivotal, vulnerable, and transformational moments of life: birth, death, struggling with the unknown. Together, we encounter all the peaks and valleys in the wellness journey: moments of hope, despair and acceptance. We also journey with them in the mundane, yet essential tasks: how do I remember to take these pills, and why should I bother? What should I eat? How can I get to the bathroom? As any nurse knows, these tasks have a spiritual component for both the nurse and the client. A valuable resource for nurses and health ministers in navigating the spiritual side of health care is the Faith Community Nurses Association of Oklahoma (FCNA OK)
Although spiritual care is a part of all nursing practice, it is the primary focus of a Faith Community Nurse (FCN). Faith Community Nursing is a specialty that embraces the intentional integration of the practice of faith with the practice of nursing so that people can achieve wholeness in, with, and through the community of faith in which Faith Community Nurses serve. It is recognized by the American Nurses Association as a specialty practice area for registered nurses who have completed an endorsed training program. It is an independent nursing practice which has “intentional care of the spirit” as its function and does not involve “hands-on,” task-oriented nursing care.
Faith Community Nurses can be found in congregations of every denomination and faith tradition in rural, urban, and suburban settings. The nurse actively promotes wellness, wholeness, and preventive health. As the faith community needs are assessed, the FCN may provide care to an entire community, member groups, or individuals. Often the FCN collaborates in partnership with community agencies and healthcare systems to meet the needs identified. The form of spiritual care will depend on the beliefs and practices of the faith community and the individuals, and always honors the individual’s personal choices and belief system. The FCN may serve as a health advocate, personal health counselor, health educator, referral agent, facilitator of volunteers or support groups, and integrator of faith and health.
I was inspired by a colleague who reminded me that as an FCN we care for the person from the “cradle to the grave.” With this broad call to action, there is no limit to the myriad ways an FCN may serve.
The membership of the FCNA OK is a diverse group of nurses, from multiple specialty areas, with a broad level of experience. FCNA OK provides support and resources for faith community nurses of all faiths to promote spiritual development and best practices. Quarterly meetings are available in-person or virtually, and always include a continuing education component. The annual conference occurs in March with topics to enhance your nursing practice. FCNA OK also provides retreats and activities to encourage and support a member’s personal spiritual formation.
FCNA OK invites anyone interested in joining to contact us via email at [email protected]. More information is available at www.fcnaok.org. Follow FCNAOK on Facebook.
Originally published in The Oklahoma Nurse, May 2024. Reprinted by permission of ONA.
