Faith Community Nurses Are Here To Help

Chances are that you have never heard of a Faith Community Nurse, but there are growing numbers of them in your community.

A Faith Community Nurse (FCN) is a registered nurse who works out of a faith community, such as a church, synagogue or mosque. There are more than 15,000 Faith Community Nurses (also called “Parish Nurses”) across the country, and in more than 2 dozen countries around the world. Each of these nurses brings years of experience working in healthcare before completing additional study to work in this specialty practice.

If you are involved with a congregation that already has a Faith Community Nurse, you may not know the variety of roles that a FNC has provide, such as health education, health counseling, resource referral, and healthcare navigation, just to name a few. Many of the health services offered through faith communities are open to all, such as health screenings, health fairs, and wellness classes, such as “Living Well with Chronic Illness.” Some congregations also offer free health clinics (such as the Salem Alliance Church).

Many people have found Faith Community Nurses extremely helpful with their own health and wellness concerns, while others have benefitted from their help with senior parents. One woman, who lived 1500 miles away from her father, wrote of the FCN in his congregation, “Ellen perceptively listened to Dad’s complaints, queried his doctors, and shared her observations about him with me on the phone and by e-mail. She was invaluable in sharing resources as I built a list of caregivers and services, and advised me well on navigating the insurance system….”

If you are part of a faith community, and would like to know more about getting a Faith Community Nurse program in your congregation, contact Northwest Parish Nurses Ministries at 503-413-4137, visit theirwebsite, or call a faith community near you to inquire about congregations with faith community nurses and programs in your area. We partner with many of the organizations listed in the Retirement Connection guide, and they would also be able to help you locate a congregation with a faith community nursing or health ministry program.

Article provided by:
Deborah L. Patterson
Northwest Parish Nurse Ministries 
503-413-4137