Faith Community Nursing Council

Faith Community Nursing Council

Who We Are:
The Faith Community Nursing (FCN) Council is a structural unit of the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA). NCNA membership is a prerequisite to council membership and participation in council activities at all levels. Participation at executive committee level of the council requires the individual have completed an approved Foundations of Faith Community Nursing course and she/he is currently practicing as a FCN or FCN Coordinator. Anyone interested in learning more about whole person health may participate in general council membership.

NCNA Staff—Catherine Moore (Please contact Catherine Moore if you have any questions.)


FCN Council Mission:
The FCN Council provides a forum within NCNA for nurses practicing in this specialty and those interested in learning about faith community nursing to meet, establish networks, discuss relevant issues, participate in programs to enhance knowledge related to this specialty, and promote quality professional practice.

Faith Community Nursing Council Online Discussion Group
NCNA is excited to announce that we are now able to offer online discussion groups (also known as listservs) as a benefit for our members. These NCNA discussion groups are an opportunity to increase communication and provide relevant information to members of the association. Please read our user policy. The listserv and discussion group software is designed to connect you with your NCNA affiliated Faith Community Nursing Council group and will provide an opportunity to receive timely information from your leadership. We hope that you will be able to enjoy this member benefit and get a lot of useful information off of it.
Faith Community Nursing Council Discussion Group
NCNA Discussion Group User Policy

Background:
Faith Community Nursing (FCN) is recognized by the American Nurses Association (ANA) as a nursing specialty and ANA recognizes The Health Ministries Association (HMA) as the professional specialty organization for this group.  This area of nursing practice is guided by the Faith Community Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice, a joint document of HMA and ANA.  This independent, professional nursing practice has emphasized health promotion and advocacy in the context of faith communities and intentional focus on spiritual aspects of care. 
Healthcare systems and universities in North Carolina have been national leaders in Faith Community Nursing.  Over the past 14 years, the number of nurses in NC prepared in this specialty has grown.  Some are affiliated with healthcare systems such as Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, Carolinas Medical Center – Northeast in Concord, and Moses Cone Health System in Greensboro.  Other FCNs are independently employed by faith communities.    
The recent report by the Institute of Medicine, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health recommended that nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training and should be full partners with physicians and other healthcare professionals in redesigning health care in the United States.  The Health Ministries Association has set as priorities the enhancement of professional practice for faith community nurses, development of mentoring models, and increased public education about this nursing specialty.   HMA desires to work with state nursing organizations to provide forums for these nurses to come together and discuss relevant practice issues and concerns.
   
In response to this national effort, NCNA members, who also are HMA members, are looking to NCNA to serve as a model for other states by providing these nurses with the formation of a Faith Community Nursing Council.  An increase in the number of faith community nurses actively participating in NCNA and HMA is anticipated.   At the 2010 NCNA Annual Convention, nurses visiting the Carolinas Heath Ministries Partnership (CHMP) exhibit indicated interest in the formation of a FCN Council and signatures of NCNA members practicing as FCNs were also collected at an educational conference of CHMP in support of forming a council.  On February 18, 2011, nine FCN leaders met with Catherine Moore, Director of Practice and Education, NCNA to receive information about moving this effort forward.  Formation of a FCN Council in NCNA provides a forum within NCNA to enable FCNs to educate the public and nurses about this specialty, gain access to ongoing education, develop mentoring relationships, and participate in legislative processes to promote health advocacy within communities.