Refreshing lives, transforming faith, at the heart of the community Haere Mai, Piki Mai
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Offer support that is home-based, skilled, practical, personal and confidential
Provide personal health counselling
Facilitate individual and group health education
Seek to understand and promote the relationship of faith and health
Assist families coping with terminal illness
Provide regular blood pressure checks as requested
Provide information about available health support resources
Advocate and support to receive maximum benefit from the health care system
Coordinate Parish Nurse team of trained volunteers
Faith Community Nurses (FCNs)
Faith Community Nurses aim to promote individual and community health and well-being through
education, counselling, pastoral support, information and referral, and care management services.
They seek to integrate body, mind and spirit, and nurture the growth toward wholeness in and through
Jesus Christ the source of healing.
What is the Faith Community Nurse's Mission?
The FCN (also known as parish nurse, pastoral nurse or similar) responds to
Christ's redeeming love by offering her/his personal gifts and nursing
knowledge/skills in service for all. This activity occurs in the context of
the faith community as part of the Christian church's response to Jesus'
message:
"...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did
for me."
Matthew 25:40
The FCN cares for the body, mind and spirit, nurturing the growth towards
wholeness in and through Christ. The FCN ministry seeks to assist the
Christian church in caring for God's people to facilitate their journey
towards forgiveness, healing, hope, peace and wholeness.
"...Faith by itself, if not accompanied by action is dead."
James 2:17
Why is this the Church's work?
Health ministry is a practical response to Christ's invitation to serve our
fellow human beings, as Jesus did.
The principles and foundations of our practice are Biblical, demonstrating connections between faith and health.
Many of the pre-conditions for health are present in a life lived in positive relationships with other
people, the created environment, and with God.
Health ministry seeks to nurture these conditions.
Why have Faith Community Nursing / health ministry in your community?
Congregations are being called to recognise the underlying cause of disease
is often social, economic, and spiritual in nature as well as biophysical.
Health and healing are enhanced in a supportive community that sustains
social networks, provides physical resources, assists in orienting emotional
wellbeing, and promotes spiritual harmony.
It is an excellent outreach ministry to many who approach the faith
community in times of crisis and debilitating life changes, which are
related to health and illness issues.
It facilitates a loving and healing community that cares and shares with
each other, and the community in which they serve.
Why in New Zealand's social context?
We have an ageing population, which needs increasing support from the
community, to maintain independence and a quality of life that is conducive
to health and well-being.
Increased social mobility has led to fragmentation of the extended family,
leaving many unsupported individuals, seniors and single parent families.
Financial pressures on families lead to stress related illness and other
health difficulties.
Our 'health' system is heavily focused on curative technologies and disease
treatments
This support is important but the root cause of much illness is not
addressed. Healing of relationships with God, other people and the creation
are the work of the church and this is the missing link in our current
health system.
The health system is complex and confusing and an FCN can provide navigation
through that maze, to locate and procure appropriate assistance for people
in need.
The faith community can provide health promotion and disease prevention
programs that occur in the context of a community that provides the
conditions, which can support behaviour change. The congregation is the only
source of inter-generational community that is sustained over long periods
of time, and thus it is an ideal supportive environment in which education
and support programs may occur.
Why does it have to be a nurse?
A nurse is in a unique and privileged position to bring together his/her
faith experience and professional knowledge and skills in the service of
others, and the ministry of the church.
Nurses have wide ranging knowledge across multiple health disciplines, which
make them ideally suited to help people.
The FCN is a registered nurse with a current practising certificate (and
preferably several years of experience), who can assist the whole person
body, mind and spirit, so that they might experience an "abundant life"
(John 10:10).
The nurse seeks to empower individuals and families to actively participate in their health promotion,
disease prevention and illness management.
The aim is to provide the best quality of life for each individual and the community.
What are the functions of the FCN?
Health Education and health promotion activities for all age groups across the lifespan.
Health Counselling to individuals or groups to discuss health needs, offer advice, referral, or assistance as requested.
Referral, Liaison and Advocacy with other health professionals and community resources to provide appropriate health care.
Support to Carers and Contact Visits to people of any age in their home, aged care facility, or hospital. This may involve coordinating other health ministry volunteers.
Prayer and Pastoral Support as requested, aiming to sustain spiritual growth and healing.
All FCN activities seek to integrate and nurture the person's faith and so help them move toward a higher level of wellness and healing.
Who else should be involved?
The congregation and the pastor/priest must support the health and healing ministry.
The leadership needs to be committed to maintain and sustain this ministry through prayer and resources.
The health ministry team always needs people to volunteer their talents to provide care for one another.
The skills used are many and varied and people of any age can participate. In giving to each other, both the carer
and care-giver receive, and congregations becomes more loving and healing communities.
People may volunteer for activities such as:
home and hospital visiting
regular written and phone contact of sick, house bound, and elderly
transport
meals
home cleaning and maintenance
short respite care
education activity support
prayer and communion visits
and
any other activities requested from time to time, to support and sustain people
within their congregation and the neighbouring community
Everyone can support the work of FCNs and the NZFCNA in New Zealand by praying for this vital
health and healing ministry and sharing the potential it offers with other faith communities.
He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal."
Luke 9:2
Link with health agencies nationally and locally
