Heritage of health and healing in a faith based community
Health is important in the community. However, with the rising cost in medical care, individuals are more likely to avoid seeking any medical care. Faith-based organizations are significant in addressing these issues by conducting several health programs, which cover areas such as health education, screening, and management of health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer prevention and awareness, mental health dare, nutritional guidance, smoking cessation and weight loss (DeHaven, Hunter, and Berry, 2004). Such programs benefit the community greatly. Healing in a faith-based community seeks to embrace the values and cultural heritage of the community. The nurse while providing health care to individuals and families is able to appreciate the values of the community. Faith community nursing combines both the holistic care approach and health promotion. Active involvement of the nurse within the faith community helps to promote faith and health. The idea behind the faith is that it helps extends relationships with the community. Further, health teaching is made possible and it becomes easier to conduct follow-up visits to patients.
Resources available in your community, which enhances collaborate between community nursing and faith based nursing
For effective collaboration between community nursing and faith based nursing there is need to have cooperation among the members of the nursing teams. The cooperation allows the community nursing and the faith based nursing organizations to work together in looking for more partners that will join in assisting the promotion of community health care. A major resource that helps is the availability of volunteers. Furthermore, the presence of social workers is a major resource as they continue to provide valuable information through conducting needs assessments of the community.
Benefits of community nurses forming partnerships with faith based communities
Individuals and families that are served by the partnership of community nurses and faith-based communities are able to improve their health outcomes since they are provided with care in an environment that builds trust, which ensures that there are consistent follow-ups. According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2013), faith based nurse members have a significant influence on the success efforts to improve the health in a community. Thus, it becomes easier to use the faith nurses in trying to convey messages of health as the community will listen to them. The faith based nurses that may also be recognized, as leaders by the community possess the trustworthiness and skills that community nurses may lack.
Furthermore, better connections are established with additional support networks providing treatment. The community is able to benefit by having fewer individuals suffering from chronic illnesses. Additionally, the partnerships help in creation of healthcare related jobs. Additionally, more stakeholders become involved the planning of health promotion programs, which helps in strengthening the health environment of the community.
Nurse’s role as parish nurse in faith communities for health promotion and disease prevention
The parish nurse provides personal health counseling. According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2013), personal counseling helps the nurse to conduct a spiritual assessment, conduct health risk assessments, and plan how the members can have healthier lifestyles. Furthermore, the parish nurse conducts health education via a number of ways. These may include distributing information, publishing information on the congregation’s bulletin, conducting discussions for targeted groups; provide resources for the mental and spiritual health of the congregation, and having classes to address identified needs (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2013). Additionally, the parish nurse act as the link between the faith community and the local community. This is achieved by linking congregation members with the appropriate services and provides clients with a variety of resources that can be used to solve their health problems (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2013). Moreover, the parish nurse acts as an organizer (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2013). This is accomplished by linking the congregational needs to the development of and referral of support groups. This is helpful for members who may be suffering with addictions. In addition, the parish nurse helps in training interested person for volunteer work.
How communities of faith may include Healthy People 2020 guidelines in program planning
Planning of programs by the communities of faith need to be oriented towards achieving the goals stipulated in the Healthy People 2020 guidelines. According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2013), the communities of faith can use a tool such as the Community Health Assessment and Group Evaluation (CHANGE) Tool, which has been designed for the purpose of evaluating community change and developing issues of main concern to be addressed first. Additionally, the communities of faith can organize and provide social and physical environments such as the church grounds and hold events, which will promote different health programs.
Legal, Ethical and Financial Issues related to Parish Nursing
A common ethical issue is confidentiality. According to Stanhope and Lancaster (2013), the parish nurse needs to observe confidentiality and at the same time assist the client in the best way possible. The sharing of information needs to be limited to the level that will only promote healing. Legal issues can be avoided as long the parish nurse conducted duties according to the nurses’ practice act.
References
DeHaven, M.J., Hunter, I.B., & Berry, J. (2004) Health Programs in Faith-Based Organizations: Are They Effective? American Journal of Public Health, 94(6) 1030-1036.
Stanhope, M., & Lancaster, J. (2013). Foundations of nursing in the community: Community-oriented practice.
