Education/Ministries
Faith Community Nursing
(FCN)
A Partnership
of Health and Faith
What is Faith
Community Nursing?
Faith Community Nursing is a care program
of layleaders, including licensed nurses, who serve to promote
well-being in mind, body and spirit.
Our Mission is the intentional integration of the practice of
health with the practice of faith, so that people may achieve wholeness
in, with, and through the community of faith in which Faith Community
Nurses serve.
They come from diverse backgrounds. Your
FCN may come from the surgical or neonatal area of a hospital, or be
working in the community as a health care provider.
Faith Community Nursing Coordinator: Margie Kreitler, MS RN
If you are interested in joining FCN or wish to speak with us about a
health issue, please contact the First Church Office by phone or by
e-mail.
All information shared with us will be kept confidential unless you
present issues that indicate you are a danger to yourself or others.
Why
Faith Community Nurses?
When Christianity began, the church was a major
influence in all dimensions of life, looking after people's emotional
and physical needs as well as their spiritual concerns.
Over the years, health care became the domain of the
medical community. But in recent years, we have become more aware of the
powerful connection between a person's physical condition, mental state
and spiritual well-being. Hence the concept of "whole person health
care."
Having Faith Community Nurses (parish nurses) as part of a congregation's
ministry integrates this idea of "whole person health care" into the
church.
Qualifications of a
Faith Community Nurse:
-
Registered nurse currently licensed in the State of Connecticut.
- At
least five years nursing experience.
-
Knowledge of the sacramental and spiritual life
of the church.
-
Experience in teaching and health counseling.
-
Knowledge and practice of whole person health philosophy.
-
Ability to work with highly diverse types of individuals and groups.
For further
information or to
contact a Faith Community Nurse,
please leave a message at the Church office (633-4641).
Faith Community Nursing
Annual Report
FCN offered Healing and
Prayer services in October, November, and December 2009 (called "Quiet
Christmas"). Approximately twelve people attended the "Quiet Christmas"
service. Refreshments were served before the service so that people
could leave quietly after worship. During Lent 2010 in March and in
April, Healing services were held that included walks on our canvas
labyrinth. Four to six people attended. There will be another Healing
service in May. We believe that these services provide a quiet time away
from our busy lives, with music and prayer; the laying on of hands and
anointing with a blessing are also offered during each service. The low
attendance, however, is disappointing. Our team will discuss whether to
continue these services and try a different time and day of the week.
The most important accomplishment of the FCN has been
as facilitator of the donation of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED).
The defibrillator, a training session and service plan were all given to
First Church by an anonymous donor. We started introducing the
congregation to the AED with two informational meetings. After the
purchase, sixteen people were trained to use the defibrillator, along
with CPR. The AED will be put in place soon, probably in the hallway
outside of Schultz Hall and the Meetinghouse. This is a wonderful tool
that may be used by anyone in an emergency of cardiac arrest; its use
only requires listening to the oral directions and following each step
carefully. Lives can be saved. We cannot adequately express our
gratitude and thanks to the anonymous donor.
The founder of FCN, Margie Kreitler, moved to New
Hampshire in January 2010; we miss her smile and dedication. Jill Roy
joined FCN this past September, and we are pleased to have her expertise
and enthusiasm. Thanks go as well to FCN co-chair Charlotte Mowry and
our staff representative, Ruth Martz.
Charlene Dann, co-chair
