What is Faith Community Nursing?
Faith community nurses are licensed, registered nurses who practice wholistic health for self, individuals and the community using nursing knowledge combined with spiritual care. They function in paid and unpaid positions as members of the pastoral team in a variety of religious faiths, cultures, and countries. The focus of their work is on the intentional care of the spirit, assisting the members of the faith community and other faith-based organizations to maintain and/or regain wholeness in body, mind, and spirit.
To be a faith community nurse, one:
- must have an active license in the state of practice or international equivalent
- should have a baccalaureate degree in nursing with experience in community nursing
- should have completed an educational course to prepare for this ministry such as the foundations of faith community nursing
- should have specialized knowledge of the spiritual beliefs and practices of the faith community, organizations and communities served
- should reflect personal spirituality maturity in her/his practice
- should be organized, flexible, self-started, and a good communicator
The practice is governed by:
- the nurse practice act of their state or international equivalent
The practice is guided by:
- Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice
- Faith Community Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice
- Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements (for nurses)
- Faith Community Nursing Position Statements