Location
Virtual
Start Date
1-3-2024 8:00 AM
End Date
1-3-2024 3:30 PM
Keywords:
alaska; pamc
Description
Background: Faith community nurses (FCNs) implement congregational health programs, address health-related needs, and deliver wholistic care within the faith communities they serve. FCNs have reported certain challenges impacting their ability to deliver care within faith-based settings (e.g., training, funding, resources). Literature, however, documenting the lived experience of FCNs is limited, particularly in (U.S. State blinded for review [i.e., a Western state)]. The ministry’s Faith Community Nurse Resource Center (FCNRC) at a Providence Medical Center supports 150 non-paid professionals by providing: Support (e.g., community-building), Training (e.g., FCN Foundations Course), Continuing education credits, Consulting (e.g., ministry effectiveness), and Resources (e.g., research, materials).
Purpose/Aims: Informed by Ziebarth’s (2014) “New Conceptual Model: Faith Community Nursing,” we aimed to 1) qualitatively document FCN lived experiences related to barriers and facilitators to delivering wholistic care within faith communities in a Western state and 2) enhance programmatic efforts of the FCNRC.
Methods/Approach: In this qualitative study, FCNs, who were trained and currently serving a faith community in a Western state, completed one demographic survey and one in-depth interview via Zoom between January and June 2023. Participants were recruited by direct outreach (e.g., email) from the research team and through monthly newsletters published by the FCNRC program coordinator. All data were analyzed in NVivo 12 and guided by the six-step thematic analysis framework developed by Braun and Clarke (2006).
Results: Eight FCNs completed the demographic survey and an in-depth interview. On average, FCNs were 73.3 years old and had served as an FCN for 11.6 years. All participants served at churches in urban settings with an average of 146 members. Participants were mostly white (88%), female (100%), and well-educated (4-year degree [50%], Professional degree [38%], Doctorate [13%]). Qualitative themes that emerged were: 1) FCN roles, descriptions, and characteristics (e.g., education, connector, active listening, COVID-19 response person), 2) Support systems enhancing the ability of FCNs to serve their churches (e.g., church leadership/faith community, FCNRC), 3) Barriers and challenges FCNs are experiencing while serving their faith communities (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic, shrinking congregations, role clarity/descriptions) and 4) Additional resources FCNs need to further their ministry (e.g., younger nurses, access to Providence health library).
Conclusion: To our knowledge, this was the first research study to provide unique insight of what FCNs experience serving and delivering wholistic care to faith communities in a rural state. Findings suggest FCNs serve numerous community roles and are considered trusted voices in the faith communities they serve. Additionally, it is evident overall support from the church leadership and the faith community as well as the FCNRC may be key for the sustainability of the FCN ministry.
Implications for Practice: Study findings may inform educational components of the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing textbook (e.g., navigating church leaderships, adapting to shrinking congregations, role expectations). While novel, future research is needed to better understand FCN perspectives in this Western state and recruitment efforts may be enhanced by more direct outreach to nurses, conducting focus groups in FCN network meetings, and increasing accessibility of data collection (e.g., in-person and online).
Recommended Citation
West, Nathan; Kiker (Doctoral Student), Lauren; and Bateman, Beverly, "In-depth perspectives of faith community nurses serving in a Western U.S. state: Findings from a healthcare-academic collaboration" (2024). Providence Nursing Research Conference 2023 – Present. 8.
https://digitalcommons.providence.org/prov_rn_conf_annual/2024/posters/8
Department
Nursing
Included in
In-depth perspectives of faith community nurses serving in a Western U.S. state: Findings from a healthcare-academic collaboration
Virtual
Background: Faith community nurses (FCNs) implement congregational health programs, address health-related needs, and deliver wholistic care within the faith communities they serve. FCNs have reported certain challenges impacting their ability to deliver care within faith-based settings (e.g., training, funding, resources). Literature, however, documenting the lived experience of FCNs is limited, particularly in (U.S. State blinded for review [i.e., a Western state)]. The ministry’s Faith Community Nurse Resource Center (FCNRC) at a Providence Medical Center supports 150 non-paid professionals by providing: Support (e.g., community-building), Training (e.g., FCN Foundations Course), Continuing education credits, Consulting (e.g., ministry effectiveness), and Resources (e.g., research, materials).
Purpose/Aims: Informed by Ziebarth’s (2014) “New Conceptual Model: Faith Community Nursing,” we aimed to 1) qualitatively document FCN lived experiences related to barriers and facilitators to delivering wholistic care within faith communities in a Western state and 2) enhance programmatic efforts of the FCNRC.
Methods/Approach: In this qualitative study, FCNs, who were trained and currently serving a faith community in a Western state, completed one demographic survey and one in-depth interview via Zoom between January and June 2023. Participants were recruited by direct outreach (e.g., email) from the research team and through monthly newsletters published by the FCNRC program coordinator. All data were analyzed in NVivo 12 and guided by the six-step thematic analysis framework developed by Braun and Clarke (2006).
Results: Eight FCNs completed the demographic survey and an in-depth interview. On average, FCNs were 73.3 years old and had served as an FCN for 11.6 years. All participants served at churches in urban settings with an average of 146 members. Participants were mostly white (88%), female (100%), and well-educated (4-year degree [50%], Professional degree [38%], Doctorate [13%]). Qualitative themes that emerged were: 1) FCN roles, descriptions, and characteristics (e.g., education, connector, active listening, COVID-19 response person), 2) Support systems enhancing the ability of FCNs to serve their churches (e.g., church leadership/faith community, FCNRC), 3) Barriers and challenges FCNs are experiencing while serving their faith communities (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic, shrinking congregations, role clarity/descriptions) and 4) Additional resources FCNs need to further their ministry (e.g., younger nurses, access to Providence health library).
Conclusion: To our knowledge, this was the first research study to provide unique insight of what FCNs experience serving and delivering wholistic care to faith communities in a rural state. Findings suggest FCNs serve numerous community roles and are considered trusted voices in the faith communities they serve. Additionally, it is evident overall support from the church leadership and the faith community as well as the FCNRC may be key for the sustainability of the FCN ministry.
Implications for Practice: Study findings may inform educational components of the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing textbook (e.g., navigating church leaderships, adapting to shrinking congregations, role expectations). While novel, future research is needed to better understand FCN perspectives in this Western state and recruitment efforts may be enhanced by more direct outreach to nurses, conducting focus groups in FCN network meetings, and increasing accessibility of data collection (e.g., in-person and online).
Comments
References:
American Nurses Association, & Health Ministries Association, I. (2017). Faith community nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). NurseBooks.org.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Cooper, J., & Zimmerman, W. (2017). The effect of a faith community nurse network and public health collaboration on hypertension prevention and control. Public Health Nursing, 34(5), 444-453.
Dandridge, R. (2014). Faith community/parish nurse literature: Exciting interventions, unclear outcomes. Journal of Christian Nursing, 31(2), 100-107.
Devido, J. A., Doswell, W. M., Braxter, B. J., Spatz, D. L., Dorman, J. S., Terry, M. A., & Charron-Prochownik, D. (2017). Experiences of parish nurses in providing diabetes education and preconception counseling to women with diabetes. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 46(2), 248-257.
Devido, J. A., Doswell, W. M., Braxter, B. J., Terry, M. A., & Charron-Prochownik, D. (2019). Exploring the experiences, challenges, and approaches of parish nurses in their community practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 37(2), 121-129.
Hennink, M., Hutter, I., & Bailey, A. (2020). Qualitative research methods. Sage.
Kruse-Diehr, A. J., Lee, M. J., Shackelford, J., & Saidou Hangadoumbo, F. (2021). The state of research on faith community nursing in public health interventions: results from a systematic review. Journal of religion and health, 60(2), 1339-1374.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry (vol. 75). In: Sage Thousand Oaks, CA.
McGinnis, S. L., & Zoske, F. M. (2008). The emerging role of faith community nurses in prevention and management of chronic disease. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 9(3), 173-180.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks. Cal.: Sage Publications, 4.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research. Sage publications.
Zahnd, W. E., Jenkins, W. D., Shackelford, J., Lobb, R., Sanders, J., & Bailey, A. (2018). Rural cancer screening and faith community nursing in the era of the Affordable Care Act. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved, 29(1), 71-80.
Ziebarth, D. (2014). Evolutionary conceptual analysis: Faith community nursing. Journal of religion and health, 53(6), 1817-1835.
Ziebarth, D. J. (2016). Wholistic health care: Evolutionary conceptual analysis. Journal of religion and health, 55(5), 1800-1823.
Ziebarth, D. J., & Miller, C. L. (2010). Exploring parish nurses’ perspectives of parish nurse training. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(6), 273-280.
1.American Nurses Association, & Health Ministries Association, I. (2017). Faith community nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.). NurseBooks.org. 2.Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2), 77-101. 3.Cooper, J., & Zimmerman, W. (2017). The effect of a faith community nurse network and public health collaboration on hypertension prevention and control. Public Health Nursing, 34(5), 444-453. 4.Dandridge, R. (2014). Faith community/parish nurse literature: Exciting interventions, unclear outcomes. Journal of Christian Nursing, 31(2), 100-107. 5.Devido, J. A., Doswell, W. M., Braxter, B. J., Spatz, D. L., Dorman, J. S., Terry, M. A., & Charron-Prochownik, D. (2017). Experiences of parish nurses in providing diabetes education and preconception counseling to women with diabetes. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 46(2), 248-257. 6.Devido, J. A., Doswell, W. M., Braxter, B. J., Terry, M. A., & Charron-Prochownik, D. (2019). Exploring the experiences, challenges, and approaches of parish nurses in their community practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 37(2), 121-129. 7.Hennink, M., Hutter, I., & Bailey, A. (2020). Qualitative research methods. Sage. 8.Kruse-Diehr, A. J., Lee, M. J., Shackelford, J., & SaidouHangadoumbo, F. (2021). The state of research on faith community nursing in public health interventions: results from a systematic review. Journal of religion and health, 60(2), 1339-1374. 9.Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry (vol. 75). In: Sage Thousand Oaks, CA. 10.McGinnis, S. L., & Zoske, F. M. (2008). The emerging role of faith community nurses in prevention and management of chronic disease. Policy, Politics, & Nursing Practice, 9(3), 173-180. 11.Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks. Cal.: Sage Publications, 4. 12.Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research. Sage publications. 13.Zahnd, W. E., Jenkins, W. D., Shackelford, J., Lobb, R., Sanders, J., & Bailey, A. (2018). Rural cancer screening and faith community nursing in the era of the Affordable Care Act. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved, 29(1), 71-80. 14.Ziebarth, D. (2014). Evolutionary conceptual analysis: Faith community nursing. Journal of religion and health, 53(6), 1817-1835. 15.Ziebarth, D. J. (2016). Wholistic health care: Evolutionary conceptual analysis. Journal of religion and health, 55(5), 1800-1823. 16.Ziebarth, D. J., & Miller, C. L. (2010). Exploring parish nurses’ perspectives of parish nurse training. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(6), 273-280.