Pennsylvania Nurse, Front Page 2017 Issue 3 | Page 17

Roles of the FCNs
Westberg (1990) identifi ed seven
roles of the FCN: (1) education;
(2) advocacy; (3) resource per-
son; (4) informal counselor; (5)
mentor; (6) prayer partner; and
(7) liaison. A health promotion
ministry nurtures God’s gift of
life through health education,
screenings, and support of mem-
bers and friends. FCNs do not
function in the same role as home
healthcare nurses. Within a faith
community, a nurse’s role may
include:
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Prayer: Consult with congre-
gational leaders (i.e., priests,
pastors, rabbis, or imam) to
clarify the nurse’s role (nurses
must understand how to refer
patients with spiritual needs
beyond their role)
Screenings: Periodic blood
pressure screenings before or
after worship
Education: Post/publish edu-
cational materials and distrib-
ute or place in rest rooms and
lobbies
Visits: Coordinate home
and hospital visits with the
spiritual leader or caring
community group within the
congregation
Referrals: Refer to commu-
nity resources
Support: Provide support to
those who are bereaved
Transportation: Transports
include professional visits or
food pantry
Meetings: Visit with individu-
als on a one-to-one basis
Mailings: Send warm wishes,
birthday greetings, and sym-
pathy cards
Publish: Write a column for
the newsletter related to na-
tional health observances
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Community Events: Schedule
or participate in events such
as blood drives or CPR certi-
fi cation
Programming: Arrange child
safety programs at the church
or obtaining criminal checks
and child abuse clearances
Displays: Prepare health-
related bulletin boards
Mentor: Assist nursing stu-
dents at events to fulfi ll com-
munity service requirements
Supplies: Maintain fi rst aid
supplies
Attend: Respond to medical
emergencies during faith com-
munity activities
Health Promotion
Outcomes in a
Faith-Based Community
At Hatboro Baptist Church
(HBC) in Hatboro, Pennsylvania
outcomes of health promotion ac-
tivities are documented in various
ways. Aggregate data is shared
with the pastor and church coun-
cil following activities. Results of
programs are shared in the Spire,
the church’s monthly newslet-
ter. A summary of health-related
programs is also included in the
annual report.
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Results: Participants’ blood
pressure screening records are
kept and compared over time.
On occasion, individuals with
elevated readings are taken
to the hospital for immediate
attention. These confi dential
records are kept in a locked
fi le. In addition, blood drive
results (or pints donated) are
compared with goals estab-
lished by the American Red
Cross (ARC). In September
2017 the author’s community
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