FCNN is an interfaith, service organization founded in 2004 by faith community nurses for faith community nurses.
Our Mission
Our mission is to advance faith community nursing by providing a whole-person approach to individual and population health.
Our Vision
Our vision is to bring faith community nursing to every community.
Our History
The Faith Community Nurse Network was founded in 2004 by an interfaith group of faith community nurses and a public health nurse to help faith community nurses serve people throughout the Twin Cities. Faith community nurses (also known as parish nurses or congregational nurses) had been working in the Metro Area since about 1980, but many of them were isolated, had few resources and needed community connections and continuing education. Today, the Network provides programs and services to over 400 faith community nurses working out of over 230 Jewish, Christian, and Muslim congregations.
Our Values
- We advance faith community nursing as a specialized professional practice focusing on the intentional care of the spirit, the promotion of whole-person health, and the prevention or minimization of illness within faith communities and the wider community (Scope and Standards of Nursing Practice, 3rd edition.). The five core values of professional nursing are human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism and social justice and we subscribe to these values in our actions and decisions.
- Compassionate respect for all human beings is essential to whole person health and the intentional care of the spirit. We achieve compassionate respect through listening, open communication, inclusivity, equity, advocacy, being non-judgmental and maintaining each person’s dignity. It is these actions that promote trust, enhance human functioning and quality of life.
- Working together results in better outcomes. We build, support and encourage collaboration across teams, organizations and communities to solve complex problems related to health care. We respect and welcome perspectives that challenge and push us forward as we work together on similar goals.
Download our brochure here or email the FCNN office for copies.
Our Impact
We improve community health care by providing resources, education, and support to Faith Community Nurses.
174+ Nurses
Attended quarterly professional continuing education symposiums in 2019 that featured topics specific to FCN practice.
16 FCNs
Became prepared to begin their practice through the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing course in 2019.
922 Older Adults
Will be better equipped to remain active and live independently thanks to FCNs who provide fall prevention programs.
106 Professional Volunteers
FCNs, nursing educators, physical therapists, pharmacists and vision specialists have generously given their time by serving on committees that influence FCNN programming.
FCN Practice
FCNs offer a wide range of services within their practice. The most common services include:
- Making home/hospital visits (68% of FCNs)
- Blood pressure screenings (64%)
- Offering health education classes (62%)
- Personal counseling (62%)
- Organizing CPR/AED training (54%)
- Providing medication information (51%)
- Sharing scripture (50%)
- Facilitating evidence-based health promotion programs (32%)
- Grief counseling (40%)
Other activities included exercise programs, funeral planning, equipment loans, healing services, health fairs, needs assessment, blood donor drives, Medicare information, and flu clinics, among others.
Enriching the lives of community members
Faith Community Nurses meet people where they are to provide health care support.
“My involvement in nursing research and nursing theory over the past four decades has been a rich source of satisfaction & ongoing motivation for me. I was eager to see FCNN enlarge its activities in this area.”
– Joann Wessman
