The Faith Community Nurse Network (FCNN) offers the Foundations Course based on the newest curriculum developed through the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing, which is owned by the Spiritual Care Association, New York, NY. The course is a pre-requisite for RNs who want to become Faith Community Nurses and incorporates the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice for Faith Community Nursing.
Our unique course provides 38 contact hours taught by a diverse faculty of advanced degreed nurses with experience in education and faith community nursing. We welcome all faiths to our course and engage our students in active learning.
Spring 2021 Course
For Spring, 2021, our virtual course format will include Zoom classes as well as four hours of online self-learning. We have updated and enhanced the course to include FCN practice during Covid-19 as well as Trauma-Informed Care for faith community nurses.
Dates:
Thursday & Friday, April 8-9
Tuesday & Wednesday, April 20-21
Thursday & Friday, April 29-30
Time: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (CST) each day
Course Format: The course is held synchronously on Zoom and includes four online self-learning modules.
Course Description
Our course includes the 15 required modules plus a module on Trauma-Informed Care for FCNs for a total of 38.0 contact hours. Learning outcomes for the 15 modules are based on the Westberg Institute’s curriculum.
You’ll learn:
- What makes Faith Community Nursing unique from other nursing specialties
- How to blend your nursing knowledge and skills with the spiritual dimension of FCN practice; how to “intentionally care for the spirit” of your clients in your ministry
- Practical steps for beginning your ministry including professionalism, communication, teamwork, legal and ethical issues
- How to promote whole-person health in your FCN practice
- How healing, health, prayer and spirituality are integral aspects of FCN
- How to care for yourself as you care for others
Prospective Students
The Course is designed to meet the needs of Registered Nurses; only RNs will receive Continuing Education Units. Chaplains, health ministers, faith community nursing coordinators and other related professionals may also enroll in the class but will not receive certification as a faith community nurse.
Cost
The cost of the online course is $425. This fee includes contact hours, materials and certificate. A deposit of at least $200 is due at registration with the balance due by the first day of the course. The full $425 can be paid at registration.
Refund policy: Cost will be refunded, except for $200 deposit, if request is received no later than 2 weeks before start of course.
Scholarships
The Faith Community Nurse Network is pleased to offer a $250 scholarship to help defray the cost of the Foundations of Faith Community Nurse course.
For consideration, the nurse must submit their registration and at least a $200 deposit along with a letter of support from her congregation’s leadership (i.e. pastor, rabbi, church council) documenting (1) the congregation’s intent to initiate a faith community nursing program and their support of this nurse’s candidacy and (2) a statement of financial need. The nurse will be notified if a scholarship will be awarded within 2 weeks of receipt of all required materials.
The Catholic Faith Community Nurse Ministry Association also has $250 scholarship opportunities available to increase the number of FCNs in Catholic churches.
Please contact the FCNN office about scholarship opportunities.
Faculty

Sondra Weinzierl, RN, MA, FCN-BC
Lead Faculty
Sondra received her Bachelor in Nursing degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and her Masters of Arts degree from the University of St. Thomas in Adult Education and Human Resource Development with a Certificate in Training. Her nursing experience includes Medical-Surgical, Neurology, Diabetes Education and Health Promotion and Education. Sondra was the owner of Weinzierl Education Associates for over 25 years and provided workshops, team facilitation, strategic planning and health promotion consultation to a wide variety of organizations in government, health care, education and industry. She has served as an FCN in faith communities in Boston, MA and in Minnesota over the past 11 years. She received her board certification in Faith Community Nursing in 2018.

Judith Lynn Alewel, RN, MSN, FCN
Adjunct Faculty
Judy received her BSN and MSN from the University of Missouri. While working in cardiology, Judy served as a cardiac clinical nurse, a cardiac rehabilitation nurse, a clinical nurse specialist and a nurse case manager. She also served as an ICU and ER clinical nurse and simulation lab instructor for the College of Southern Nevada. Judy retired briefly from nursing in 2014 when she and her husband opened three Pinot’s Palette paint and sip studios in the Las Vegas valley. They currently, and thankfully, still operate them. She was blessed to be a Youth Ministry Core Team Member for 13 years and to serve on a medical mission to El Salvador, providing nursing assessment and care. Judy received her Pastoral Care Certification from Loyola Marymount University and completed the Faith Community Nurse Network Foundations of Faith Community Nursing course in 2020. Judy feels grateful and blessed for the new journey as a Faith Community Nurse and thanks God for this gift and for leading her down this path.

Lori Anderson, RN, MSN, PHN, FCN
Adjunct Faculty
I have had the privilege of practicing and leading in faith community nursing in several roles over the past 20+ years. Currently, I am Assistant Professor of Nursing at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul School of Nursing. Additionally, I coordinate student clinical experiences which include using FCN Preceptors. I have the opportunity to teach content that introduces students to the FCN role and I have students working with me in my own FCN role as Pastoral Nurse at Scandia Shores Senior Living. Prior to my work at Northwestern, I launched and developed the HealthEast Faith Community Nurse Network. I’ve been involved in the Faith Community Nurse Network of the Greater Twin Cities since its inception in 2005, and have held a variety of roles over the years, most recently on the Research Committee. I have an MSN from Bethel University and also completed a Clinical Pastoral Education Program in 2005.

David Cheesebrow, MPA, MN, RN, FCN
Adjunct Faculty
David holds a BA in Nursing and Psychology, a MA in Public Administration and Nursing. He was certified in Critical Care (CCRN) and Emergency Nursing (CEN) for 5 years. His clinical experience has been in critical care, emergency care as both a nurse and educator. His geriatric experience includes, expansion of the Block Nurse Program in Highland Park in St., Paul, completion of the Faculty Learning about Geriatric (FLAG) program, and a co-author of a chapter on Emergent care of Older Adults in Gerontological Nursing by Dr. K. Mauk. He retired from Bethel University where he team taught in nursing to older adults, end of life simulation, and leadership. He started as a FCN in 2018 and has been Head Deacon of his local church for 20 years.

Jessica Drecktrah, MHA, MN, RN, FCN
Adjunct Faculty
Currently serving through in kind support from Presbyterian Homes & Services (PHS) extending PHS’s community benefit by championing Faith Community Nursing in concert with other community partners. From 2016-2018, Jess launched FCNN’s Stepping On program as it’s Program Director. Over the last decade, she has championed innovative healthcare initiatives within academia, provider settings, and retail. Jess has also served as a management consultant to the YMCA to help define their healthy aging strategy and to launch the George Wellbeing Center. She also has held leadership positions within Target, the University of Minnesota, Allina Hospitals and Clinics, and Ecumen, a provider of homes and services for older adults. Her areas of expertise include strategy and program development.

Deborah Hamilton, MDiv, RN, BSN, FCN
Adjunct Faculty
Deborah received her initial Registered Nurse Diploma from St. Joseph Hospital School of Nursing in Memphis, TN. After 12 years of service as a Nurse Administrator, Operations and Training Officer, and Medical Recruiter with the Army Nurse Corps, Deborah completed her RN to BSN Degree from Northeastern University and Master of Divinity from Boston University. Deborah has completed five units of Clinical Pastoral Education and she is in the dissertation phase of her doctoral studies at Walden University towards a PhD in Public Health with a focus on Community Health. Deborah’s nursing experience includes Oncology, Orthopedic, Case Management, and Home Health Nursing. She currently provides support to Boston Medical Center as a per diem Chaplain. She has been a Faith Community Nurse since 2019.

Delores (Dee) Johnson Huanca, RN, BS, MS, FCN
Adjunct Faculty
Dee received her BSN from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and her MS from the School of Public Health with majors in public health and mental health and minors in education and social psychology. Her work experience includes camp, public health, migrant health, mental health, nursing education, corporate health, home health and faith community nursing. She was one of the FCN’s of First Free Church, Minneapolis from 2005-2017 and served as lead faculty in the FCNN basic preparation course from 2009-2013. Currently she is active in the Stepping On program, Health Care Directives, a support group for those with chronic illness and teaching the Behavioral Health module of the FCNN basic preparation course. Dee serves on the board of Elim Care Faith Community Nursing of the Evangelical Free Church of America.

Cheryl Lanigan, MA, BSN, PHN, FCN
Adjunct Faculty
Cheryl received her BSN from the University of Minnesota and MA (Health and Human Services) from Saint Mary’s University in Winona, MN. She is recently retired from a greater than 40 year career of providing either direct care or administration focused in infant and adult critical care and public health. Cheryl serves as the FCN at Grace University Lutheran Church and a Stepping On Leader. Her objective is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, incorporating holistic nursing skills.

Beth Peterson, D.Min, MSN, RN
Adjunct Faculty
Beth has a BSN from the University of Illinois Medical Center; an MSN in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing from the University of Minnesota, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Congregational and Family Care from Bethel Seminary. She taught nursing at Bethel University for over thirty-five years where she served as a faculty member and Nursing Department Chair. While at Bethel she taught courses in mental health nursing, nursing care of the elderly, gerontology, end of life care, and the theology of suffering. She is also the author of the chapter “Spiritual Awareness” in the forthcoming text Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing: From Suffering to Hope by Potter and Moller.
“I was amazed at what this course has meant to me. I never expected it to be a defining moment in my spiritual experience and life…but it was.”
– Foundations Course Participant