Faith Community Nurse Network Of The Greater Twin Cities

THE MISSION OF FAITH COMMUNITY NURSE NETWORK OF THE GREATER TWIN CITIES IS TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHERS TO BRING FAITH COMMUNITY NURSING TO EVERY CONGREGATION IN THE TWIN CITIES.

EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS: SINCE 2016, WE HAVE TRAINED AND SUPPORTED FCNS TO LEAD THE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING IN CONGREGATIONS AND COMMUNITY SETTINGS. IN 2022 ALONE WE FACILITATED PROGRAMS FOR MORE THAN 500 OLDER ADULTS THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMMING WHILE EDUCATING MORE THAN 2,500 PEOPLE IN THE OVERALL TOPIC OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND WELLNESS THROUGH COMMUNITIES IN WHICH OUR FAITH COMMUNITY NURSES SERVE AND OUR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS. WE INCREASED OUR CAPACITY IN 2022 TO FACILITATE EVIDENCE-BASED HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS, STEPPING ON, LIVING WELL WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS, LIVING WELL WITH CHRONIC PAIN, A MATTER OF BALANCE, TAI JI QUAN: MOVING FOR BETTER BALANCE, AND POWERFUL TOOLS FOR CAREGIVERS. THESE FALLS PREVENTION AND CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS EMPOWER OVERALL HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND FOSTER SOCIAL CONNECTIONS. THIS EXPANSION REFLECTS A GROWING NEED BY OLDER ADULTS AS WELL AS DIRECT REQUESTS FROM FCNS. IN 2022, WE TRAINED 21 NEW LEADERS IN THESE EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS, IMPROVING ACCESS TO THE PROGRAMMING IN THE TWIN CITIES METRO AND BEYOND.

CONTINUING EDUCATION SYMPOSIUMS: WE OFFER QUARTERLY PROFESSIONAL NURSING EDUCATION SYMPOSIUMS, EACH VALUED AT THREE CONTACT HOURS. OUR SYMPOSIUMS ALLOW NURSES TO RECEIVE THEIR NECESSARY CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS AT AN AFFORDABLE RATE. IN 2022, WE HELD FOUR SYMPOSIUMS VIRTUALLY WITH MORE THAN 250 INDIVIDUALS JOINED US FOR LEARNING AND NETWORKING. TOPICS INCLUDED: CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, MENTAL HEALTH, SPIRITUAL CARE, AND HEALTH DISPARITIES.

WHOLE-PERSON WELLNESS SCREENINGS: WELLNESS PLANNING PROVIDES A PERSON CENTERED APPROACH GIVING INDIVIDUALS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THEIR OWN HEALTH IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. DURING THE WELLNESS SCREENING THE INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO LEARN BODY METRICS, VITALS, RECEIVE A COGNITIVE SCREENING AND A DEPRESSION SCREENING, IN ADDITION TO DETERMINING WHICH DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS, SUCH AS EMOTIONAL OR INTELLECTUAL, THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THEIR PERSONAL FOCUS AREAS. THEY DEVELOP WELLNESS GOALS, IDENTIFY BARRIERS, AND ARE PROVIDED WITH RESOURCES TO HELP THEM OVERCOME THEIR BARRIERS. THROUGH DATA ANALYSIS AND CARE COORDINATION FOLLOWING THE EVENTS, WE ARE ABLE TO IDENTIFY PROGRAMS NEEDED WITHIN SPECIFIC COMMUNITIES, WHERE MORE LEADERS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ENROLL OLDER ADULTS IN THE PROGRAMS THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. EACH OF OUR EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND REDUCE RISK FOR INJURY, ILLNESS OR DISABILITY AMONG ADULTS AGED 60+.

FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH COMMUNITY NURSING COURSE: FCNN IS COMMITTED TO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF FCNS. TO THIS END, TWICE EACH YEAR WE OFFER THE FOUNDATIONS OF FAITH COMMUNITY NURSING COURSE REQUIRED FOR RNS TO ENTER THE SPECIALTY PRACTICE. SINCE 2010, OUR INTERFAITH TEAM OF EXPERIENCED FCNS AND NURSING EDUCATORS HAS PREPARED OVER 200 NURSES TO SERVE ACROSS MINNESOTA AND BEYOND. WE AWARD SCHOLARSHIPS TO ELIGIBLE RNS. FCNN HELD TWO VIRTUAL COURSES IN 2022 USING A COMBINATION OF ZOOM AND ONLINE LEARNING MODULES. WE WELCOMED 24 RNS INTO FCN PRACTICE, WITH SEVERAL LEARNERS FROM OUTSIDE OF MINNESOTA.