Faith Community Nursing Program

 Online
 Fall & Spring starts  Online Registration Form

Description of Program

Faith community nursing is identified as a specialty nursing practice that combines professional nursing and health ministry. The conceptual model for faith community utilizes four major concepts: the spiritual dimension, professionalism, wholistic health, and community. The program was designed using the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Curriculum (2019) developed through the Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing, in consultation with the National League of Nursing and the American Nurses Association Credentialing Center.

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) made a decision the week of October 9, 2017 that they will no longer support certification by portfolio for Parish Nursing.

Who Should Enroll in this Program?

The program is designed for English-speaking nurses, individuals involved in health ministry, or those interested in learning about the practice of the faith community nursing.

Program Content

The content is divided into modules. Each module utilizes instructor outlines, audio/video recordings, reading assignments, articles, web resources, and case studies to augment the learning process. These methods provide the participant with flexibility in completing assignment and interacting with the faculty. Each module includes learning activities for the participant to submit for faculty feedback. Interaction with faculty may occur as feedback to study guides, within discussion boards, or via email. The modules cover history and philosophy, spirituality, ethical issues, health promotion, and assessment.

A text is required for this program. The text and content were updated in the fall of 2019.
Upon registration you will receive detailed information to purchase the textbook.

Program Schedule

This six-week activity is offered two times a year. The deadline for registration is the Wednesday prior to the start date.

Learning Outcome

The learning outcome of this activity is to enable the learner to successfully execute the role of the faith community nurse based on current guidelines and best practices through interprofessional collaborative practice.

Program Objectives

At the conclusion of this program, the participant will be able to:

1. Describe how the history and philosophy of health care and nursing provide a spiritual foundation for faith community.
2. Incorporate ethical decision-making in the faith community nursing practice.
3. Demonstrate knowledge, attitude, and skills to practice as a novice faith community nurse.
4. Utilize health promotion and health teaching methods appropriate to the needs, values, beliefs, situation, culture, spirituality of the person.
5. Develop appropriate evidence-based assessment techniques and instruments in collecting pertinent data as a basis for wholistic care.
6. Identify ways to develop and nurture a personal spiritual development.
7. Assimilate evidence based interprofessional collaborative practice.

Delivery of Content

The content is delivered asynchronous via the online learning management system, Blackboard. The internet provides an opportunity for interaction with program faculty while in the comfort of learning in your own home and office. Program staff are available during business hours by phone or email to assist participants with technical issues or concerns.

Note: Many businesses, especially government agencies or health institutions, utilize security firewalls. Access to web links within program and communication from the instructor, or other students may be blocked. We recommend not using your work email address for this course.

Contact Hours

The University of Southern Indiana Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning designates this activity for 37 contact hours for nurses.

Successful completion of this program does not guarantee expertise in the content. Clinical experience and judgment coupled with an understanding of the content are necessary to attain competency. Achieving certification via a designated professional organization is an additional step to demonstrate competency.

Criteria for Successful Completion

• Submit registration and payment.
• A certificate for contact hours will be awarded following successful completion of learning activities for each module and submission of program evaluation.

The certificate of completion will be sent via email immediately upon the completion of the program evaluation.

Faculty Name and Credentials

We strive to provide interprofessional education by utilizing a variety of content experts, instructors, contributors, and reviewers.

Julie St. Clair, RN, MSN
Charlotte Connerton, EdD, RN, CNE-BC
Mary Rock, JD, RN, MSN

Conflict of Interest Statement

No individual in a position to control content has any relevant financial relationships.

Accreditation Statements

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the University of Southern Indiana Center for Health Professions Lifelong Learning (CHPLL). The CHPLL is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

State of Indiana

The University of Southern Indiana is an approved provider of continuing education for several professionals licensed in the state of Indiana, including social workers, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and dental professionals.

State of California

The University of Southern Indiana is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. Provider #13378.

 Online Registration Form

To Register: Click on the link above. We recommend utilizing Chrome or Firefox with a computer or tablet to register for our programs.

Enrollment Cost

$500

The fee includes access to the program along with all resources and handouts. A text, if applicable, is not included in the fee.

Registration by invoicing employer closes two weeks prior to the start date.  There is a $25.00 fee to invoice.

Registration Policy

The deadline for registration is the Wednesday prior to the start date.

We reserve the right to cancel any offering if there is insufficient enrollment. Registered participants will be notified in advance and fully refunded if this occurs.

Registration may not be available until closer to the start date.

Refund Policy

A $50 administrative fee will be charged prior to the start date of the activity if the registration fee has been paid. On or after the start date of the class there will be no refund.

Questions? Call toll-free 1-877-USI-HLTH (874-4584) or 812-461-5217 or email usi1nhpcert@usi.edu

System Requirements for Online Learning