Sustaining Health in Faith Community Nursing Practice: Emerging Processes that Support the Development of a Middle-Range Theory

What Are the Characteristics of the Parish Nursing Research Literature and How Can it Inform Parish Nurse Practice and Research in Canada? A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Parish nursing is a specialized branch of professional nursing that promotes health and healing by integrating body, mind and spirit as a practice model. Parish nurses contribute to the Canadian nursing workforce by promoting individual and community health and acting as system navigators. Research related to parish nursing practice has not been systematically collated and evaluated.

PURPOSE

This review seeks to explore, critically appraise and synthesize the parish nurse (PN) research literature for its breadth and gaps, and to provide recommendations for PN practice and research.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted using Levac and colleagues' procedures and Arksey and O'Malley's enhanced framework. The CINAHL, ProQuest and PubMed databases were comprehensively searched for original research published between 2008 and 2020. The final sample includes 43 articles. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to critically assess literature quality.

RESULTS

There is a significant gap in PN research from Canada and non-U.S. countries. Methodological quality is varied with weak overall reporting. The literature is categorized under three thematic areas: (1) practice roles of the PN, (2) role implementation, and (3) program evaluation research. Research that evaluates health promotion program interventions is prominent.

CONCLUSIONS

More rigorous research methods and the use of reporting checklists are needed to support evidence-informed parish nursing practice. Building relationships among parish nurses, nursing researchers and universities could advance parish nursing research and improve evidence-based parish nursing practice. Research into the cost effectiveness, healthcare outcomes, and the economic value of PN practice is needed.

Theory Development Strategies for Middle-Range Theories

The purpose of this article is to present an analysis on the theory development strategies that have been used to develop middle-range theories through an integrated literature review and to provide directions for future theoretical development in nursing. First, theory development strategies that have been suggested and used in nursing are briefly discussed. Second, the methods used for the analysis are described. Then, 4 themes reflecting the theory development strategies that have been used to develop middle-range theories are discussed. Finally, suggestions for future theoretical development in nursing are made on the basis of the findings.

Exploring the Experiences, Challenges, and Approaches of Parish Nurses in Their Community Practice

PURPOSE

To explore the personal experiences, challenges, and practices of parish nurses in their communities.

METHOD/DESIGN

The overall study used a mixed methods concurrent embedded design to describe parish nurses' experiences with diabetes education and preconception counseling in their practice. Also included were descriptions of generalized practices. Therefore, this current report will focus on these broader experiences. Focus group data were collected using face-to-face, teleconference, and video conferencing formats with 48 nurses who consider themselves to be parish nurses and analyzed with content analysis.

FINDINGS

Four qualitative themes were identified in the data: (1) Gaining Entry Through Trust, (2) Enhanced Focus on Spiritual Caring, (3) Accomplishing Much Despite Challenges, and (4) Practice Making a Difference. Parish nurses are uniquely situated to provide holistic care for the mind, body, and spirit of their patients. Despite the many positive aspects, parish nurses experience unique challenges, such as funding their practice and working independently.

CONCLUSIONS

The parish nurses can play a vital role in providing holistic care to patients in a faith-based community. Future work is needed to address the challenges of parish nurses such as access to continuing education programs related to health topics of concern to their community members.

Promoting Successful Aging Through Faith Community Nursing

Promotion of successful aging is imperative for the growing population of U.S. adults 65 and older, who will outnumber those 18 and under by 2035. Faith community nurses (FCNs) provide interventions targeting health promotion and disease prevention, with a focus on faith and health. This study examined the most frequently documented interventions and attended services provided to older adults by FCNs. A secondary analysis of data from the web-based Henry Ford Macomb Hospital Faith Community Nursing/Health Ministries Documentation and Reporting System reveals how FCNs are contributing to successful aging.

Caring Across the Continuum: A Call to Nurse Leaders to Manifest Values Through Action With Community Outreach

As health reform continues to advance, there is a need for nurse leaders to broaden their perspective related to possible nursing practice models and potential community partners in order to successfully address caring, accomplish the triple aim mandate, and achieve suitable metrics for maximum reimbursement. Intentional efforts must be made by nurse leaders to maximize caring and ensure that professional nurses are responding to the key drivers shifting health care delivery in the 21st century. Academic-practice collaboration (APC) and community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) align well. Together, they provide an ideal mechanism to pursue endeavors that extend evidence for caring services across the health care continuum. One APC/CBPAR model for community outreach that can maximize individual and population health outcomes is highlighted in this article. Furthermore, useful action steps are offered that could be taken by a nurse leader to develop and maintain any form of APC/CBPAR in order to manifest values through caring action across the health care continuum.

Do Faith Communities Have a Role in Addressing Childhood Obesity?

OBJECTIVES

Pediatric obesity is a multifaceted phenomenon. A partnership with faith-based communities to address the issue has been suggested. The purpose of this study was to describe the cultural beliefs of faith community leaders regarding childhood obesity and to examine attitudes about their role in addressing the issue.

DESIGN AND SAMPLE

A qualitative descriptive design informed by ethnographic methods and triangulation of multiple data sources was utilized to assess the cultural beliefs of faith community leaders. A purposive sample of 13 leaders (nine females, four males) from seven multicultural and multigenerational local faith communities participated in the study. No more than three participants from any one faith community were enrolled in the study.

RESULTS

Twenty-first century lifestyle challenges, accountability of behaviors (a dichotomy that fluctuated between individual responsibility to community and/or social responsibility), and the need for intentionality emerged as themes from the data.

CONCLUSIONS

Faith community leaders envisioned a role for faith communities in addressing childhood obesity. Findings support the ongoing development of population based health promotion programs through faith community engagement. The findings provide a foundation for nurses partnering with faith communities on health promotion programs targeting childhood obesity to address family health issues in a holistic way.