Research Agenda in Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

Over the last 10 years there has been an ongoing effort to identify a research agenda for Faith Community Nursing. Through dedicated meetings and pre-conference sessions at the annual Westberg Symposium, faith community nurses have had the opportunity to participate in the ongoing development of a research agenda for this specialty practice. This research agenda has been modified regularly to advance with the ongoing maturation of the specialty practice and the larger research agenda within the profession of nursing. This chapter will discuss the basics of the reviewing research articles and the current research agenda for faith community nursing. The goal is to encourage more faith community nurses to be consumers of research, be involved in faith community nursing research projects and as prepared nurse researchers engage in advancing the practice of faith community nursing.

Appendices

Appendix 1

Appendix 2: Final Priorities 2012

1.1 Faith Community Nursing Research Conference

Priority #1: Outcomes research by an FCN with a multidisciplinary team:

• 1. Included: Hospital readmission, ER visits, falls

• 2. Spirituality is key piece of research—hallmark of FCN practice

• 3. Cost effective is an outcome of the intervention

• 4. Health policy development

• 5. Chronic illness

• 6. Health promotion

Priority #2: Develop a sustainable infrastructure for a faith community nursing national research program

• 1. Key stakeholders

• 2. Development of a national clearing house of foundation funding that will allow for seed grants for FCN research

Priority #3: Describe best practices that address sustainability of FCN practices

Process issues:

• How to prepare FCNs to function in the process—skill level

• How to convince our colleagues that they should be involved in the process—monthly meetings, journal clubs

• Data collectors must see themselves as a part of the team

• Sustainability of a program within a faith community—infrastructure—key stakeholders

• FCN has to be educated to value the research process

• Preparing the members of the faith community to engage in the research process

Appendix 3: Research and Scholarship

Research and scholarship are important aspects of the profession of nursing that require clarification and actualization. Since 2008, FCN through a series of dedicated workshops and pre-conferences has engaged members of the FCN community in formulating how research should be addressed within this specialty nursing practice. Since 2012, where a conference dedicated to establishing research priorities was hosted by Loyola University Chicago, the research priorities for FCN have been reviewed, modified and disseminated. In 2018, the research priorities for Faith Community Nursing were reviewed considering the four research priorities established for the profession of nursing by The Council for the Advancement of Science (CANS). These priorities are: Precision Science, Big Data and Data Analytics, Determinants of Health and Global Health (Eckardt et al., 2017). FCN research and scholarship encompasses global FCN discovery (new knowledge research), integration, teaching, and practice/service/ministry. The purposes of developing research priorities for FCN specialty practice are to 1.) Demonstrate the contribution of Faith Community Nurse’s (FCN’s) to healthcare outcomes; 2.) Identify cost effect strategies for prevention and ongoing care across the continuum of care; 3.) Identify the faith community as a strategic partner in fostering health and wholeness; and, 4) Advance FCN as a specialty nursing practice. In order to meet these objectives, research and scholarship are essential (Dyess, Chase, & Newlin, 2010).

1.1 Faith Community Nurses Engagement in Research and scholarship

Researchers and scholars are all nursing professionals who demonstrate reflection, critical thinking, continuous learning, and engage in practice based on evidence as a means to enhance patient and family outcomes (Carter, Mastro, Vose, Rivera, & Larson, 2017). Carter et al also simplify and define the terms of evidence based practice (EBP), quality improvement (QI), and research to be: “EBP as the combination of scientific evidence, patient preferences, and clinician expertise when making decisions for patient care; QI as data-driven efforts that improve processes specific to an organization; and research as activities aimed at contributing to generalizable knowledge” (p. 266). FCN as professional nurses interested in providing excellent care are required to be continuous learners through ongoing reading of literature that will enhance their nursing practice, collaborating with those that can advance FCN practice through research and challenge themselves to be engaged in the larger mission of FCN –Health Care Reform.

At a recent Westberg Institute workshop, several FCN experts came together to determine the following four priorities for research and scholarship:

• 1. Engage in research & scholarship in accordance with skillset (from Associate Degree frontline FCN to Doctorally prepared FCN- all levels of education and practice)

• 2. Conduct outcomes research through intentional collaboration (of FCN’s) with institutions such as Churches, Health Care Systems and Universities.

• 3. Utilize and disseminate evidence–based practices that sustain practice and influence policy

• 4. Align global FCN research& scholarship with current national and international nursing science priorities.

1.2 Importance of Research and Scholarship

Standard Thirteen of the Faith Community Nursing Scope and Standards states “The faith community nurse integrates evidence and research findings into practice” (American Nurses Association & Health Ministry Association, 2017). This standard continues by describing eight competencies for FCN’s and an fourteen competencies for those FCN’s prepared at the graduate level. In order for the FCN to successfully address the quadruple aim mandate, and achieve cost-effective, safe, quality patient and family outcomes engagement with the latest EBP and research initiatives is important. Community health outreach initiatives from formalized health care systems, and academic settings present options for achievable collaborative research and scholarship approaches for FCNs. The FCNs collaborative options are able to address population health challenges, determinants of health, spiritual distress and other dominant chronic illnesses. Linkages to before, during and after acute care health encounters impact altruistic and economic concerns as well as long-term patient quality of life (Dyess, Opalinski, Saiswick, & Fox, 2016; Ziebarth, 2016).

1.3 FCN Responsibility in Research and Scholarship?

All FCN’s are responsible to engage in the continuum of clinical research and scholarship. The practice of research and scholarship is inclusive of the Scope and Standards of Practice that guide the specialty for FCN’s (American Nurses Association & Health Ministry Association, 2017). More specifically, all aspects of the nursing process need to be accounted for within any encounter. All FCN’s are responsible for assessment, nursing diagnoses, planning, implementation and evaluation with documentation capturing the encounter (Campbell, 2014; Solari-Twadell & Hackbarth, 2010).Wilkes, Mannix, and Jackson (2013), suggest that research and scholarship must be made public through dissemination networks, available for peer review, and be able to be further developed by other FCN practitioners and scholars. They offer a framework for conceptualizing research and scholarship; the image below is adapted for FCN’s.

1.4 What actions can be taken and what are process issues for FCN research and scholarship?

Action Steps:

• 1. Document in a consistent format and thoroughly.

• 2. Develop a practice based inquiry and life-long learning.

• 3. Articulate common language by adopting the 4 themes from national priorities with international adaptation.

• 4. Identify appropriate activities associated with personal competencies and skillsets

• 5. Learn the trilingual nature of FCN practice, nursing, theology and healthcare systems

• 6. Foster universal documentation practices

• 7. Collaborate with others.

Process Issues:

• 1. Preparing FCN’s, health care systems and faith communities to collaborate in the research and scholarship process.

• 2. Engaging all FCN’colleagues to be involved in interdisciplinary research and scholarship that includes multi-disciplinary initiatives

• 3. Encouraging FCN’s and system partners to value the importance of common language and documentation systems.

• 4. Maintain a global perspective for FCN’s research and scholarship

References

• American Nurses Association & Health Ministry Association (2017) Faith Community Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice (3rd Ed).

• Campbell, K. (2014). Documenting Practice. in Jacob, S. (Ed.) 2014 Foundations of Faith Community Nursing.(3rd Ed.). Memphis, TN: Church Health Center.

• Carter, E., Mastro, K., Vose, C., Rivera, R & Larson, E. (2017). Clarifying the conundrum: Evidence-based practice, quality improvement, or research?: The clinical scholarship continuum. Journal of Nursing Administration, 47(5), 266–270.

• Dyess, S., Chase, S. K., & Newlin, K. (2010). State of research for faith community nursing 2009. Journal of Religion and Health, 49 (2), 188–199.

• Dyess, S., Opalinski, A., Saiswick, K., & Fox, V. (2016) Caring across the healthcare continuum: A call to nurse leaders to manifest values through action with community outreach. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 40 (2) 137-145.

• Eckardt, P., Culley, J.M., Corwin, E., Richmond, T., Dougherty, C., Piokler, R., Krause-Parello, C. Reye, C., Rainbow, J.G. and DeVon, H. (2017). National nursing science priorities: Creating a shared vision, 65(6), 726-736)

• Solari-Twadell, P. A., & Hackbarth, D. P. (2010). Evidence for a new paradigm of the ministry of parish nursing practice using the nursing intervention classification system. Nursing Outlook, 58(2), 69–75.

• Westberg Institute (2018). FCN Research Forum. April 12, 2018.

• Wilkes, L. Mannix, J., & Jackson, D. (2013). Practicing nurses perspectives of clinical scholarship: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 12(21), 1-7.

• Ziebarth, D. (2016). Altruistic and economic measurements used for prevention health services: Faith Community Nursing Program. Journal of Evaluation and Program Planning, 57 (c), 72-79.