February 2020

Welcome to "Faith Community Nurse Quarterly," a newsletter with updates on resources, programs and events to help strengthen your practice in your faith community.
January 8 Meeting Recap
It was good to see everyone at our recent Faith Community Nurse Network meeting on January 8. Our time together provided a great opportunity to enjoy fellowship, learn together and share resources and ideas.

Among the meeting’s highlights:


  • Kim Runge shared information on the CaptionCall program, which is a federally funded ADA program designed to help individuals with hearing loss communicate better.  

  • Kirsten shared that a grant to the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago has laid some groundwork for a Mosque Community Nurse Program. 

  • Nancy Romancheck reported that her daughter is available to provide a presentation on gender identity to anyone who is interested.

  • The 2020 Health Ministries Association conference takes place in our own backyard on Sept. 13-15, at Techny Towers Conference and Retreat Center. Please consider attending this special gathering themed, "One Voice, One Vision: Wisdom for Healthier Communities."


Our next meeting takes place on Wednesday, March 11. Amy McNicholas, Faith and Mental Health Specialist with Advocate Health Care, will present, “Addressing Stress De-escalation in the Church Setting.”

I look forward to seeing you then!

Sue Cox

To see a full report from the January 8 meeting, click here .
New Requirement for Illinois RN License Renewal
Illinois registered nurses are now required to complete an educational course in Sexual Harassment Prevention as part of their 2020 license renewal.  An on-line course through NetCE satisfies this requirement.
April is Stress Awareness Month
Feel free to share this bulletin insert and worship slide with your faith community.


Bulletin inserts on many other topics are available in our  archive .  
Highlights from the Field
We’d love to spotlight your activities, programs and ways you and your faith community provide care to your congregation members and the greater community. Contact Cindy Novak or click here to submit your news, events photos and stories.
Special art display celebrates nursing

The year 2020 has been declared the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife” by the World Health Organization and it is also the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale.

From April 3 to May 24, the Hektoen Nurses and Humanities and the Hektoen International Journal of Medical Humanities will sponsor an exhibit at the International Museum of Surgical Sciences at 1500 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. The exhibit title is "Nurses’ Relaxation and Renewal through the Arts." Read more.
Teens from Islamic Foundation North undergo training
Nancy Romanchek, Mosque Community Nurse, trained four IFN high school volunteers in the American Heart Association Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED course over two Saturday mornings this past August.
 
The course prepared them to serve as volunteers at the IFN Health Clinic , which serves uninsured patients in Lake County.
 
The four young women also learned how to check blood glucose readings with the glucometer, register patients’ information into an electronic medical record system, obtain patient consents, which often involves translation from Urdu to English, and check vital signs, heights and weights.  See more photos .
Mobile Immunization CareVan provides free services

The Chicago CareVan will provide immunizations at the Nigerian Islamic Foundation, 932 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago, from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. on the following Fridays: Feb. 28, March 27 and May 29.

The CareVan is a mobile immunization clinic that provides no out-of-pocket cost to all children from birth through 18 years of age. The clinic provides all immunizations that are recommended by the CDC, with the exception of varicella (chickenpox) vaccine.

The CareVan is a public/private partnership between Chicago Department of Public Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. No out of pocket cost are provided in Head Start, child care centers, schools, public housing sites, WIC centers and at community events.

Advocate Aurora Health News
Four South Chicago hospitals to pursue transformative solutions to address health equity on Chicago's South Side

Four South Chicago hospitals – Advocate Trinity Hospital, Mercy Hospital & Medical Center (a member of Trinity Health), South Shore Hospital and St. Bernard Hospital – announced that they have signed a nonbinding agreement to offer bold solutions that create a new health care delivery system. The system will expand access to preventive care and quality services, reduce drastic health inequities and provide economic development, jobs and training programs in the region.  Read more .
New Leadership Announcements: Mission and Spiritual Care

Rev. Marilyn J. D. Barnes , MA, MS, MPH, BCC, has been appointed Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care, serving the East Corridor and Central Chicagoland Patient Service Areas. She began her new role on November 11. Since 2011, Rev. Barnes has served as a Staff Chaplain and Sr. Staff Chaplain at Lutheran General Hospital and Interim Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care at Good Samaritan Hospital. Read more .

Rev. Lindsay Bona , BCC Vice President Mission and Spiritual Care, will serve in an expanded role now also including the West Corridor Patient Service Area, and Advocate Lutheran General Hospital. Since 2018, Rev. Bona has served as Vice President Mission and Spiritual Care for the Children’s Enterprise Systemwide. Prior to her service with Advocate Aurora she was the manager for spiritual care at Michigan Medicine, formerly the University of Michigan Health System, in Ann Arbor. Read more .

Rev. Horace Bridges has been appointed Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care serving the South Chicagoland Patient Service Area. He begins his new role on January 5, 2020. Rev. Bridges served as staff chaplain when he joined Advocate in 2000. Since 2013, Rev. Bridges has served as Manager of Spiritual Care, Volunteer and Guest Services for Advocate South Suburban. In 2017, he expanded his role to include Advocate Trinity Hospital. Read more .
Welcome, Anya!

Anya recently began a new role at Advocate Aurora Health, serving as Program Specialist on Faith and Community Health in the Wisconsin region.

Anya Gordon has a passion for helping others. Through her new role at Advocate Aurora Health, she is able to do just that – and make a direct impact on her community.

“This role is well suited for me,” she said. “It’s in line with my personal passion and interest. I believe in this work.”

Anya supports the work of faith leaders and their congregations to improve health outcomes for their members and the communities they serve. Among her responsibilities, she provides consultation, education and resources for faith leaders, congregations and faith-based entities around faith-rooted health promotion. She also builds the capacity of faith communities to be places that support the health, resilience and well-being of their members and of the communities they serve.

Read more about the experience and education Anya brings to her new role.
Remembering Wanda

Condolences to family and friends of Wanda Nye who passed away on Dec. 4. Wanda served as a utilization review nurse at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee, and as an Aurora Health faith community nurse at St. Matthias and Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic churches in Milwaukee. Learn more about the contributions Wanda made  here .
Healing Cards Lift Patients' Spirits

Something magical seems to happen whenever Chaplain Rabbi Aggie Goldenholz (left) offers get-well cards to the patients she visits.

“The Healing cards lift the spirits of patients who receive them,” said Goldenholz, a chaplain at Advocate Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Milwaukee. “The patients are reminded that someone – even a stranger – cares about them.”  Read more here.
In the News
Upcoming Events

The Westberg Institute, in partnership with the Nursing Division of the Spiritual Care Association, is proud to present the 2020 Westberg Symposium at the Caring for the Human Spirit® Conference April 20-22, 2020 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Register here.
February 4, 10:30 a.m. - noon
Healing Hearts Support Group. For older adults who have experienced the death of a spouse or partner over the last two years. Meets the first and third Tuesday of the month.
Goldie Bachman Luftig Building
5150 Golf Rd., Skokie

February 6-7, 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Villa Guadalupe Community Room
3201 East 91st Street, Chicago

February 20, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Webinar: Adverse Childhood Experiences as a Risk Factor for Complicated Grief

February 27, 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Grieving a Loss to Suicide, free monthly drop-in group for adults in the Jewish community
Goldie Bachman Luftig Building
5150 Golf Rd., Skokie

March 5, 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Healing to RISE
Kroc Center Chicago
250 W. 119th Street, Chicago

March 19, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Kinship/Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
2622 Jackson Blvd., Chicago

March 27-29
The Intersection of Spirituality and Mental Health Practice
American Islamic College, Chicago
Save the Date!

Support Team Workshop
Saturday, May 16, 2020
8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
1775 Dempster Street, Park Ridge

Support Teams are a great way to share the care for those in your congregation or community who need some extra support. Team members do what they love to do, when they can, in a coordinated way, with a built-in support system. Learn how to form and sustain teams and get connected to others who are using this model to provide care.

More details and registration information coming soon!
Resources
Westberg Institute Sharing Platform
 
The Westberg Institute for Faith Community Nursing knowledge-sharing platform has welcomed more than 1,000 members worldwide. Within seven days of completing this brief questionnaire , you will receive an email inviting you to join. 

Health Ministries Association Book Club

Health Ministries Association has started a book club - a free benefit to HMA members. If you'd like to join the book club, send a message via the HMA Facebook page.

This year, when you renew or purchase your membership, you may gift to one person a year’s membership to HMA for $20. Learn more.
Mental Health e-newsletter now available

Advocate Aurora Health  Faith and Mental Health Quarterly  provides updates on mental health resources, events and news to support the well-being of people in your congregation and community.

If you would like to be added to the mailing list, please contact  Cindy Novak .
Other Mental Health & Substance Abuse Resources


Health & Wellness Resources


Learn more about the Healthy HotSpot Initiative , led by the Cook County Department of Public Health in collaboration with many partners to build healthy places in suburban Cook County.



To get daily articles on a host of health topics that come to you via email, subscribe to our  Health eNews service . 

All Advocate Aurora Hospitals offer classes on health topics. See classes or events in  Illinois and   Wisconsin .  Select a Hospital/Medical Center and click on search to see what is being offered in your area.

Course and Certificate Opportunities

  • North Park Seminary Certificate in Faith and Health
  • Wesley Theological Seminary's Heal the Sick Program - online Health Minister Certificate Program
  • Clinical Pastoral Education

See details on these course and certificate opportunities here .

Advocacy Opportunities

Learn about campaign and workshop opportunities that benefit children and adults. Sign up  here  for Government Update, a bi-weekly newsletter from Advocate Aurora Health that highlights Washington D.C., Illinois, and Wisconsin government news. 

Spanish Language Resources Available

Advocate Aurora recently launched the Hispanic Pilot Program on social media to better connect with the Hispanic communities it serves. If your language settings include Spanish on Facebook, check out Advocate Aurora's posts, like this one featuring the first Spanish health e news story with tips on how to be healthier in the new year.
We'd Love to Hear From You
Share your programs, events, stories and photos. If you have a topic or story idea for a future issue, reach out to Cindy Novak , Faith and Health Communications Coordinator. Thank you!
Philosophy of Faith Community Nursing

Faith community nursing is a recognized specialty practice that combines professional nursing and health ministry. Faith community nursing emphasizes health and healing within a faith community. The philosophy of faith community nursing embraces four major concepts: spiritual formation; professionalism; shalom as health and wholeness; and community, incorporating culture and diversity.
~Westberg Institute