Wyoming Health Ministry Summit Building the Foundation for Faith/Health Connection he Wyoming Health Ministry T Summit provided a forum to mortar faith and health together with the goal to educate clergy, faith leaders, health professionals and lay ministers on health ministry. The oneday event was held April 30, 2001 at the Little America Hotel & Resort, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Highlights from Summit: Over 60 participants from Wyoming and surrounding areas attended. The Director of Symposium & Resources from the International Parish Nurse Resource Center, Mary Slutz, RN, BS, MHCA, was the keynote speaker. She addressed the history of health ministry, the development of Faith Community Nursing and the future of faith and healthcare. Cheyenne author Dorothy Lansing spoke about her life experiences and prayers that evolved into a book, Living Waters: Writings from the Heart of a Christian. Eight breakout sessions were offered and provided a variety of tools for developing and enhancing health ministry. SUMMER 2011 ~ NEWSLETTER Cheyenne Regional Medical Center employees Tracy Brosius, Community Grants Program Manager displayed information from the Charity & Discount Care Program and Marlyn Beck exhibited information from Behavior Health Services. An Interfaith Panel discussed the importance of health across several faith traditions bringing humor, insight and understanding to their represented faiths. The panelists included: The Reverend David Stratton (moderator) Baptist; The Reverend Patrick Bradley, Roman Catholic; Rabbi Harley Karz- Wagman, Judaism; Mohamed Salih, Islam; and The Reverend Dana Lightsey, Unitarian Universalist. A Faith Community/Parish Nurse dinner-reception was held the evening prior to the summit and was an opportunity to connect with fellow FCNs and hear from the IPNRC and the Health Ministries Association (HMA) representatives. Inside this issue: Basic Preparation Course 2 Community Benefit Grant 3 Shalom Corner 3 Wyoming Honor Flight 4 Healthful Hint #63 5 Women Together For Health 5 Health Ministry Association 6 Wyoming to Westberg 6 Quality of Life 7 Fall Retreat 8
BODY, MIND, SPIRIT Page 2 Basic Preparation Course 2011 he Basic Preparation Couse to become T a Faith Community Nurse took place from January to April 2011. Registered nures from Cheyenne WY, Riverton WY, Cody WY, Montana, Idaho and California met online for 14 weeks using a web-based program to listen to faculty and view slide show presentations. The then class met in-person on Friday, April 29 for an all-day retreat at St. Christopher s Episcopal Church in Cheyenne, WY. This provided an opportunity for the RNs to meet face-to-face and finish the curriculum with modules on Prayer, Self-Care and Healing and Wholeness. This 33.4 continuing education course provided the future FCNs with tools for beginning their health ministry in their faith communities. Topics such as documentation, legal issues, collaboration, communication and community resources were taught by faculty instructors The Reverend Carol Peterson MS, RN, FCN and Flossie Vance MS, FNPC, RN, FCN. A Service of Dedication for the FCNs was held at the conclusion of the Wyoming Health Ministry Summit on April 30. Families of the nurses were invited. As each nurse was called forward she received a pin from the course instructors and The Reverend Robin Chance provided a blessing of hands. The Reverend David Stratton provided the homily on The Meaning of Life. Wyoming now has over 40 FCNs serving across the state to provide health education, health promotion and disease prevention within their faith communities. FCNs practice intentional care of the spirit for a wholistic approach to healthcare. The next Basic Preparation Course is planned for 2012. For more information about the course contact Amanda Hubbard at: 307-632-3640 or ahubbard@wyhc.org. L-R, Back Row: Rev. Carol Peterson, Rev. Robin Chance, Mysha Mattimoe, Dianna Johnston, Laura Mallet, Judy Laursen, Susan Hurd, Tina Jessen, Becki Gibson, Kathy Perea. L-R, Front Row: Joan Brennan, Sue Tardif, Sherry Lavalais, Flossie Vance, Sue Ro, Ria Brownlow, Christine Jester, Terry Wilson, Elizabeth Wenke, Marylou Colvin, Joy Meyer Not pictured: Judith Soderlind and Peggy Hearne Learning about shalom as a synonym for peace and being encouraged to use it was exciting. Nurses tend to fix things but this exercise really stressed presence and listening skills. Little or no words, (can) provide God driven moments. Reflection from a course participant Nurses in-class for the web-based Basic Preparation Course at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center computer lab.
he Wyoming Health Council has received a T Community Benefit Grant from Cheyenne Regional Medical Center to continue with Year 2 objectives for the Wyoming Faith Community and Parish Nurse program. During the second year of funding, the program will: Conduct another Basic Preparation Course to train additional Faith Community Nurses (2012), Implement a data collection process to track trends among the FCN health ministry practices and to assess blood pressure rates and education within their faith communities, Provide leadership training through a fall retreat, and continuing education sessions, and send two FCNs to attend the annual Westberg Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri. CRMC has adopted the World Health Organization s definition of health: A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This understanding of health is entwined with the purpose of Faith Community Nursing and health ministry to achieve healing and wholeness through body, mind and spirit in any faith community. SUMMER 2011 ~ NEWSLETTER Shalom Corner: Mindfulness Page 3 Cheyenne Regional Medical Center provides Year 2 Community Benefit Grant Submitted by: The Reverend Robin Chance St. Christopher s Episcopal Church t s hard to believe, but it is already mid-summer. I The celebration of July 4 th seems to remind us that we are halfway through the warm weather we have in Wyoming, and that all the plans we ve had for this summer may not, yet, have been fulfilled. Instead of getting anxious, this is a good time to reprioritize our to do lists to cut down on some of the summer busyness and to be mindful of a more wholistic approach to enjoying our warm months. Are we being intentional about restoring our spiritual After successfully completing our first grant year through training and educating faith leaders and health professionals, providing a support network to the existing FCNs and increasing awareness statewide, the FC/PN program has gained much insight and believes this model can be replicated with other community hospitals across the state. To learn more about of the contributions made by CRMC Community Benefit Grants watch the video posted on their website at: www.crmcwy.org. Click on Community Benefits to see Chief Executive Officer John Lucas, MD, explain the many community contributions. wells? Are we making time to be quiet in the beautiful outdoors of our wonderful state? To go for walks and hikes, listening to the birds, the wind, the water? To still our souls so that we are re-created by the loving Source of our own being? Whether or not we have the luxury to camp out, or hike up in the mountains, an hour of peaceful reflection in your back yard, or on your front porch, can be invigorating and renewing to both mind and spirit. Let s re-define our to do lists for the summer months, and put Spirituality at the top.
BODY, MIND, SPIRIT Page 4 FCN Soars with Wyoming Vet on Honor Flight Submitted by: Christine Jester RN, FCN, North Christian Church n April of 2011, the Wyoming Honor I Flight took World War II veterans to Washington D.C., to see the WWII Memorial. It was my privilege to be selected to serve as a volunteer to assist the traveling veterans. I was assigned to veteran Nathan Replogle, Jr. born 1924. He served from 1944 to 1946 in the United States Navy, aboard the USS CVE-99. It was my joy to serve him by pushing his wheelchair and carrying his oxygen, thus he was able to be appreciated and thanked for his sacrifice and service during the war. During the two-day trip there were many activities for the veterans to attend spending the main amount of time at the WWII Memorial. This allowed the veterans to remember and share about their experiences during their time in service. As Nathan and I went around the WWII Memorial, I got to listen to his war story and the stories of other veterans as they talked about the war that spanned seven I was allowed a more personal connection with those who served for our freedom. World War II Veteran Nathan Replogle Jr. posing in front of the World War II Memorial. continents, both the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and established the USA as a world power. More than 400,000 Americans died in WWII and 16 million served in the US Armed Forces. Senator Enzi and Senator Barasso greeted the Wyoming Honor Flight veterans at the WWII Memorial and spoke with them while partaking in the memorial ceremony. Christine Jester RN, FCN It was so impressive to watch how children and strangers would come to the WWII veterans to say thank you and listen to the veterans stories and memories. Getting to be a part of the Wyoming Honor Flight 2011 will be one of the best memories in my life. While I can read all about WWII in books or online, participating on this two-day trip I was allowed a more personal connection with those who served for our freedom. Opening Ceremony at the Taco Johns Event Center,. Pictured L-R: a ROTC member, WWII Veteran Nathan Replogle Jr., JennaRae Jester (Christine s daughter), Christine Jester RN, FCN.
healthful Hints esearch shows that humor is good medicine and can keep you R arish nurses Flossie Vance and Mona Coler, partnered with the Mater- P nal and Family Health section of the Wyoming Department of Health to offer an education class Women Together for Health for the Cheyenne Catholic Community in Cheyenne, Wyoming. With the educational materials and incentives supplied, the parish nurses could tailor the materials to meet the needs of our parishioners and teach the 8 to 10 week class. The class content was developed by The Office of Nutrition Services, Maricopa County Department of Public Health. All the classes were divided into half nutritional information and half exercise instructions. Both are equally important for achieving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For our first class series we had a total of ten parishioners. We felt this would help us better evaluate the SUMMER 2011 ~ NEWSLETTER # 63 - Humor is Good Medicine in good health. Because of the positive effects of humor, it is suggested that we try to incorporate Vitamin H (Humor) into our daily lives. Just as we diet to take weight off our bodies, we also need a special diet to take the weight off our minds. Learn what makes you laugh so you can get a daily dose of humor and laughter. It is a known fact that we can make ourselves sick by stress and negative emotions. There is scientific evidence that positive emotions such as faith, hope, love, laughter and festivity can help combat serious disease. Page 5 Humor and laughter embrace positive feelings and emotions which balance the negative feelings that surface during stressful times. Humor is a vehicle that carries us through our pain, losses, disappointments and cruelties. Kidding around about our losses is a way of gaining power over them. Humor is the most powerful and untapped resource in our battle against life s blows. Taken from Healthful Hints Vol. 2 Women Together for Health Program Submitted by: Flossie Vance MS, FNPC, RN, FCN, St. Mary s Cathedral Church program, the participants, their input, feedback and participation. Developing the class format and tailoring it to our parishioners needs was done on an ongoing, continual basis. The ages of participants ranged from 20 years to 65+ years. This group was very participatory and their input was invaluable. They learned a lot about nutritional factors and exercises that proved to be fairly easy to complete and repeat by all attendees. Those that had to miss a class on occasion were eager to get the material they missed. They would arrange to come to the next class early to go over the material they missed with us before the regular class. From an instructor s perspective and the participant s evaluation feedback, the class had been a successful experience. Participants felt that they had learned some new health practices. We are looking forward to our next class in the fall. Note: This program was also implemented in Jackson, WY by parish nurse Natalie Stewart.
BODY, MIND, SPIRIT Page 6 Health Ministry Association Summit he Health Ministries Association held its second National Summit Mobilizing Health T Ministry for the 21st Century at the Techy Towers Conference and Retreat Center in Chicago, Illinois to continue its work in developing the specialty of Faith Community Nursing and building health ministries across the nation. Amanda Hubbard, project assistant for the Wyoming Faith Community and Parish Nurse program, attended the summit to gather resources to build upon Wyoming s FCN and Health Ministry foundation. Speakers at the summit included Granger Westberg s daughter, Jill Westberg McNamara, who spoke about Granger s passion and vision for Parish Nursing; Vinny DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens Health Initiative, who spoke on how faith communities can unite for change for public health issues such as children obesity and increasing tobacco tax; and The Rev. Dr. Kirsten Peachy, director of Congregational Health Partnerships for Advocate Health Care, who spoke about the how faith communities have the opportunity to be a catalyst for health. The HMA provided guidelines for building a curriculum for training Lay Health Ministers. This initiative will help to lighten the load of the FCNs and further build the Health Ministry team/committee within faith communities. A copy of the guidelines is available from the WY FC/PN office. As a result of attending the HMA summit the Wyoming program will partner with the HMA to become a Regional Network to strengthen the impact of People of Faith Working Together for Healthier Communities. For more information about the HMA and membership opportunities visit their website at: www.hmassoc.org Wyoming to Westberg Scholarships Awarded e would like to congratulate Becky Deibert W and Rozella Rice, recipients of the Wyoming to Westberg scholarship. They each submitted an application detailing why attending the symposium would benefit their health ministry program and a letter of support from their clergy to attend the 25th Annual Westberg Parish Nurse Symposium Celebrating Our Past, Present, & Future hosted by the International Parish Nurse Resource Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Each of these women demonstrated leadership within their faith communities and plan to share their experience from the symposium with fellow FCNs. Becky Deibert is the Parish Nurse Coordinator at St. Paul s Newman Center, University Catholic Community in Laramie, Wyoming and is a 2007 graduate of the Basic Preparation Course. Rozella Rice is the Parish Nurse at St. Paul s Lutheran Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming and is a 2008 graduate of the Basic Preparation Course. For more information about the International Parish Nurse Resource Center and the Westberg Symposium visit their website at: www.parishnurses.org.
BODY, MIND, SPIRIT Page 7 FCN Reflections: Quality of Life, Wellbeing & Spirituality Submitted by: The Rev. Carol E. Peterson, MS, RN, FCN St. Mark s Episcopal Church ur country seems to be gradually moving from O a medical-care system focusing on disease and illness to more of a health-care system focusing on wellness and prevention. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states Although the World Health Organization (WHO) defined health very broadly a half-century ago, health in the United States has traditionally been measured narrowly and from a deficit perspective, often using measures of morbidity and mortality. But health is a multidimensional construct that includes physical, mental, and social domains. For some years now the CDC has been implementing a Quality of Life initiative. As medical and public health advances have led to cures and better treatments of existing diseases and delayed mortality, it was logical that those who measure health outcomes would begin to assess the population s health, not only on the basis of saving lives, but also in terms of improving the quality of them. Healthy People 2000, 2010 and 2020 all identified improvement of quality of life as an important public health goal. In recent years, CDC has developed and validated the Healthy Days measures. These measures indicate that: Americans say they feel unhealthy about 6 days a month. Approximately 1/3 of Americans say they suffer from mental or emotional problems every month. Younger adults suffered the most mental health distress. Older adults suffered the most poor physical health and activity limitation. I believe we are spiritual beings in physical bodies The Rev. Carol E. Peterson, MS, RN, FCN Data addressing these indicators collected from Wyoming residents show that, since 1993, we report more physically unhealthy days and more days with activity limitations over time. A related concept to quality of life is wellbeing, which attempts to assess the positive aspects of a person s life such as life satisfaction. Since 2007, CDC has been attempting to identify and measure key concepts of wellbeing examining things like housing and employment. However, CDC goes on to say these indicators fail to measure what people think and feel about their lives, such as the quality of their relationships and their positive emotions. It is encouraging that CDC recognizes existing measures are not entirely adequate: Aspects of culture, values, and spirituality are also key aspects of overall quality of life that adds to the complexity of the measure. However, I believe the CDC is missing the mark when they do not then actually go on to assess factors related to spirituality. Over the past three decades there has been a significant body of evidence, from other sources, indicating that people who pray, meditate, and attend church on a regular basis are healthier, live longer and overall are more satisfied with their lives than folks who don t do these things. While CDC has given a nod of recognition to the role of spirituality, they seem to have a long way to go before spiritual health is deemed valuable enough to actually attempt to measure. I believe we are spiritual beings in physical bodies and that we can not truly help people to become whole until we put spiritual health on the same level as physical, mental and social health. Faith Community/Parish Nurses understand this. That is why the work you all do is cutting edge and so very important! God Bless you for all that you do.
BODY, MIND, SPIRT SUMMER 2011 ~ NEWSLETTER Mark your calendars! Fall Faith Community Nurse Retreat Spiritual Gardening: Cultivating Health & Wholeness Saturday, September 24, 2011 St. Stephen s Episcopal Church 9:30am-3:30pm Casper, WY Call or email the office for the registration, agenda and lodging information. 307-632-3640 ~ ahubbard@wyhc.org Hope you will join us! Faith Community & Parish Nursing Wyoming Health Council 416 West 24th Street 82001 Tel: 307.632.3640 Fax: 307.632.3611 Visit our website at: www.wyhc.org Like us on Facebook! Sponsors and Affiliates: Body, Mind, & Spirit Is a periodic newsletter provided for Wyoming Faith Community Nurses and those interested in health ministry provided by the Wyoming Health Council as a vehicle to promote networking and as a mechanism to facilitate the sharing of information and resources among faith community nurses and interested partners. The articles and opinions expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily representative of those of the Wyoming Health Council, its Board of Directors, or its affiliates. Advisory Council Members: Tracy Brosius, Community Grants Program Manager, CRMC, The Reverend Robin Chance, St. Christopher s Episcopal Church, Debra Hamilton, RN, MSN, CLC, Clinical Development Specialist, CRMC, Amanda Hubbard, Project Assistant, Wyoming Health Council, Dr. Robert Kanard, Retired Internist, Ruth Manley, RN, FCN, Christian Missionary & Alliance Church, Cody, WY The Reverend Carol Peterson, MS, RN, FCN, St. Mark s Episcopal Church, The Reverend David Stratton, Davis Hospice Center Chaplain, Sue Tardif, RN, Hospice & Palliative Care Manager, Davis Hospice Center, Flossie Vance, FNPC, RN, FCN, St. Mary s Roman Catholic Church, Lucy Williamson, Executive Director, Wyoming Health Council,