NURSE AS HEALTH MINISTER, THE

Chart, Nov/Dec 2003 by Dahm, Janet, Cukr, Penny, Denny, Mary, Diaz, Cissy, Et al

Historically, nursing has recognized the importance of meeting the holistic needs of patients including spiritual care. Florence Nightingale believed that "spirituality is intrinsic to human nature and is our deepest and most potent resource for healing" (Macrae, 1995, P.8). In the mid-twentieth century, the academic debate considering whether nursing is an art or science led toward a more scientific and theory based profession. With continued changes in the health care system, including the advent of managed care, reduced staffing and increased responsibilities at the bedside, nurses were becoming more conscious of the need to focus on cost effective and outcome based interventions. Spiritual care was becoming perceived as the role of the chaplain and not the nurse.

Within the past twenty years, there has been an expanding body of literature and research regarding the relationship of spirituality to health and professional nursing practice. Several scholars explored spirituality as an important dimension of holistic nursing practice (Barnum, 1996; Carson, 1989; Emblen, 1992; Lane, 1987; Roy, 1988; Stoll, 1979; Watson, 1985, 1988).

Numerous studies indicate the positive relationship between faith and health outcomes (Hudson, 1996; Nelson, 1990, Restak, 1989), and in the care of specific patient populations including; adult hospice and oncology patients (Carson, 1997; Cowartd, 1997; Highfield, 1997), pediatric hospice and oncology patients (Hart & Schneiger, 1997; Sommer, 1989), the elderly and the process of aging (Johnson, 1997; Leetun, 1996, Kerrigan & Harkulich, 1993; Schonbeck, 1994), addiction (Bristow-Braitman, 1995), women (Burkhart, 1994; Miller, 1995), caregivers (Forbes, 1994; Harrington, Lackey, & Gates, 1996), AIDS patients (Sherman, 1996), and pediatric patients and their families (Fina, 1995).

In the summer of 1991, a 'spiritual think-tank' including nursing faculty from four different nursing programs in Chicago, an ordained minister from a major medical center, the director of a parish nursing ministry and two other nurses actively engaged in health ministry, came together at the International Parish Nurse Resource Center in Park Ridge to explore a new program of study which would formalize the link between health ministry and nursing. At that first meeting, none of the participants realized that they would be forging a partnership which continues into the 21st Century. The original goal was the preparation of nurses with a joint masters in nursing and divinity, MSN-M.Div. The nursing major would have the option of enrolling in one of the theological seminaries which had already created joint competency programs, the MSW-M.Div and the J.D.-M. Div degrees through the Association of Theological seminaries. The joint degree could also be obtained through the partnership of the Niehoff School of Nursing and Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University.

In addition to the prescribed program of studies, students would participate in a series of three integrative seminars. The seminars would emphasize the challenges of the world of practice, in which students would share with others the spiritual expression of a life that calls us, in the words of Henri No-win, "to live a compassionate life in the community become disciples-living manifestations of God's presence in the world" (1979, p. 132). We soon realized that we were embarking on a great adventure. Students came to the table from all of the participating schools, all practice areas of nursing, and many levels of educational preparation. This was a place where doctoral students met with master's students, and even later in the process with baccalaureate students to share the quest of the life of the spirit. Later still, other students came from theology, occupational therapy, public health and the seminary. New partners from theology, ministry, community advocacy, and the arts came to share their special gifts with us. Nursing students and faculty from the original four schools, Loyola University, North Park University, Rush University and Saint Xavier University were jointed by Lewis University, Elmhurst College and the University of Illinois-Chicago.

The three part Seminar Series integrated both the theoretical and practice dimensions of spiritual caring, having an overall theme of comprehensive mind, body and spiritual care. Each of the three seminars met once a week for ten weeks. The emphasis of the first seminar was the integration of health and faith through the use of self. The second seminar explored the faith community as a place of health and healing. The third seminar focused on faith in action, exploring programs at the local, national and international levels developed to serve the needs of communities and special populations.

As faculty we hoped for transformation to take place in our students. We had no idea of the transformation which would occur in us. There was an amazing experience of 'living in the now' which took place each week. Everyone who came and joined at the table, faculty, presenters and students a like, brought with them a great richness of resources, literature, programs, sources of continuing education in holistic care, and films. A spontaneous, unique and generative sharing of relationships occurred. We experienced the truth in Johnson's words "Spirituality focuses on what happens in the heart" (1998, p.5). Each and every member of the seminar series contributed to the development of a resource bibliography for the series, which now numbers eighty pages.