Tag Archive for: welsnursesspring2019

Parish Nurse Corner Spring 2019

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“What can I do to learn more about being a parish nurse?”

If you are interested in learning more about being a Faith Community Nurse (Parish Nurse) and working with individuals in your church and community, Wisconsin Lutheran College is offering an online course to give you these skills.  Designed for both the experienced and the novice RN, this course will aid the learner in developing a Christian understanding of the tools needed to develop or work in a Faith Community Nurse (Parish Nurse) program, including how to:

  • Foster a relationship with the church’s leadership team
  • Utilize health assessment skills to evaluate and address the parish’s health care and nursing needs
  • Prepare for and understand the process of Faith Community Nursing Certification through the ANCC

The eight-week course will begin on June 3, 2019, and will run through the month of July. Due dates for the course work will be flexible, taking into consideration that many individuals have already started to make summer plans. The expected tuition of the course is $600. WELSNA is currently offering a tuition reimbursement of $200 at the competition of the course. Nurses should contact the WELSNA council at [email protected] for more information on the tuition reimbursement. Nurses are encouraged to speak to their pastor and church council about sharing the remaining $400 as a Faith Community Nurse (Parish Nurse) program is a partnership between the church and the nurse. A letter from the WELSNA pastoral advisor, Pastor Behringer, can be found here.

The course will be taught by Lisa LeBlanc who is an Assistant Professor of Nursing at Wisconsin Lutheran College and has been on staff at WLC since 2011. She received her undergraduate nursing degree from Marquette University, her master’s degree from St. Xavier University, and is enrolled at the University of South Alabama for her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.  She is a certified Clinical Nurse Leader and a board-certified Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. She has completed coursework in Parish Nursing and has achieved 21 credits in WELS synod certification coursework.

Registration information will be forthcoming.  Questions regarding the course may be directed to Lisa LeBlanc at: [email protected].

Do you have a question you would like addressed in the Parish Nurse Corner? Send your question to [email protected]!

 

 

 

 

Serving on the WELSNA Council

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Individuals who attend the spring conference will have the opportunity to volunteer to be a member of the WELSNA council. The main responsibility of the WELSNA council is to plan the spring conference, so we are looking for individuals who have a heart to plan and prepare wonderful, professional conferences. We meet solely by video conferences meaning there is no travel necessary.  Meetings are scheduled based on the availability of the council members and occur about once per month.

The first position that is open is the council coordinator. This member is responsible for preparing the meeting agendas, assigning tasks to the other members as needed, and to communicate by phone or e-mail with individuals to help plan and organize the spring conference.

The second open position is the coordinator-elect. This individual will remain in close contact with the coordinator to learn the role of the coordinator and will complete any tasks assigned by the coordinator. Once the coordinator has completed his or her term, the coordinator elect will move into the role of the coordinator.

Finally, the third position available is that of the treasurer. The treasurer remains in contact with individuals at the Center for Mission and Ministry (CMM), the headquarters of the WELS, to receive monthly financial updates. The treasurer is not required to write checks or keep any checkbook as this is all managed at the CMM. He or she is responsible for reporting the current finances at each council meeting.

So why should you join the WELSNA council? It is a wonderful opportunity to meet other WELS and ELS nurses around the country. It enables you to become more familiar with Lutheran resources such as counseling services, mission opportunities, and conferences. It also ensures that the WELSNA spring conferences can continue for years to come. If you are interested in filling any of the above positions or becoming more involved with the council, please e-mail us at [email protected]. We look forward to serving with you!

 

 

 

WELSNA Spring 2019 conference

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Registration is now open for the WELS Nurses Association’s annual spring conference! This year, the conference will be held on Sat., April 27 at Eastside Lutheran Church in Madison, Wis. The theme is “Remaining Steadfast in Unsteady Times” and is based off of the Bible passage 1 Corinthians 15:58. “Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

The keynote presentation, delivered by Pat Freer, will discuss dealing with the diagnosis of a life-threatening disease and the difference between what we hope for in this life and the “Living Hope” in our Savior Jesus Christ. Individuals will have the choice to attend one of the two morning breakout sessions. The first is entitled “What does a Parish Nurse Do?” and is presented by Sue Bolha, a parish nurse from Jackson, Wis. The second, entitled “You Want Me to do What?” is presented by Sheryl Krause and will discuss questions such as “with so many career options available to nurses, how do you know which career path is God’s will for you?”

After a catered sandwich lunch, the afternoon will begin with a meeting to inform conference attendees on WELSNA council updates and to elect three new members to the council. Anne Mackey’s term as secretary officially ended in 2018, but she agreed to faithfully serve the association by filling in as the coordinator position for one year. The current treasurer, Kathy Lee, is completing her term, and the interim coordinator-elect, Yvette Burk, will be unable to continue in the role. The council is responsible for organizing the annual spring conference, and we encourage those of you who enjoy participating in the conference to prayerfully consider joining our council.

Individuals will then have the choice to attend one of the two afternoon breakout sessions. The first, presented by two individuals from Christian Family Solutions, will be on the topic of sexual assault and the important truth that there is hope and healing for all of those struggling with the trauma of sexual violence. The second is presented by Laura Harstad from the organization, Kingdom Workers. She will share inspiring stories of people around the world who are receiving physical and spiritual care through the efforts of bold Lutherans just like you.

In addition to the conference on Saturday, individuals are also invited to join in an evening of socializing and fun at Revel Craft Bar on Fri., April 26. Each individual will have the opportunity to create a craft project that will reflect the theme of the conference. No additional fee will be charged on the registration form as each individual will pay for the craft project of their choice at the location. The cost of the craft projects range from $25-$35. To sign up, we ask that individuals indicate their interest in the event on their registration form. Individuals will be sent more specific information about the craft projects closer to the event.

The WELSNA council has been hard at work planning a full day of speakers and are looking forward to spending time with you growing both professionally and spiritually. Registration ends Mon., April 22. For a full description of the presentations, speaker biographies, schedule of events, and to register, please visit our website www.welsnurses.net.

 

 

 

The Christian Vocation of Nursing

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Catharine Soule BSN, RN, WELSNA secretary

Think back to when you first thought about being a nurse. What drew you to the profession? Was it the idea of helping others? Maybe you loved working with kids or the elderly, or maybe you were fascinated with biology and medicine. Maybe you or someone in your family was blessed through the work of a nurse and you just knew it was something you wanted to pursue. But even with the fun and inviting aspects of our career, we have all encountered the not-so-glamorous side of nursing – the mess of cleaning up a trauma bay, performing personal cares on a patient for the fifth time in one hour, the violence and disrespect by a patient under the influence, a hyper-critical family member, the endless prescription refills to file, the “code blue” that failed again. Discouraged, many of us have probably questioned ourselves, “Why did we bother becoming a nurse? Why didn’t I see this side of the profession? Was all the studying worth it?”

At all times, and maybe especially during the discouraging times, we can remember that nursing is a wonderful vocation for a Christian. A Christian vocation is a way for God to use us to bless others in this world. Christian Author Harold Seinkbell describes the idea of a vocation as us being “God’s secret agents” in this world, God using us as a “mask,” as a way and through whom he operates in this world. God uses us, ordinary people, to provide for the needs and desires of his whole creation.

God makes it clear to us in scripture that he cares for the health and well-being of his children. We see miracles in both the Old and New Testament proving this. Jesus himself healed many during his ministry, including those who were sick, blind, injured, paralyzed, and even dead.

Now, God works directly through us to care for the sick and to comfort the lonely. If you think about it, he is our ultimate boss. When we are tempted to think we are just working for the paycheck or just getting by to please our manager, we can remember that our work is all to his glory. We read in Matthew 25: “‘For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was lacking clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or lacking clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ The King will answer them, ‘Amen I tell you: Just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’” (Matthew 25:35-40 EHV)

Just think of this portion, “I was sick, and you took care of me.” How powerful! When we care for the sick, our Lord sees it as us caring for him! Our work, even our most unglamorous work, is done for our God! What an amazing privilege! Our amazing God, who was born as a human, lived a perfect life, suffered, died, and rose again for us and our salvation, views our work as a nurse, as caring for him. In thanksgiving for our salvation already won by his blood, we are compelled to love and care for our brothers and sisters.

When you are tired and feel that you have just “had enough” as a nurse, remember to look to your “ultimate boss,” our loving Father who will give you the strength to do his work. Our work is pleasing to him because he is using us to care for and show his love and compassion to his children.