AFCNA provides many and various way for Australian Faith Community Nurses to network with FCNs around the globe.
AFCNA liaises with comparable professional bodies locally, nationally and internationally. It is a member of the Council of National Nursing and Midwifery Organisations (CoNNMO) in Australia, and World Forum of Parish/Faith Community Nurse Ministries.
Community of Practice
Join the AFCNA Community of Practice
This is an opportunity to meet with your Faith Community Nurse peers, interact, share ideas, communicate concerns, celebrate wins, encourage colleagues and pray for one another.
“A community of practice is a group of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”
ETIENNE AND BEVERLEY WAGNER, 2015, INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE
Virtual Community of Practice meetings for AFCNA members are held via Zoom every second month.
Why are communities of practice important?
Communities of practice provide five critical functions.[1] They:
- Educate by collecting and sharing information on practice questions and issues
- Support by organising interactions and collaboration between members
- Cultivate by assisting groups to start and sustain their learning
- Encourage by sharing members’ work (and in our case praying for one another)
- Integrate by encouraging members to put their knowledge into action for real change in their own FCN/health and pastoral care ministry.
Please register via Events page here so we know you are coming and we will send you the details and Zoom link in the confirmation email. Each meeting has it's own registration. Or email afcna@outlook.com
Join the International knowledge sharing platform for FCNs
The Westberg Institute platform provides FCNs with online communications, access to shared information and resources, and fellowship with one another.
Currently, there are more than 1,100 nurses using the site to discuss health topics ranging from diabetes to heart disease and everything in between. Over 70 groups focusing on denomination, location, or general interest topics have been formed since its launch.
Other ways of connecting
There may be other FCNs in your region who are on our database of contacts. To maintain personal privacy, access to the database is monitored. Information about FCNs who are willing to be contacted can be obtained by contacting AFCNA and we will forward your details to these FCNs. Contact us via the contact form or email afcna@outlook.com
Talk to the National Mentor
[1] Wenger, McDermott and Snyder. Cultivating Communities of Practice: A Guide to Managing Knowledge. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 2002. Accessed 26 February 2021, http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/2855.html