CEN 0042 Faith Community/Parish Nursing and Congregational Health Ministries

Faith Community/Parish Nursing and Congregational Health Ministries will focus on the Christian aspect of care giving in the church. The primary focus will be on the specialty of nursing called faith community nursing also known as parish nursing. Team taught by nursing and theology, the course is divided into 8 one week units which includes the theological foundation of Christian care giving, health and healing, and the meaning of pain and suffering. There is a strong emphasis on how to begin a congregational health ministry in a church and the nuts and bolts of faith community/parish nursing including roles and models of implementation. Faith Community Nursing is a nurse specialty that is recognized for the intentional care of the spirit, thus the student will be introduced to spiritual assessment and evidence based spiritual interventions. In applying knowledge learned, there is a culminating case study that focuses on the whole person including that of mind, body and spirit.

Schedule:

7/1/25-11/30/25 Online Self-paced

Instructor BIO:

Dr. Carol A. Lueders Bolwerk, RN,  was raised on a dairy farm that has been in her family since 1854.  From milking cows to now raising beef and sweet corn, she continues the tradition of farming that started 7 generations ago.  Her degrees include a Bachelor of Science degree  in Nursing from UW-Eau Claire, a Master’s degree in Nursing Management and Clinical Nurse specialist from Marquette University and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Medical Anthropology and Women’s studies from UW-Milwaukee.  She has served in critical care, trauma, recovery room, operating room, and a telemetry unit.  She was called to teaching nursing at CUW over 35 years ago, and continues her nursing practice serving others in a variety of positions.   She has served as the parish nurse director for Concordia for over 3 decades and is responsible for teaching Christian Caregiving to traditional undergraduate students and second degree accelerated nursing  students.  She continues to chair the annual parish nurse conference.  This national conference draws from 20 states on an annual basis.  Carol has had  numerous publications and presentations on parish/faith community nursing accepted.   She has received awards for her teaching including faculty laureate from her faculty peers  top ten faith and learning and teaching 4 times in the last 10 years, , and woman of influence from the Women’s Leadership Institute.    She and her husband have been blessed with 3 boys.