Care Beyond the Hospital: Faith Community Nursing allows Logan County nurse to give back to her community
LOGAN, W. Va. — Shatika Jones, a new Faith Community Nurse who received training from the WVU School of Nursing, is working with West Logan Church to build a nurse-led access to care point within her community.
Jones was looking for ways to help others outside of her job as a surgical nurse. A church member and fellow nurse connected her to the Faith Community Nursing program at WVU. She realized it was the perfect opportunity to help more people in her community.
Like many counties in West Virginia, Logan has high rates of poor health-related outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. Jones plans to address these issues in a variety of ways, such as offering monthly classes for not only congregants of the church, but to the surrounding communities on topics like nutrition and healthy living.
“There was a void in my life,” Jones said. “I felt like there had to be more than just going to work, clocking out, and going home.”
Jones has a lot in store for her church in the future. There are plans for a community health fair by this time next year, annual blood drives and “drive-through prayer,” where community and church members can drive though the church parking lot and receive a moment of prayer.
Jones completed the Foundations of Faith Community Nursing course through the WVU School of Nursing. Funding is available to offer scholarships to other residents of West Virginia who are interested in taking the online training. Contact Dr. Angel Smothers Associate Dean for Community Engagement at the WVU School of Nursing at asmothers@hsc.wvu.edu for more information.
Jones’ work is being made possible through the Pallottine Foundation of Huntington. Their gift was awarded via the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
-WVU-
ky/5/15/2024
CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu