Faith Community Nursing: Integrating Faith and Health
PARTNERS in HEALTH
FALL 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
Dear Friends,
Expanding Care
Holy Cross Germantown
Hospital Opens Oct. 1
Page 2
There are so many great things happening at Holy Cross Health that it’s hard to contain our joy
and excitement! Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, the first new hospital in Montgomery County
in 35 years, will open on October 1. Proudly sharing the same mission as Holy Cross Hospital in
Silver Spring, the new hospital will offer both spiritual care and faith community nursing services
to our patients and local faith communities.
Congregational
Inspirations
Member News
Page 4
Empowering
and Equipping
Acupuncture
Page 5
News You Can Use
Shingles
Westberg Symposium
Page 6
Theological
Reflection
Retreat: Not an Escape
Page 7
UPCOMING EVENTS
Holy Cross Germantown
Hospital Community
Open House
September 21
Fall Network Meeting
September 27
Annual Fall Retreat
November 9
We welcome you to attend our Holy Cross Germantown Hospital Community
Open House on Sunday, September 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. And, turn to page
2 to see photos of the new hospital and to learn more about its services.
Within our faith community nurse department, there are also new developments. We are
pleased to have Daria Berman and Teresa Fulton as new members of our team. Daria will serve
as a faith community nurse coordinator, serving our upcounty congregations and leading the
redevelopment of our faith community nurse certificate course. A former Holy Cross Hospital
employee of 36 years, Daria is a registered nurse with a background in nursing informatics,
critical care, nursing education and performance improvement. We are particularly pleased that
she is a member of our faith community nurse network, serving her parish in Olney, Md.
Teresa, also a returning employee who has volunteered in our department for the past three
years, is a journalism and communications professional by education and experience who will
serve as our resource and communications specialist. Both Daria and Teresa will be working part
time and are based in our new faith community nursing office at 10720 Columbia Pike, Silver
Spring, MD, 20904. We invite you to stop by and visit our team in the new space.
We hope you will take the opportunity to attend our September 27 fall network meeting at Holy
Cross Hospital. Entitled “Integrated Wellness: Exploring Alternative Practices to Support Healthy
Lifestyles,” the day will include presentations on the alternative medicine practice of acupuncture,
Christian-based weight loss programs, and the very successful spirituality-based exercise program,
“Walk to Jerusalem.” We invite you to read more on acupuncture on page 5, and encourage you to
mark your calendar for our fall meeting to learn more about this practice and other important tools
for health and well-being.
Blessing and grace for your ministry activities,
Rev. Carmella Jones, RN, FCN
301-754-7066, jonessc@holycrosshealth.org
Liz O’Connor, RN, FCN
301-754-7917, oconne@holycrosshealth.org
Teresa Fulton
301-754-7026, fultont@holycrosshealth.org
Daria Berman, RN, FCN
301-754-7007, bermad@holycrosshealth.org
Pictured at Holy Cross Germantown Hospital
are (from left) Rev. Carmella Jones, Teresa
Fulton, Liz O’Connor and Daria Berman.
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital
Opens October 1
Montgomery County’s first new hospital in
35 years brings high-quality health care
services to upcounty residents
The brand new Holy Cross Germantown Hospital, opening
October 1, offers community members high-quality emergency,
medical, surgical, maternity and behavioral health care.
Conveniently located near I-270 and public transportation, the
county’s first new hospital in decades is staffed by a team of
highly skilled health care professionals and is equipped with
the latest technology. It features sustainable design elements
as well as a healing garden to facilitate quiet, contemplative
moments for patients, visitors and clinicians.
“The hospital features the best elements in current health
care design,” says Kevin Sexton, president and chief
executive officer, Holy Cross Health. “It’s a new state-ofthe-art facility housing all of the latest medical technology.
And it has been designed with all private rooms to promote
our patients’ overall well-being and comfort. We’ve blended
the best of medical technology with our clinical expertise in
each facet of the hospital’s services,” he adds.
All Private Patient Rooms
Guided by the understanding that a positive patient experience
is crucial to healing, elements of privacy and comfort were built
into the design of the all private hospital suites. Rooms feature
Local clergy members joined the Holy Cross
Faith Community Nurse Program team to tour
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital on July 30
Photo to immediate right, from left: Pastor Kennedy
Odzafi; Vilma Montalvan; Pastor Sidney Morris;
Kim Owusu-Koko, government and community relations
specialist, External Affairs, Holy Cross Health; and Rev.
Carmella Jones, director, Faith Community Nurse Program,
Holy Cross Health.
Photo to far right: Pastor Sidney Morris from Asbury United
Methodist Church gets a close-up look at a surgical boom in
one of the hospital’s operating rooms. The state-of-the-art
facility will feature the latest medical technology.
Page 2
FALL 2014
comfortable furniture and easy-to-control temperature and
lighting to help patients heal in peace and tranquility. Open
visitation hours allow access for family members, spiritual
guides and friends. And, patients have amenities such as cable
television and wireless Internet access.
EXPANDING CARE
highly skilled, board-certified emergency medicine physicians
and emergency nurses and technicians who are ready to provide
acute care for patients with multiple, critical injuries, as well as
rapid care for patients with less serious medical issues.
Comprehensive Maternity Care
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital’s inpatient maternity center
is staffed by a team of maternal and infant health experts
with the same outstanding level of commitment, skill and
expertise for which Holy Cross Hospital is known. The nurturing
environment is designed to bring newborns into the world in
privacy, comfort and confidence. The facility features homelike, private maternity suites with a bassinet and space for an
overnight support person; labor and delivery rooms; Cesarean
section operating rooms; and a special care nursery.
Surgical and Medical Services
Full-service Emergency Department
The full-service Emergency Department at Holy Cross
Germantown Hospital will bring essential, high-quality services
to fast-growing upper Montgomery County. It is staffed by
Surgical care is available across a broad range of specialties
performed in full-service operating rooms. Facilities include
a pre-surgery testing department, designated pre- and postoperative areas, and a post-anesthesia care unit. The new
hospital features comprehensive medical services including
cardiac care, intensive and non-intensive care units equipped
with advanced patient monitoring capabilities, and inpatient
rehabilitation services.
Take a 90-second video tour at
HolyCrossHealth.org/HCGH.
Join Us for a Community
Open House at Holy Cross
Germantown Hospital
Sunday, September 21
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
19801 Observation Dr.
Germantown, MD 20876
Learn more and let us know you’re coming at
HolyCrossHealth.org/OpenHouse.
Page 3
FALL 2014
CONGREGATIONAL INSPIRATIONS
Faith Community Member News
St. Andrew Apostle Catholic Church, Liz O’Connor, FCN
Hughes United Methodist Church, Carol Whitney, FCN
The church continues to ensure those with special needs have
access and encouragement to participate in liturgies and feel
connected. During the Feast of Corpus Christi procession
in June, the Special Needs Committee, the Health Ministry
and Fr. Dan Leary collaborated to include participants from
Inwood House Residence and Caring Companion Assisted
Living Home. Volunteers were on hand to assist those in
wheelchairs as the procession wove from the church, to the
outside grounds to a temporary altar for the Benediction
service. All participants were deeply inspired by the ceremony
and witnessed the faith of the entire congregation.
For the third year, Hughes United Methodist Church delivered
fresh lunches to the homes of children in the Weller Road
Elementary School community. In the program’s first year,
lunches were provided to 20 children; in its second year, the
number increased to 30; and this year, 47 children received
lunch every Monday and Thursday throughout the summer.
Volunteers from the church shopped for the food, made
sandwiches and packed the lunches, which also included
milk or juice, fresh fruit, snacks and dessert. Other volunteers
delivered the lunches to the children’s homes between noon
and 1 p.m. At least two other churches in the Silver Spring
area also responded to the need and began similar programs.
Other churches that would like to start a summer food
program are welcome to contact Carol at 301-949-8383.
Lutheran Church of St. Andrew, Marilee Tollefson, FCN
The Social Ministry team initiated its first summer food program,
thanks to the inspiration of fellow FCN Carol Whitney (Hughes
United Methodist Church). The church worked with a school
that has been a partner in the past through the Linkages to
Learning program. Food donations from the faith community
were substantial and inspiring, as was the support from
volunteers who prepared the bags of food for the children. St.
Andrew also partners with a local hospice that donates its extra
supplies and equipment to the church’s medical loan closet.
Other area congregations are encouraged to contact Marilee
if they have parishioners who need specialized nutritional
supplements, dressings, colostomy or enteral feeding supplies,
or other similar items. Blood pressure screenings featuring a
new documentation form, New Beginnings baskets and Cradle
Roll programs also continue, along with the Healing Blessing
once a month during worship services.
St. Luke Lutheran Church, Ruth Manchester, FCN
Supplies were collected during the summer for 300 backpacks
for students at the McCormick-Langley School in Takoma
Park. The project was carried out in partnership with the
Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Maryland. The
church’s food pantry receives almost 75 referrals a month, and
is thankful for a partnership with the Lutheran Church of St.
Andrew and the “Lord’s Truck,” which picks up food to share
with St. Luke’s food program. There were 16 participants
at a summer CPR class for ushers, staff and congregants,
with another class scheduled for October. Ruth visited Israel,
Palestine and Jordan over the summer and plans to share her
stories with the congregation, with a particular focus on the
Lutheran Church’s activities.
Page 4
FALL 2014
St. Peter’s Parish, Lisa Lagowski, RN, Health Team
Last summer, Lisa traveled to Honduras as a health team
member with the St. Paul’s Catholic Church (Damascus)
mission team to work at its medical clinic. Lisa reports that
the support St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Parish provides to the
community of El Rosario and the surrounding Honduran
communities through the clinic and their outreach medical
brigades is making a significant impact on the health and lives
of the Honduran people it serves. Many of the people who
receive medical care from St. Paul’s clinic do not otherwise get
health care because they cannot afford to pay for services or
the medication that is needed to treat their chronic and acute
illnesses. “The dedication, compassion and generosity of all
of the volunteers and parishioners who help support the clinic
is truly amazing,” says Lisa. “And the gratitude shown by the
people who received this care made this experience not only
extremely worthwhile, but also joyful and humbling.”
University Baptist Church, Carmella Jones, FCN
The prayer shawl ministry is now frequently receiving requests
from members for a shawl to give to a family member or
friend as an expression of love. Additionally, healing services
were initiated over the summer and have been well received
by the congregation.
Do you have faith community nursing
member news to share?
Email Liz O’Connor at oconne@holycrosshealth.org.
EMPOWERING AND EQUIPPING
Acupuncture: Ancient Treatment Tested by Modern Science
As a faith community nurse, you may be asked questions
about acupuncture, such as “what exactly is it?” and “does
it work?” Acupuncture, practiced for thousands of years in
China and other Asian countries, is based on the belief that
there are pathways of energy (chi) that flow throughout the
human body and that illness occurs when these pathways
become unbalanced or blocked. Acupuncture involves inserting
thin, metal needles into various points of the body, with the
acupuncturist sometimes manipulating the needles by hand
or with electrical stimulation.
In 2004, the National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Institute of
Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, both part of the
National Institutes of Health, conducted randomized,
controlled trials to see if acupuncture could help in the treatment
of osteoarthritis of the knee. Osteoarthritis, commonly
known as “wear-and-tear arthritis,” is a condition in which
cartilage—the natural cushioning between joints—wears
away. Bones then rub against one another, causing pain.
According to the Arthritis Foundation, about 27 million
people in the United States have osteoarthritis, with knee
joints being one of the most commonly affected areas.
The study included 570 participants, age 50 and older, who
experienced significant pain in their knee the month before
joining the study. None of the patients had ever tried
acupuncture, had knee surgery in the previous six months
or used steroids or similar injections. The group was divided
into three segments: those who received acupuncture, those
who received placebo acupuncture, and those who were in an
education control group and attended the Arthritis
Foundation’s well-proven Arthritis Self-Help Course. During
the study, the patients continued to receive standard
medical care from their physicians, including anti-inflammatory
medications, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and
opioid pain relievers.
The progress of the participants was assessed four times
throughout a 26-week period. By week eight, those who
received acupuncture showed a significant increase in function. By week 14, they showed a significant decrease in pain
compared to the other two segments. According to study
leader Brian M. Berman, MD, director of the Center for
Integrative Medicine and professor of Family Medicine at the
University of Maryland School of Medicine, “The trial, which
builds upon our previous NCCAM-funded research, establishes
that acupuncture is an effective complement to conventional
arthritis treatment and can be successfully employed as part
of a multidisciplinary approach to treating the symptoms of
osteoarthritis.”
Acupuncture continues to be studied by scientists for a wide
range of conditions, including back pain, fibromyalgia, stress
and headaches. On its own, or as part of an integrated
medicine program, it offers natural healing and unique
benefits and results to each individual.
Sources: National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, U.S. National Institutes of Health (nccam.nih.gov)
and the Arthritis Foundation (arthritis.org)
Expand Your Knowledge
For more information on acupuncture and
integrated wellness, please attend the Faith
Community Nurse Program’s fall network meeting
on Saturday, September 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at
Holy Cross Hospital’s Professional and Community
Education Center.
To register, call 301-754-7066.
Page 5
FALL 2014
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Shingles: Reducing the Risk
Many of your congregants have heard of
the shingles vaccine through television
advertisements or seen it offered at
drugstore pharmacies. But not everyone
understands who is at risk and why it’s
important to be protected from the disease.
Shingles, caused by the varicella zoster
virus, is a disease that triggers severely
painful skin blisters and rashes that usually
occur on one side of the body. It is brought
on by the same virus as chickenpox,
and people who get shingles have had
chickenpox earlier in their lives.
The virus lies dormant for years and
reactivates for reasons that are not
fully understood. One important risk factor
is a weakened immune system, which
may occur for a number of reasons,
including disease or periods of stress. The
most common complication of shingles
is post herpetic neuralgia, which causes
persistent pain where the rash originally
appeared. For some, the pain can continue
for years.
Other complications can include bacterial
infections of the lesions, eye involvement,
pneumonitis, and cranial and peripheral
nerve palsies.
vaccine is routinely recommended
for adults who are 60 and older,
but there are some people who are not
eligible due to medical conditions. Those
who go to a pharmacy for the vaccine
may need a prescription from their doctor,
and many insurance companies will
cover the vaccine’s cost.
Those who are most at risk for
developing shingles:
• have had chickenpox
• are 50 years or older
• have poor immune systems
• are taking immunosuppressive
medications for conditions
Shingles can only be spread to people
like cancer.
who have not had chickenpox, and the
person exposed may develop chickenpox,
but not shingles.
Half of all people who live to age 85
will develop shingles. According to the
Centers for Disease Control, the shingles
vaccine has been successful in reducing
the risk of shingles by 50 percent. The
If your faith community serves a large
senior population, be sure to have
resources available about shingles and
how to access the vaccine.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (cdc.gov)
2014 Westberg Symposium: Nursing Models for Today’s FCN
Report from Rev. Carmella Jones, RN, FCN, director, Faith Community Nurse Program, Holy Cross Health
The April 2014 annual Westberg Symposium, entitled
“Stronger Together: Partnerships in Health Ministry,” offered
a wealth of information for attendees. Two presentations
were particularly helpful to the practice of faith community
nursing in today’s health care environment.
Joanne R. Duffy, PhD, RN, FAAN, nurse theorist and keynote
speaker, presented on the “Quality-Caring Model,” providing
an outstanding perspective on how relationship-centered
nursing interventions are essential to whole-person care. This
nursing model embodies the theoretical and philosophical
premise that is foundational to the practice of faith community
nursing. It was immensely rewarding to see how evidence
supports associations between the intrinsic caring values of
professional nursing practice and quality health outcomes.
Page 6
FALL 2014
This connection is particularly meaningful for future faith
community nursing projects in nursing education and in
research or grant writing related to population health and
transitional care.
A panel presentation on transitional care also provided
an excellent overview of how faith community nurses can
become partners in this effort, illustrated from the perspective
of four different models. Participants were able to compare
models and were invited to explore how a faith community
nurse in any setting might engage in better post-hospitalized
care. Panel presenters underscored that with partnership and
collaboration, resources of the hospital and faith community
may be aligned to successfully transition patients to the home
setting and reduce hospital readmission rates.
THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION
Retreat: Not an Escape
by Joanne Dehmer, SSND
In 1973, I was at a time in my life that I needed to sort some things out. I decided to go apart from my daily life, relationships
and ministry to enter into the silence of a 30 day retreat. I boarded a plane and headed toward Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat
Center in Spokane, Washington. In the silence and prayer of that month I acknowledged my dependence on God, my longings, my
desires, my doubts, my fears and the unlove and unforgiveness I held for myself. Through prayer and my meetings with my retreat
director I came to understand Theresa of Avila when she said the beginning of prayer is self-knowledge and the real test of prayer
is if I am growing in my capacity to forgive. I felt God’s love and forgiveness and I found myself on a path that led to my heart.
For nearly fifty years I have attended a yearly retreat and since 1974 I have led various kinds of retreats both Guided and Directed,
and various lengths: an evening, a day, a weekend, six days, eight days, 30 days … These things I have learned: Retreat is not
about drawing back from life but rather about re-treating life; Retreat is to dare to descend from our head to our heart; Retreat
calls us to move away from our active lives and to move toward our interior life; Retreat begins with a deep faith and a generous
spirit to be open to God’s deep and abiding love and forgiveness.
“We all know pretty well why we come into Retreat:
We come to seek the opportunity of being alone with
God, and of attending to God.
We have come to live for a few days (or hours) the life
of prayer, and deepen our contact with the spiritual
realities on which our lives depend…
We do not come for spiritual information, but for
spiritual food and air—to wait on God and renew our
strength—not for our own sakes, but for the sake of
the world.”
Treasures from the Spiritual Classics
Evelyn Underhill
Joanne Dehmer, SSND, is a spiritual director at Loyola Spirituality
Center and a member of the School Sisters of Notre
Dame. “Retreat: Not an Escape” is printed with permission,
from a winter/spring 2013 blog originally posted on
LoyolaSpiritualityCenter.org.
Join Us at Our Annual Fall Retreat
November 7
“Caring for Your Soul through Contemplative Practices” is
the theme of this year’s Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse
Program Fall Retreat. Our program will be guided by Marcia
McMullin, RN, BSN, MA, an experienced facilitator who
invites us to enter into the wonder of nurturing your own
soul—coming away rested, revived and able to live loved.
Marcia works at Carroll Hospital Center as a coordinator and
navigator in the Breast Health Center and is a former palliative
care nurse. She received her BSN from Stevenson University
and her MA in Spiritual Formation and Leadership from
Spring Arbor University. She has led numerous retreats on
topics such as “Be compassionate to your sorrows,” “Caring
for the caregiver,” “Grieving through the holidays,” “Simply
prayer” and “Spirituality and your health.”
WHAT:
Annual Fall Retreat
WHEN:
Friday, November 7, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
WHERE:
Saint Luke Lutheran Church
9100 Colesville Rd.
Silver Spring, MD
THEME:
“Caring for Your Soul Through
Contemplative Practices”
COST:
$45 (includes a continental breakfast and lunch)
To register, visit HolyCrossHealth.org/FCNFallRetreat
or call 301-754-8800.
Page 7
FALL 2014
PARTNERS in HEALTH
HOLY CROSS HEALTH
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital
Community Open House
Sunday, September 21
19801 Observation Dr., Germantown, MD
Let us know you’re coming at
HolyCrossHealth.org/OpenHouse.
Faith Community Nursing
Fall Network Meeting
Saturday, September 27
Holy Cross Hospital
To register, call 301-754-7066.
First Class
U.S. Postage
PAID
Suburban MD
Permit No. 390
1500 Forest Glen Road
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Health Classes
Holy Cross Health offers a wide range of classes
including childbirth and parenting education; fitness
and movement classes; health and wellness education;
physical activity, education and information for
seniors; diabetes education; CPR and first aid.
For a full listing and registration information, call
301-754-8800 or visit HolyCrossHealth.org.
Support Groups
• Bariatric Surgery: 301-754-8800
• Bereavement: 301-754-7742
• Breast, Ovarian and Gynecological Cancer:
855-424-4673
• Caregivers: 301-754-7152
• Diabetes: 301-754-7448
• Hematology: 703-399-2959
Faith Community Nursing
Annual Fall Retreat
Friday, November 7
Saint Luke Lutheran Church
To register, call 301-754-8800 or visit
HolyCrossHealth.org/FCNFallRetreat.
• Look Good…Feel Better (cosmetic makeovers
for women with cancer): 855-424-4673
• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU):
301-754-7724
• Ostomy Support: 301-946-6661
• Stroke Support: 301-754-8800
• Survivors Offering Support (cancer):
301-754-8502
• Thyroid Cancer (THYCA): 301-943-5419
Partners in Health is published by the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program to assist faith community nurses and health
ministry teams in educating, empowering and equipping members of their faith communities in pursuit of health, healing and
wholeness. We encourage you to use the contents of this newsletter to support and strengthen your ministries so that together
we may build healthier communities. When reproducing materials, please use the following credit line: Used by permission of
the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program. This newsletter is available for download at HolyCrossHealth.org. For more
information about the Holy Cross Faith Community Nurse Program, call 301-754-7066.