Patient Advocacy & Counseling Flashcards

Which counseling approach is MOST consistent with the faith community nursing model when addressing mental health concerns?

Answer: Integrating spiritual care with referral to mental health professionals as needed

Faith community nursing integrates spiritual care with holistic health promotion and appropriate referral rather than replacing professional mental health treatment.

A parishioner expresses that they feel unheard by their physician and want to change providers. The parish nurse should:

Answer: Help the parishioner articulate their concerns and research how to access a new provider

Empowering the parishioner to advocate for themselves and providing information about options supports autonomy and self-efficacy.

When conducting a counseling session, a parish nurse notices a parishioner seems to be minimizing their reported symptoms. The BEST response is to:

Answer: Use motivational interviewing techniques to explore the parishioner's readiness and concerns

Motivational interviewing respects ambivalence and helps individuals explore their own motivation for change in a non-confrontational way.

A parish nurse is advocating for improved palliative care access for congregation members. This is an example of:

Answer: Community-level health advocacy

Advocating for systemic improvements in community health access represents community-level advocacy, a distinct and important parish nurse role.

A parishioner discloses suicidal ideation during a pastoral visit. The parish nurse's PRIORITY action is to:

Answer: Assess for immediate risk and facilitate connection to crisis mental health services

Assessing suicide risk and facilitating crisis intervention is the immediate priority to ensure safety; this overrides routine confidentiality considerations.

Which of the following is a key principle that distinguishes counseling in faith community nursing from formal psychotherapy?

Answer: Counseling by parish nurses is supportive and referral-based, not diagnostic or therapeutic

Parish nurse counseling is supportive, holistic, and referral-based, operating within the nurse's scope of practice rather than functioning as psychotherapy.

A congregation member who is an undocumented immigrant avoids medical care due to fear. The parish nurse's MOST appropriate advocacy role includes:

Answer: Providing information about community health centers that serve all patients regardless of immigration status

Connecting vulnerable populations to accessible, safe healthcare resources is a core health advocacy function of the parish nurse.