Starting a New Faith Community Nursing Program: From Dream to Reality.

ABSTRACT: Faith community nursing, also known as congregational nursing or parish nursing, is a relatively new addition in the pantheon of nursing subspecialties. Nurses working in this role tailor their services according to the needs of the faith community and often to the community at large. This article describes how one nurse pursued the specialty and helped initiate faith community nursing in her own church.

Women's Perceptions of Retirement.

A record number of women are going through the major life transition of retirement. The purpose of the current study was to explore women's perceptions of retirement with the goals of better understanding important patterns of response regarding retirement transitioning and to inform nurses on how to assist clients who are anticipating or engaging in the retirement transition. A sample population of 170 retired women was recruited using convenience sampling from community settings within six southeastern U.S. states. Participants expressed their perceptions of retirement through written responses to open-ended questions. Content analysis revealed the following themes: Love It/Happy; Unhappy/Regrets; So Much Time, So Little (money, resources, etc.); Searching; Busy; Relief/Freedom; Giving: For Me and Thee; Adequate Resources; Creating Your Own Structure; and Positive Attitude. Careful assessment for health changes, promotion of positive coping skills, and provision of educational planning and therapeutic resources to women who are transitioning to retirement should assist women toward healthy and successful retirements. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(4), 31-39.].

Supportive care needs of cancer patients: A literature review.

OBJECTIVE: This review of the research literature explored the supportive care needs of cancer patients of varying ages and genders at varying stages of cancer treatment. METHOD: We conducted a search of online databases of peer-reviewed studies published in the English language between 2009 and 2014. RESULTS: This paper reviews research studies that explored the supportive care needs of cancer patients through focus groups, surveys, and interviews. The samples addressed varied in age, ethnicity, and gender. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: One major need identified was the requirement of informational support. Other essential needs included emotional, spiritual, and financial support. Supportive care can be administered in various ways­for example, by religious communities or caregivers as well as providers. However, healthcare providers must recognize the supportive care needs of their patients and incorporate effective resources and interventions into treatment plans.