Journal of Christian Nursing

Nursing Journal Recognized for Excellence

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 02 May 2016 16:18:07 +0000

May 2, 2016

Nursing Journal Recognized for Excellence

For Immediate Release

(Madison, WI) -- The Journal of Christian Nursing (JCN), published by ��Ƶ’s Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF) in partnership with Wolters Kluwer/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, received recognition in four categories in the 2016 awards competition of the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors (ASHPE).

The cover story of the October-December 2015 issue – "See Me, See My Child: Glimpses Into Autism Spectrum Disorder" – was a Bronze Award winner for Best Feature Article. The article was submitted by Hannah Fraley, a student at the University of Massachusetts, Boston in Population Health Nursing; an instructor at Salem State University College of Health and Human Services; and the mother of an 8-year-old boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). JCN developed the article into a continuing education feature article.

Additional awards went to JCN for excellence in presentation:

GOLD Award, Best Cover: Photo - "See Me, See My Child: Glimpses Into Autism Spectrum Disorder" (October-December 2015)
GOLD Award, Best Opening Page or Spread: Photo: "After the Trenches: Spiritual Care of Veterans" (October-December 2015)
BRONZE Award, Best Opening Page or Spread: Computer-Generated; "Nursing for the Kingdom of God" (October-December 2015)

“This is a tremendous honor,” said editor Kathy Schoonover-Shoffner. “I am especially thrilled that our editorial content won an award — it is a testimony about the professional quality of JCN.” JCN has been recognized previously for the work of art director Jenny Choi: a Silver Award and two Bronze Awards for photos and illustrations in 2014.

This well-deserved recognition comes on the eve of the National Nurses Week observance (May 6-12). NCF works with both student nurses (in 87 NCF chapters at nursing schools in the U.S.) and professional nurses (in 24 NCF local nurse chapters).

The mission of JCN is to help students, nurses, and educators practice from a biblically-based, Christian perspective. JCN is published four times each year. More information about JCN and NCF is available at http://ncf-jcn.org/.

News Keywords

Nurses Christian Fellowship

NCF

Journal of Christian Nursing

JCN

Nurses Christian Fellowship Director Named

gordon.govier@intervarsity.org — Mon, 07 Dec 2015 15:16:49 +0000

Press Room

December 7, 2015

Nurses Christian Fellowship Director Named

For Immediate Release

(Madison, WI) --- Kathy Schoonover-Shoffner has been named national director of Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF). She will begin her new duties in July 2016.

Kathy has served NCF as editor of the Journal of Christian Nursing (JCN) for the past 11 years. “Kathy brings over 35 years of experience and expertise to her new role: nurse, administrator, researcher, editor, and volunteer campus staff,” said Paul Tokunaga, ��Ƶ vice president and director of Strategic Ministries. “She is highly regarded in both the Christian and secular nursing worlds. But foremost, Kathy is passionate about seeing nursing students come to a saving faith in Jesus and then be salt and light in healthcare.”

Kathy first connected with ��Ƶ while a master’s student when she was invited to an NCF Bible study. Later, she was invited to be a Bible study leader and prayer minister at a national NCF conference. And she began volunteering to support NCF faculty advisors and nurse groups in the NCF Central Plains region. She also has served as a volunteer staff member for students and faculty at Wichita State University and Newman University schools of nursing.

Kathy was appointed JCN editor in 2004. The following year she helped NCF negotiate a partnership with publishing giant Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. “That was a miraculous work of God that widened NCF and ��Ƶ’s influence,” Kathy said. “We now publish JCN in print, online, mobile, and iPad formats, and it put our biblically based continuing education for nurses online with one of the world’s largest continuing education providers.”

“Kathy succeeds Jane Hall, who retires from her role in June 2016,” said Paul Tokunaga. “Jane has done an excellent job leading NCF the past six years.”

Kathy received her PhD in nursing from the University of Kansas. She lives in Wichita with her husband, Richard, a physician. They have three grown children, and attend First Baptist Church of Wichita.

Currently, there are 87 NCF groups in schools of nursing across the U.S. In addition, nurses are involved in 24 NCF nurse chapters, and there are over 1,500 members of NCF’s professional and ministry organization. Jane Hall is excited about the future of NCF. “I am thankful for Kathy’s appointment," she said. "NCF will continue to see nursing students and faculty transformed by Christ and have a biblical, Christian influence in nursing."

For more information contact:
Gordon Govier
608-443-3688

News Keywords

Strategic Ministries

Nurses Christian Fellowship

Journal of Christian Nursing

Mobilized to Serve

AD-16225 — Fri, 06 May 2011 19:09:59 +0000

News

May 6, 2011

Gordon Govier

Mobilized to Serve

“Trusted to Care” is the theme of National Nurses Week (May 6-12). Polls show that nursing is one of the most trusted professions; nurses offer care and comfort to people during some of the most difficult times of their lives. It is a huge responsibility.

Questions

A nursing student attending the National Student Nursing Association convention last month wanted to know, “Can we talk about God with our patients?” Another student said, “I have so many questions about how to help my patients. I see they have spiritual questions and are afraid.”

Kathy Schoonover-Shoffner, the editor of the Journal of Christian Nursing was able to share with these two students, and many others, answers to their spiritual questions about nursing. The Journal of Christian Nursing is published by Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF), a part of ��Ƶ. As Kathy shared on the NCF Nurses Blog, many students that she talked with were not aware of NCF. “They were thrilled to learn of an organization whose mission is to bring the good news of Jesus to nursing and healthcare.”

Answers

The nursing approach taught in many schools values wholistic care but leaves God out of the picture. “In NCF we’re mobilizing students to be committed to whole person care,” said NCF director Jane Hall.” We want students and nurses to understand that they need to be very ethical in their approach to spiritual care, and not to impose their own beliefs. But there’s more that they can do.”

She explained, “We work very hard to help students and nurses understand the basic principles of giving spiritual care but also to be prepared. If they ask a patient whether the patient would want prayer, and the response is yes, that they would feel comfortable in giving that, and that they would be able to explain to the patient who they would be praying to.”

A Model of Compassion

Jane Hall believes that a major reason that nurses are “trusted to care,” is because many follow Jesus’ model of compassion and selfless service to others. During National Nurses Week NCF provides online resources for prayer and Bible study that emphasize the spiritual foundation of nursing. Throughout the year NCF provides resources and staff to help students and nurses grow in their faith and their profession.

Audio Extra: Listen to a talk on nursing and shalom, by Grace Tazelaar, NCF Director of Missions

News Keywords

Whole person care

spirituality

Nurses Christian Fellowship

National Nurses Week

Journal of Christian Nursing