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 Pray
Bathe the whole process in prayer. Pray that God would lead you to nursing students and faculty who will "catch the vision" and want to make an impact on their campus.
Talk to interested nursing students
Are there nursing students who need encouragement? Do the nursing students have questions about ethical issues or spiritual care where it would be helpful for them to have a healthcare related small group Bible study? An NCF group can help meet these needs.
Search for a Faculty advisor
Are students aware of any Christian faculty members in the school of nursing? If so, you may want to approach them regarding NCF. Faculty advisors can guide a group, be a liaison to the school of nursing and provide continuity as students graduate through the program. NCF has a special faculty advisor handbook to assist them.
Get the word out
NCF has downloadable postcard invitations and posters to let students know about meetings. Having a table at new student orientation is another way to spread the word. NCF brochures are also available to order from our website.
Have an interest meeting
Holding an initial interest meeting can be a non-threatening way to introduce NCF and our resources. The history of NCF and how we work as a professional Christian organization is a great thing to share. This is also a good time to discuss logistics.
Determine meeting place and time
At the interest meeting, talk with students about their schedules and when would be a good time to meet. This can vary depending on if students are commuter vs. on campus, how the different levels of the nursing school are set up, etc. If there is an SNA group that many belong to, consider having an NCF meeting right after the SNA meeting and doing joint service projects. Some schools have had to get creative, so you may need to think outside the box.
Determine what the group format will be – Bible study, prayer, etc.
Some groups meet to share and pray for each other. NCF also has Bible study guides, written from a health care perspective, that can be used. These enable a leader to have minimal need for prep, yet have a quality study. If a group is interested in doing a topical study pertaining to specific issues of interest, another option is to have a Journal of Christian Nursing journal club where you discuss nursing topics that are presented in the JCN. (Note: Free access to the current online issue and archived issues is available by becoming an NCF member).
Follow up
Have students at the interest meeting complete an NCF downloadable follow-up card and contact them in the following few days. This will give you an opportunity to talk with them individually to learn more about them and where they are in their spiritual journey.
Pursue official campus recognition and the NCF affiliation process
NCF has a sample constitution for groups to use as they pursue official recognition by their school. NCF would also like your group to be an official NCF student chapter. Please review the affiliation requirements and complete the online affiliation application.
Be in Contact with NCF staff
Student leaders and Faculty advisors must be in contact with NCF staff, Email Bonnie Hann, NCF Campus Liaison, or Email Renee Lick, NCF Student Ministries Director, so we can inform you of current ministry updates and resources – especially the monthly e-newsletter, Campus Vitals. Your group can help NCF know what's happening in your chapter, and NCF can share your news and ideas with other students and faculty advisors.
Each spring we need student leaders or faculty advisors to complete on online survey that enables us to evaluate NCF Student Ministry across the country and to plan for the future. We also want to learn how God has worked in students' lives and how we can better support you in your ministry on campus. The survey takes only 5-10 minutes to complete. Early in the fall semester we will send you a link to a sample survey so that you can know what kind of data we need you to provide on the survey next spring. It is of upmost importance that we receive your response- Thank you!
NCF staff are available to assist you, so please contact us with questions or concerns. Email Bonnie at Email Bonnie. |
