Parish Nurse: Health Ministry

by FLOSSIE VANCE, RN, Catholic Community Parish Nurse in Cheyenne Wyoming

Parish nursing is a unique, specialized practice of nursing that is a health promotion, disease prevention ministry based on the total health healing of a person – body, mind and spirit. The spiritual aspect is central to parish nursing. Although this is a new specialty in nursing only approved by the American Nurses Association in 1997, it is based on old traditions of the Christian church to care for the sick and those in need. Its roots are in many religious traditions, especially Jesus’ healing ministry reflected in one fifth of the gospels.

Parish nursing also reflects the core philosophy of nursing which is to care for others through teaching, counseling, advocating, referring and including family and others in the provision of care. Parish nursing requires additional training after which the nurse is commissioned and receives a certificate.  This can be done through the Wyoming Health Council in cooperation with Carroll College in Helena, Montana.  The parish nurse works in collaboration with the pastor, priests, church staff and local resources to improve the health and wellness of the parish as well as the local community. The Parish nurse may also work under the guidance of a health ministry team. The team can consist of the pastor, pastoral, medical, nursing, social work, legal, business and lay members dedicated to helping guide, direct, expand and evaluate the program.

As a health educator and counselor, the parish nurse helps parishioners explore ways to cope with physical problems, safety concerns, relationship concerns, and stressful life transitions (birth, retirement and loss). The nurse assists parishioners evaluate signs and symptoms of disease that may need to be acted on promptly and helps those in need to understand their diagnosis, lab results and medications. Caregivers are also assisted with education and support. The parish nurse may write health articles for the Sunday bulletins as well as arrange or provide classes on health topics. They also conduct health fairs and health screenings.

As health advocates, parish nurses help parishioners to understand and navigate the health care system, help those in need access a health care provider or health care when medical help is needed. The parish nurse can be a voice for those who cannot act on their own behalf and a health resource for families in need. They can accompany parishioners to their health care provider visits and explain their concern or situation to the health care provider if requested. They can direct parishioners to resources for insurance, medications or health care.

As a referral person, the parish nurse can guide, refer and direct the parishioners to the resources in the community, when they don not know where to go or what is there for them.
They can refer parishioners to health care providers and community agencies and collaborate with members of the health care system.

The parish nurse meets with parishioners upon their request or when referred by friends, family or parish staff in a variety of settings. They visit in the home, hospital, nursing home, rehab unit, parish building and the office as well as communicate by phone, e-mail or regular mail depending on the need of the parishioner. Many parish nurses do weekly rounds visiting parishioners while they are in the hospital.

Today there are thousands of nurses in many denominations working as parish nurses across the country. They are reclaiming the old tradition of health ministry in the church, to meet unmet health needs and support the journey towards wholeness. The ultimate goal of parish nursing is to improve the whole person health of the parish and community and strengthen the awareness of the connection between faith and health. The emphasis of spiritual health care combined with other parish nurse roles offers a unique service to the parishioners not available anywhere else.

Reprinted with permission from the Wyoming Nurse Reporter.