Does Church Need a Parish Nurse?

A church congregation and the community gathered around the same idea can benefit from a parish nurse or so-called faith community nurse.

Parish nursing hasn’t been around for too long but it has great possibilities for development.

The parish field of nursing focuses on intentional spirit care, and it promotes the integrative healthcare model, which will include the body and spirit.

The reason why a church needs a parish nurse is to promote health and wellbeing to the members of its community.

In short words, a parish nurse stands between the medical needs of the church and the spiritual impact it has on the community.

For example, a parish nurse plays an important role when it comes to some delicate matters of immunizations, blood transfusion which is contrary to come religious beliefs.

The importance of the faith community nurses exceeds the needs of Catholic and Christian faith.

There are also Jewish Congregational Nurses and Muslim Crescent Nurses.

There are more than 15000 nurses around the world that serve in spiritual terms.

The American Nurses Association has declared and approved Scope and Standards of Practice for Faith Community Nursing in 2005.

Another role of the parish nurses is to make home visits to members of the community who advocate for some rights or have educational roles.

Parish nurses also organize support groups for special health matters important for the community and maintain the volunteering activities.

The purpose of the parish nurses isn’t to provide direct medical care to the members of the religious community, rather the role is to work as a health and spiritual mediator.

It is now common for the communities to set their parish nurse programs.

For example, you can find The Community Parish Nurse Program in the state of Illinois, which educates nurses specifically for the role of the Parish Nurse.

There are online and traditional courses, where nurses can learn and practice principles of the parish field of nursing.

Also, many hospitals have affiliate programs for parish nurses who can serve the churches in their regional area.

The role of the referral agent is highly important for parish nurses.

The nurse can assist any member of the church community in finding local resources to resolve any health issues.

Sometimes, there is a complex system seen in many organizations, related to resource management, and nurses can help people to understand how to utilize them.

Then, a nurse helps the church management to improve members’ issues and support their care needs.

Parish nursing is focused on a comprehensive dimension of nursing which includes mind, body, and spirit.

Because parish nurses work with congregation members to solving important issues and misunderstandings, their work is highly valuable.

Therefore, it a satisfying career path in the nursing field.