[aruray]

Hello. I've been intrested in parish nursing for a long time. Some time ago, we were filling prescriptions for mentally ill patients that looked like it came from a catholic community center and thought thats a really great idea to be able to help a comunity like that. Anyways, I have been searching the net and couldnt find such places in my area.

My question:
1. What types of services do you have in your parish? Anything like emergent care or mental health of sorts in your church? I heard that some congregations would even contact the primary care and inquire about a pt's status/medicatione etc. Help with arranging insurance applications etc.
2. Do you get paid? Is it like a 24/7 job that people call you all the time?
3. Your primary role, is it a nurse or a ministry person? Are you actually required to do ministry work while in the field? Ive heard some say that pt's request prayers recited with the nurse. That seems ok, but do you actually preach the gospel? What kind of other spiritual guidance do you do with your patients?
4. Lastly, what are some of the problems you have encountered while working as a p.nurse? What would you like to see happen in parish nursing?

[sirI]

Hello, aruray,

I'm not a Parish nurse, but have contact with one. I'm sure this nurse will come along and advise you.

[nightingale]

I am sure someone who is a Parish Nurse will post here. There is a stickey, here on this Forum, that talks about what a Parish Nurse does. You may want to review the existing threads on this Forum for other information. Here is the reference link:

What is a Parish Nurse?

[tnbutterfly]

Hello aruray,
I am a Parish Nurse and will try to answer your questions.
Think of the Parish Nurse as a bridge between the health and faith communities. A Parish Nurse is a registered nurse who, as a member of the ministerial team, provides preventive care with a focus on health promotion and spiritual care. The Parish Nurse focuses not only on a person's physical health, but also their spiritual, mental, and emotional health. A Parish Nurse is not a primary care giver, but serves more as a link between the church, community, and healthcare system. The goal is to enable people to acquire and maintain their individual optimal level of wellness. Actual roles of the Parish Nurse will vary from congregation to congregation, but typically include the following areas
Health Educator- Through a variety of formats, seminars, conferences, and classes the Parish Nurse seeks to raise the health awareness level of the church family.
Personal Health Counselor - Available to discuss personal health problems, recommend medical intervention, offer blood pressure screenings, etc.
Visitation Minister - makes home/hospital visits
Referral Source - Assists in obtaining needed services from community agencies
Volunteer Coordinator - Recruits, trains, and supervises volunteers to respond to needs in church.
Client Advocate - Visit people in hospital and intervene for the patient and talk to the nursing/medical staff.

Before beginning her church duties, the Parish Nurse completes an extensive orientation, which includes some pastoral components. The nurse also learns about the various community resources available.

Parish Nursing has been recognized as a specialty practice by the ANA. Parish nurses do not focus on "hands on" care or invasive procedures. They do not replace or compete with the medical care that people recieve from their doctors, but work with them in collaborative relationships for the benefit of the individual and community well-being. Far more than a "nurse in the church", parish nursing is a ministry of caring that integrates health and wholeness into the fabric of the congregation.

The Parish Nurse offers words of encouragement, explanation of medical procedures, detection and prevention of disease, and is a friend and counselor who helps church members work through difficult times. As a parish nurse, I have the opportunity to pray with individuals, if appropriate. No, I do not "preach", but hopefully those I minister to through my role do find comfort in my words of encouragement.

As far as pay.....that varies. I do get paid a stipend. I am employed by a hospital which pays 25% of my salary. The church pays the remainder. I am definitely not in this job for the money. There are many nurses that do this on a volutary basis because their church cannot afford to pay. My job is part-time, but I find I do work more than my 20 hours. That is one of the problems...you have to be able to set appropriate boundaries and safeguard your personal time.

Hopefully I have answered some of your questions. Please don't hesitate to ask other questions or pm me if you wish.

[rtoi123]

I think your program sounds amazing!! My church has been trying to get a parish nurse ministry off the ground for years. I have assumed the role but I do not have any formal training. Where do you go through training? Mostly what our team does is we had a health fair and blood drive. I write an article in the monthly newsletter. We have a bulletin board and do Wednesday night supper events (bp's etc.) I have recently completed a grant to obtain funding for an AED and CPR classes for the childcare workers, but I would love to see some other areas take off. Maybe if I went through the formal training I would learn how. Thanks for any help! and Congratulations on such a wonderful program. Your congregation is lucky to have you.
Rachel

[tnbutterfly]

Originally Posted by rtoi123

I think your program sounds amazing!! My church has been trying to get a parish nurse ministry off the ground for years. I have assumed the role but I do not have any formal training. Where do you go through training? Mostly what our team does is we had a health fair and blood drive. I write an article in the monthly newsletter. We have a bulletin board and do Wednesday night supper events (bp's etc.) I have recently completed a grant to obtain funding for an AED and CPR classes for the childcare workers, but I would love to see some other areas take off. Maybe if I went through the formal training I would learn how. Thanks for any help! and Congratulations on such a wonderful program. Your congregation is lucky to have you.
Rachel

Hello Rachel
Where are you located? I received my training through a local hospital which received a grant to start the Parish Nurse program in area churches several years ago. We now have over 30 parish nurses and are training more every year. There are some colleges with Parish Nurse prep. courses.
Sounds like you already are doing many of the things a Parish Nurse would do. Your church obviously values what you and your team are doing. That's one of the big hurdles......getting the church to understand what a Parish Nurse can do for the congregation...so you are well ahead of most. I commend you for getting funding for an AED and CPR training and the other great work you are doing. Your church is already benefitting from the services of a parish nurse. Feel free to pm me and I will try to help you locate a place for you to get training. Although you and your team are doing a fantastic job, you would benefit from networking with others in your area who are doing this as well.