Parish Nurse
Are you interested in speaking to the Parish Nurse? Please contact the Church Office at 623-3066
What is Parish Health Ministry?
Parish Health Ministry is the intentional integration of the practice of faith with the practice of nursing and/or good health so that people can achieve wholeness in, with and through the community of faith.
Why should we be involved?
Public awareness of health & illness issues is at an all-time high. The public is also becoming aware of the importance of prevention and wellness. Cut backs in Medicare and Medicaid and Health Insurances, together with higher deductibles and co-payments make illness prevention and wellness promotion real needs – not just idealistic goals. Many find commercial health and wellness programs to be both impersonal and expensive. Others have found that a health ministry within their own church meets their needs in a more holistic way.
The church has been intimately involved with the concepts of wholeness, wellness and healing since its inception. The idea of the unity of body, mind and spirit is deeply rooted in both the Old and New Testaments. Parish Nursing/Health Ministry is a specific ministry within your congregation that gives these concepts and ideas a visible presence. The nurse/health minister works with the pastor and a wellness cabinet or other caring members to fulfill the healing mission of the church.
What does Health Ministry Offer?
A Health Ministry offers help in finding your way through the current health care system; assistance
in obtaining community services; help with understanding a diagnosis; medication education; understanding an upcoming procedure; answering questions from new parents; blood pressure monitoring, etc.
What do I need to do to become a Parish Nurse/Health Minister?
Any person who has a desire to help people live a healthy, faith-filled life or has the desire to help those with health issues and is in need of finding proper resources should consider taking the International Parish Nurse Resource Center’s Foundations in Faith Community Nurse Course. The course includes 16 modules that prepares each person to do Health Ministry within not only his/her church, but in the community as well.
In order to be called a Parish Health Nurse/Faith Community Nurse you must be a Registered Nurse with a current, active license and have completed the course. An LPN or a person interested in Health Ministry can become a Health Minister also by taking the Foundations in Faith Community Nurse Course.
Many parishes already have people doing Health Ministry and they don’t realize that they are doing it. Also, each parish will have its own form of Parish Health Ministry designed for the particular needs/concerns of that Parish.
Parish Health Ministry is taking on an Ecumenical appeal, for which we are very thankful – we live and work within our communities and share information.