What is Parish Nursing?

Parish Nursing is an emerging area of professional nursing practice.

Parish nurses are persons of faith who are experienced registered nurses, and who have received special education in wholistic health care. They have skills in teaching and health counseling as well as knowledge of community resources. The Parish nurse role balances: knowledge and skill; the sciences, theology and humanities; service and worship; and nursing care with pastoral care functions. The historic roots are based from monks and nuns, deacons and deaconesses, traditional healers and the nursing profession.

Parish nursing services are designed to build on and strengthen capacities of individuals, families, and congregations to understand and care for one another in light if their relationship with God, faith traditions, themselves and society. All persons are sacred and must be treated with respect and dignity. The parish nurse assists and empowers individuals to become active partners in the management of their personal health resources.

A parish nurse does not provide home health care services.

Health Promotion

• Blood pressure checks.
• Offer screenings for various health issues.
• Serve as site for other community agencies in providing services such as flu clinics.
• Private consultations regarding health issue.
• Teaches classes and provides printed health prevention information.
• Write articles for the bulletin and newsletter.
• Organizes and prepares volunteers, empowers the faith community to share knowledge and expertise.

Referral and Advocacy

• Helps to navigate the healthcare system.
• Contacts physician's office for individuals that need assistance.
• Guides persons to use community resources.
• Networks with healthcare providers, parish nurses and the community.
• Meets with families to plan care of individual or to counsel members.

Visitation

• Makes home, hospital, and nursing home visits or phone calls, provides counseling, and supports families.
• Bereavement visits by self or with clergy.

Interpret the Relationship Between Faith and Health

• Assist family in time of crisis.
• Encourage use of prayer, scripture, and devotional materials as aids to healing.
• Incorporate spiritual values into health education.

Informative Links for Your Health

• The American Heart Association is a national voluntary health agency to help reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
• The American Stroke Association is solely focused on reducing disability and death from stroke.
• GBOD - Center on Aging & Older Adult Ministries

As a member of the church staff, the parish nurse promotes wellness within the congregation, enhances the church’s outreach ministry, and strengthens the awareness of the connection between faith and health. In their role as a parish nurse, they do not provide "hands on" nursing care. Instead, they provide supportive care. Our Parish Nurse at St. Matthew is Theresa Todd, RNC and she can be contacted at parishnurse@stmatthew.org.