Inspire, Spring 2009

facul ty voi ce Have you ever considered what role Christian nurses could play in your local body of believers? Is there a way to combine faith with the field of nursing and honor the Lord with that ministry? Throughout history, congregations have been concerned with helping members achieve health and wellness through whole bodies, minds, and spirits. Today’s churches have an opportunity to reclaim this role — helping people achieve whole-person health by connecting their spiritual, physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs through the employment or use of a parish nurse. Also known as congregational or faith community nurses, parish nurses are professional registered nurses who practice in a church on a paid or voluntary basis. These nurses place the spiritual dimension at the center of their practice, promoting health and disease prevention in their church and community. Along with a health ministry team, they help members of the congregation assume a greater responsibility for their physical well-being. Parish nurses complement the role of a pastor by offering services like personal health counseling, links to community health resources, and visits to the homebound and chronically ill. Parish nurses also provide increased care to congregants, freeing the pastor to focus on other aspects of ministry. Ministers of Health Parish nurses take on seven main roles: health educator, health promoter and disease preventer, coordinator of volunteers, health advocate, personal health advisor, developer of support groups, and spiritual caregiver. How these roles are applied in a congregation depends on the members’ needs and resources. Some possible strategies include health fairs, home visitation, blood pressure screenings, sessions on stress management, and classes on first aid. Many positive outcomes accompany the implementation of parish nursing in the church. At the top of the list is helping people glorify God through their physical bodies. By taking good care of the bodies He gave us, we can serve Him better (1 Corinthians 6:19). Parish nurses, working in collaboration with the pastor and other interested members, assess and address the specific health needs of the congregation. This participation enhances a sense of belonging for its members and, according to research, has proven to increase health. Second, parish nurses equip congregations for effective service. With the help of parish nurses and health ministry teams, congregations act as a testimony for Jesus Christ by interacting and intervening in the lives of people who may otherwise be invisible or even marginalized in the church or community. Parish nurses also help alleviate financial pressures among congregation members by teaching them how to sustain their own health and prevent disease. Offering health screenings allows for early identification of problems, resulting in lower costs, fewer complications, and greater focus on Kingdom service. Finally, parish nurses provide accountability. They can show a church how to funnel its resources toward helping others in practical ways. By conducting congregational and community assessments, parish nurses glean information and then address the congregation’s health needs. The Healing Benefits of Parish Nursing by Dr. Judi Shrubsole, with Marsha Swinehart “These nurses place the spiritual dimension at the center of their practice.” 42 spring 2009