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The
goal of the parish nurse is to minister holistically to
individuals and families, in and through the faith community,
using her health education and spiritual maturity to promote
wellness of body, mind, and spirit.
As health
issues become a greater concern for most of our population,
the idea of having a parish nurse in congregations has become
more appealing. They help with health concerns, visit ill
people (sometimes for the social support) and make sure
no one falls through the cracks.
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 What
is Parish Nursing? |
 Parish
nursing is acare program of lay leaders from the nursing
profession, who serve to integrate well-being with
spiritual health and physical healing. The parish
nurse job description includes acting as health educators,
health counselors, organizers of volunteers and referral
specialists.
Confidentiality
is always kept unless you present issues that are
a danger to you or someone else. There is no charge
for the services of a parish nurse.
What
is a Parish Nurse? A parish nurse is a registered
nurse with additional training who serves members
of the congregation. According to the International
Parish
Nurse Resource Center, parish nurses are registered
nurses, most of whom have several years’ (or
more) nursing experience in hospital-based or community-based
settings.
The
number of parish nurses in United States is estimated
to be about 6000 by the Marquette University College
of Nursing.
Why
Parish Nurses? When Christianity began, the
church was a major influence in all dimensions
of life, looking after people's emotional and
physical needs as well as their spiritual concerns.
Over the years, health care became the domain
of the medical community. But in recent years,
we have become more aware of the powerful connection
between a person's physical condition, mental
state and spiritual well-being. The job description
of a parish nurse is to provide "whole person
health care."
Having
parish nurses as part of a congregation's ministry
integrates this idea of "whole person health care"
into the church. The parish nurse position description
includes the following:
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Health Educator - using health screenings,
discussion groups, classes and special events
the parish nurse helps parishioners understand
the relationship between body, mind and spirit.
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Health
Counselor - an important role of the parish
nurse includes availability for consultations
through people's homes, the hospitals or nursing
home visits. Parish nurse prayers mean a lot.
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Facilitator
or Organizer - this church nurse coordinates
volunteers within the congregation and keeps
documentation on all her workings.
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Referral
Specialist - the parish nurse guides parishioners
to community health care and religious resources
and services.
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There
aren't that many chronically ill people in my church,
right? |
According
to the Chronic
Care in American study nearly 1 in 2 people in the
USA live with chronic illness or long-term pain. |
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How
much does a HopeKeepers group cost? |
Our
web site has a lot of free materials. You a buy a HopeKeepers
Start Up Kit to completely provide your HopeKeepers
leader with a tool chest of items to prepare with and
use in handling not only those tough small group personal
questions, but the difficult ones about "Why am
I not healed yet?" It is $295 or
items can be purchased separately. |
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Why
do we need a HopeKeepers ministry? |
- Nearly
1 in 2 people have an illness; 96% of illnesses
are invisible. 75% of marriages with illness end
in divorce;
- Depression
is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill than for
the average person;
- Various
studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable
physical pain are major factors in up to 70% of
suicides; and more than 50% of these suicidal patients
were under 35 years of age.
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However, the significance of one's faith has shown
to lower one's risk of depressive symptoms and aid
one in better handling a stressful medical event.
*
Sources
Illness
is not a condition of just the elderly. Illness is
extremely difficult to live with. Those who are Christians
still feel alone, misunderstood and hurt by the reactions
or lack of acknowledge of those they love, especially
people in the church body.
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Who
should run our group? |
Rest
Ministries only requirement of HopeKeepers groups is
that someone reside in some form of leadership that
lives with illness. We want to make sure those who are
ill can sill use their gifts, as well as keep the content
authentic.
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Where
do I start? |
Discover
who may have this calling and present HopeKeepers
to them. If someone is coming to you with the idea,
be open-minded, listen, empathetic, and see how God
can use one's pain to design their ministry. One doesn't
have to be healed in order to serve the Lord.
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| Things
Nurses Should Know |
- Nearly
1 in 2 people have an illness; 96% of illnesses are invisible.
75% of marriages with illness end in divorce;
- Depression
is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill than for the
average person;
- Various
studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable
physical pain are major factors in up to 70% of suicides;
and more than 50% of these suicidal patients were under
35 years of age.
- However,
the significance of one's faith has shown to lower one's
risk of depressive symptoms and aid one in better handling
a stressful medical event. *Sources
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| Resources
Parish Nurses Should Have on Their Desk |
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