What is a Parish Nurse/Faith Community Nurse?
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Parish nurses are licensed, registered nurses who practice wholistic health for self, individuals and the community using nursing knowledge combined with spiritual care. They function in paid and unpaid positions as members of the pastoral team in a variety of religious faiths, cultures, and countries. The focus of their work is on the intentional care of the spirit, assisting the members of the faith community to maintain and/or regain wholeness in body, mind, and spirit. Their practice is governed by the nurse practice act of their state, the Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, Faith Community Nursing: Scope and Standards, and the Code of Ethics with Interpretive Statements (for nurses).

Qualifications include:

• Must have an active license in the state in which she/he practices.
• Is preferred to have a baccalaureate degree in nursing with experience in community nursing.
• Should have completed an educational course to prepare for this ministry.
• Should have specialized knowledge of the spiritual beliefs and practices of the faith community.
• Should reflect personal spirituality maturity in her/his practiced.
• Should be organized, flexible, self-started, and a good communicator.

Parish nurses may be called a variety of names depending upon the faith community:

• Faith Community Nurse – preferred by the American Nurses Association
• Church Nurse
• Health Ministry Nurse.

Services provided by the parish nurse include but are not limited to:

• Health promotion encompassing informational classes, health programs, education through newsletters, bulletin boards and web sites
• Individual care such as blood pressure monitoring, client advocacy, personal health counseling, and visitation
• Spiritual care through prayer, spiritual rituals, presence, support groups, and grief care
• Collaboration with the clergy staff, community social services, health care professionals, assessments of member/community needs and developing new services or resources for members
• Sharing the denomination’s/faith’s beliefs and rituals to foster a sense of family and healing
• Education for individuals, of any age, on specific health issues.

What is the Mission of Parish/Faith Community Nursing?
The mission of parish nursing is the intentional integration of the practice of faith with the practiced of nursing so that people can achieve wholeness in, with, and through the community of faith in which parish nurses serve. The belief that health is a journey toward well being and is the interrelationship of body, mind, and spirit is core to parish nursing. Health is not merely the absence of disease. It is related to everything a person does, thinks, and feels; therefore parish nurses focus on the whole person as they promote wellness, disease prevention, health education, and healthy spirituality.