What is Health Ministry/Parish Nursing?
A parish nurse/faith community nurse is called to the tradition of healing ministry. Each serves a faith community to help meet emotional, physical, and spiritual needs. The parish nurse/faith community nurse is a member of church staff working with the congregation and local community to establish and sustain a health ministry program. A parish nurse/health ministry program is developed on the following concepts: • Health ministries are based on achieving wholeness, acknowledging the close connection between mind, body, and spirit. • Healthcare requires more than medical treatment of disease or illness. • Health ministries advocate for health promotion and disease prevention. • Parish nurses/faith community nurses are caring, spiritually mature people who reach out to comfort, console, strengthen, teach, and encourage the faith community. • Parish Nurse / Health Ministry programs may include the following activities: health screening; educational programs which promote wellness by int
