The Parish Nurse Ministry is available to our church family from the youngest to the oldest to promote spiritual and physical health. Some of the activities from this year include:

• Wednesday night (5:15 p.m.) blood pressure screening and consultation
• Twenty-four hour availability for calls or assistance
• Medical equipment loan closet maintenance (See List of medical equipment for loan)
• First Aid boxes maintained on church buses and throughout the church campus. (See List of Locations)
• Installation of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in the Family Life Center - see AED sign above Recreation Office door.
• Classroom instruction in CPR and use of the AED
• On-call coverage while CARITAS is a guest in our church
• Availability during Vacation Bible School and Youth Trips
• Each Sunday a nurse has a pager so she can be reached if needed in the children’s area
• Availability for nursing assessments in the home and coordination with hospital discharge planners to assist in meeting the patients needs at home
• Hospital, nursing home, assisted living and home visits are made followed up by calls and cards
• Flu and pneumonia shots
• Answer questions and act as a referral source for community agencies, such as insurance assistance, long-term care, respite care and home health
• Consultation with physicians as requested
• Participation in the Southern Women’s Show (WMU booth)
• Speaker at two sessions of the WMU Women on Mission Get-Away at Eagle Eyrie in November, 2003

I am grateful to God for the opportunity to participate in the spiritual and physical health of our church. My thanks to all the dedicated nurses, physicians, staff, WMU and members for your continued support of the Parish Nurse Ministry.

“To God be the glory”

• An international nurse sub-specialty, active in all faith groups.
• A visible means of identifying and expressing Jesus' love within the church community
• An opportunity for the church to make a tangible statement that it recognizes the interplay of our physical, emotional, and spiritual selves and are about caring for all aspects of members of the congregation
• An opportunity for pastors, deacons and church staff to have resources available to them for consultation of congregational medical needs. This will assist in facilitation of meeting those needs and providing knowledge for visitation and support of the member and family
• An opportunity for Christian nurses to have a place of ministry within their local churchs or serve churches who do not have nurses within their congregations

• Foremost is the consideration that no harm be done, especially in this area. Referrals are to be made to appropriate care givers whenever the need exceeds the expertise of the individual Parish Nurse.
• The followiong examples offer a perspective on who seeks out the Parish Nurse for consultation and why:
  
  • The elderly may have problems relating to medication, difficulties in communicating with their doctors, the need for somebody to help them learn to cope with our complicated health care system. Through personal conversations, the Parish Nurse is able to assist in problem-solving and make appropriate referrals to physicians and other health care professionals.
  • Parents of preadolescents and teenagers may come with problems concerning drugs, alcohol and sex
  • Men over 40 may come to Parish Nurses for physical problems such as backaches, headaches or similar complaints or to have their blood pressure checked and, after the first few minutes, talk about how life is treating them, their concerns and frustrations.

• Parish Nurses act as a network to prevent the members of the congregation from getting lost in the system
• The Parish Nurse develops close working relationships with community agencies
• She knows how to open doors for the congregation to many types of services that they may not know

• Perform any procedure that requires a physician's order, such as:
  • performing "hands on" or invasive procedures
  • administering medications
• Perform task outside the independent functions of licensure
• Practice without an active license and adequate liability insurance
• Compete with any community health agency

The Virginia Baptist Parish Nurse Ministry consists of a group of health professionals who are committed to the church's mission to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Savior, and to nurture and minister in His name.

We believe that God is the ultimate healer. Through prayer, faith and belief in God's enabling we can assist in fostering health, healing and the caring aspects of the church community. We believe these are means of carrying out the church's mission.

This ministry is not a substitute for pastoral care, medical care, community health nursing, or social agencies, but rather works in collaborative partnership with these disciplines.

The focus of this practice is on prevention/health promotion rather than "hands on" physical care.

This focus may be carried out by the Parish Nurse functioning both in the congregation and the community as:

• Health educator
• Personal health counselor
• Coordinator and teacher of volunteers
• Liaison with community health organizations
• Clarifier of reltaionship between faith and health

Education
A registered professional nurse with a current nursing license and professional liability insurance. BSN or RN with active participation in continuing education programs relating to parish nurse responsibilities. When functioning as a staff member of a local church, should have a certificate in Parish Nursing or be able to acquire one within one year of beginning ministry. Pastoral Care training is helpful.

Experience
Minimum of one year of nursing experience, but preferably three years of experience. Experience in the following areas are beneficial: Public health, education, school nurse, medial-surgical nursing, emergency/out-patient nursing, physicians office or nursing home.

Personal

• Knowledge of health-healing ministry of the church
• Knowledge of the interplay of health of body, mind, and soul
• Sensitivity to integrating and applying the spiritual aspects of health personally and professionally
• Skill in communication and teaching/learning techniques
• Knowledge in health promotion as it relates to life styles
• Knowledge of health services and resources in the community, including public health and hospice
• Motivation to grow personally and professionally
• Knowledge of current nursing and health care issues
• Participation in church and community activites which contribute to professional and spiritual growth
• Knowledge of and compliance with the Code of Ethics of Nursing, the Nurse Practice Act of Virginia, and the Standards of Practice of Parish Nursing by the Health Ministries Association
• Practice of confidentiality an dprofessional standards
• Membership in professional organizations is encouraged
• Willingness to attend an orientation program and/or obtain a certificate in parish nursing

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  For some additional information as well as links to training and applications for parish nursing certification see More information.

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