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Parish Nurse Ministry

(a.k.a. Faith Community Nurse)

Mind. Body. Spirit. Woven together in ministry.

Program Contact:
Mary Nordtvedt, RN
(651) 999-2592
mnordtvedt@lyngblomsten.org

What is a Parish Nurse?

For Lyngblomsten, a Parish Nurse is an experienced registered nurse who has completes parish nurse training through schools that have adopted the International Parish Nurse Resource Center Curriculum.

Blending faith with nursing, the Parish Nurse ministers through a faith community to individuals and families. The Parish Nurse holds the spiritual dimension to be central to the ministry, which encompasses the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual. Following foundational principles, the program is customized to meet the needs of individual faith communities. The parish nurse concept can be applied to non-faith communities as well.

The Parish Nurse develops a practice in response to the unique needs and primary issues of each congregation and its community across the whole life span. The nurse assists and empowers individuals to become active partners in the management of their personal health resources. Spiritual health is central to well-being and influences a person's entire being. Unlike most of the services Lyngblomsten offers, the Parish Nurse serves people of all ages--not just seniors.

The Lyngblomsten Parish Nurse Ministry combines nursing and faith to assist faith communities as they provide care for individuals and families, promoting wellness of body, mind and spirit.

What is the Mission of the Parish Nurse Ministry?

The Lyngblomsten Parish Nurse Ministry exists to holistically bring together faith and health to educate, counsel, and help people of all ages within a faith community.

How Does Lyngblomsten Support Parish Nurse Ministry Programs?

Christ is central to Lyngblomsten’s mission; Parish Nursing is an example of the innovation Lyngblomsten offers to the faith community by providing support for nurses and churches, under the supervision of a licensed R.N. from Lyngblomsten. A licensed social worker is also available for questions. Nurses are provided with monthly networking and educational meetings, liability insurance, and reviewed credentials through the partnership package. The supervision, networking and education, and resources are provided by Lyngblomsten. As a partner, Lyngblomsten works closely with pastoral staff to develop a health ministry and to provide resources, consultation, and education.

As part of the annual fee for the Parish Nurse program, the support includes supervision of the nurse, resources of a licensed social worker, funds for continuing education, review of nurse’s licensing/credentials, liability insurance, monthly networking and education, and recruiting and interviewing of nurses for open positions.

The program does not generate revenue and is dependent on gift monies to maintain and grow the Ministry. The Lyngblomsten Foundation is a generous funder of our program.

The Parish Nurse is a Lyngblomsten employee who serves one specific faith community and is dedicated to the healing mission of the church. Churches pay all or part of the nurse’s salary (depending whether they are still within the 3-year period of a start-up grant previously funded by Lyngblomsten).

Unfortunately, financial grants for starting parish nursing are no longer available from Lyngblomsten. If you’d like to start a Parish Nurse Ministry program for your congregation or organization, Lyngblomsten can assist you on a paid consultancy basis. There is no cost for an introductory conversation/meeting. A customized consultation package can be created for you to help establish parish nursing for your church or organization.

What are the Roles of a Parish Nurse?

  1. Integrator of faith and health: Health is a holistic way of living that embraces life in its fullness, including the pursuit of a healthy spiritual life and connection to God and God’s people.
  2. Health educator: Parish nurses are available to congregations for health education, and they provide opportunities for a congregation to learn about health issues, individually and in groups.
  3. Health counselor: A parish nurse is available to discuss health concerns, emphasizing early response to small problems and encouraging healthy lifestyle changes.
  4. Referral advisor: A parish nurse in a congregation is available to provided referrals to healthcare and social services within the community upon request from a parishioner.
  5. Health advocate: A parish nurse helps members of the congregation or community obtain needed health-related services.
  6. Developer of support groups: A parish nurse facilitates the development of support groups for the faith community and others served.

From: The Essential Parish Nurse ABC’s for Congregational Health Ministry by Deborah L. Patterson

Resources for Parish Nursing

If you’d like to learn more, including how to apply the parish nurse concept to another setting (such as senior housing), here are some resources:

Books Available to Borrow from Lyngblomsten

  • Scope and Standards of Practice Faith Community Nursing: American Nurses Association
  • The Essential Parish Nurse ABC’s for Congregational Health Ministry by Deborah L. Patterson

Organizations

Training

Other Resources:

  • The Health Cabinet: How to Start a Wellness Committee in Your Church, by Jill Westburg McNamara. International Parish Nurse Resource Center, 475 East Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63119. 70 pp. $14.
  • Health Ministry and Faith Community Nursing: The Basics. Health Ministries Association, 1001 West Walnut, Independence, MO 64050. 18 pp. $10.
  • A Guide to Developing a Health Ministry (CD). Health Ministries Association, 1001 West Walnut, Independence, MO 64050. $23.
  • "Walk to Jerusalem/Walk to Bethlehem," www.stjohn.org/WalktoJerusalem or phone 888-440-7325.