Introduction for Faith Communities
About Parish Nursing >

Wellness is a common ideal in all faiths yet many faith communities are uncertain of how to begin an investigation into health ministry.

Step 1: Gain an understanding of the basics of faith community nursing and its role on a faith team.

• A faith community nurse (FCN) provides surveillance for members and refers to physicians for diagnosis and treatment
• An FCN teaches families about medications but does not dispense them
• An FCN understands the spiritual dimension and needs of clients and makes referrals to clergy, spiritual leaders, or other leaders in faith communities
• An FCN assists faith leaders with the physical / health-related issues of members
• An FCN works with volunteers to provide assistance to members of the faith community
• An FCN helps improve the health of both the faith community and its leaders
• In the Christian faith, an FCN follows the biblical mandate to preach, teach, and heal.

Step 2: Determine how faith community nursing connects with the faith’s understanding and practice of faith and health. Health ministry does not belong to one faith so the person or committee investigating its potential must determine how the program can complement the faith’s ideology.

For information on education, program structure and other implementation concerns, review:

Fundamentals of Parish Nursing
Sample Budget
Sample Job Description
Professional Liability Fact Sheet
Fact Sheet on Parish Nursing.

Step 3: Survey the community to determine what programs already address issues of the elderly, the youth, the hospitalized, and the homebound. Listed below are some questions that can help sort out the issues of the community and the potentiality of a parish nurse program.

• What is the size and age of the community?
• What ministries are currently offered?
• How could a health professional enhance those services?
• Are there gaps in serving the membership physically, mentally, and/or spiritually?
• Can the members benefit from additional spiritual support?

Additional information, books, and DVDs on Parish Nursing can be found under the Resources section of our website.  One is the Exploration and Implementation Packet which consists of reproducible handouts on starting a program. Also a book written specifically for faith communities considering a parish nurse program is: Patterson, D.L. (2003). The Essential Parish Nurse: ABCs for Congregational Health Ministry. Ohio: Pilgrim Press. It includes information on:

• A history of parish nursing
• An explanation of parish nursing as a ministry of the church
• The roles of a parish nurse and the health cabinet
• The collaboration of church ministries and parish nursing
• Parish nurse models: paid and unpaid
• Financing a program and budgetary concerns
• Preparation and selection of a parish nurse
• The implementation, development, and growth of a parish nurse program
• Resources and references for additional information

Browse the Resources section of our website for additional information, books, and DVDs on Parish Nursing. 
Granger’s Vision for Health Cabinets
How to Form a Health Cabinet (Implementation)