How can we be a church that cares even more for its neighbours?Christians we believe that God cares for everyone, whether or not they come to church, in a way that includes their physical, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing.
So we need to think not just about faith, and not just about healing, but about how health and faith come together for ourselves and for the people who live and work around us.
Do you have any registered nurses with community experience in your church?
They will have their professional background in
health care and, if they also have faith, can help the church to make these connections in their communities.
How about appointing a “Parish Nurse” to your ministry team?
What can a Parish Nurse do?
- Encourage everyone towards healthy lifestyles
- Help understand disease and assist towards self-care
- Give personal health advice as requested
- Support those engaged in pastoral care
- Liaise with and the local GP surgery and staff
- Make visits, offer prayer with individuals and discuss Spiritual needs as well as physical needs
- Introduce people to appropriate voluntary agencies, health facilities or support groups
- Offer training and opportunities for volunteering in the local community
- Develop health promotion activities and healing services
- Enable new relationships with individuals and community groups
- Advocate for best practice in healthcare for your church and community
- Work within the Code of Professional Practice (Nursing and Midwifery Council)
- A Parish Nurse will not do dressings, injections, and invasive treatments. If these are needed they are provided by the Practice Nurse, or District Nursing service.
- A Parish Nurse will not give advice beyond the competencies for which s/he has been trained.
- A Parish Nurse will not put pressure on anyone to change their religion or join a particular church.
If you have other health-care professionals in your church, s/he may involve them too.
Training and support are available through PNMUK.
If your church has already decided you'd like to start a Parish Nurse project, here are downloadable guidelines: guidelines for church and applicant : project checklist
Seminars are available on request for churches on the theology and practical ways of being involved alongside the NHS in whole-person healthcare.
You can arrange for someone to come and tell you more about the basic concept. There's a team of supporters who love Parish Nursing so much they've volunteered to explain it to others! Just send us a request for a Parish Nursing Advocate to visit.
