Ebook: Parish Nursing: Stories of Service and Care

These engaging stories from parish nurses provide an accessible and enjoyable account of parish nursing—an emerging ministry of healing that provides a new approach to both healthcare as well as pastoral care. This ministry includes volunteer or paid nurses who attend to the needs of a congregation in a variety of ways—from home, hospice, or hospital visits to community outreach. Written for a popular as well as professional audience, the book weaves together stories of nurses as they journey into a territory largely uncharted. They tell stories of hearing God’s call, of their responses to this call, of their faith that they are doing the “right thing,” of their joys, sorrows, and challenges, and of quiet dedication as they offer their time and talents to meet the needs of others. Their stories are encouraging to other nurses by offering practical advice and resources necessary to develop the skills. They also challenge church members and leaders to examine the role that their congregations are assuming in health ministry—especially in meeting the long-term care needs of an aging population. Their stories inform medical professionals of the benefits of parish nursing that reach far beyond the congregation to offer hope to the healthcare system at large. Parish Nursing presents a vision where nurses can serve as the vital link between secular healthcare and sacred faith-based systems. Nurses are able to provide direct ministry to members of the congregation and also can be the communicators, teachers, motivators, and encouragers of others. The parish nurse could be a key person to link the two systems and provide truly wholistic care. Reading the stories of parish nurses gives us hope that this vision might be possible—indeed must be possible—if our aging society is to flourish in the years ahead.