Parish nursing has been shown to have a positive impact on the spiritual well-being and quality of life of chronically ill parishioners. Now recognized as a specialty of nursing by the American Nurses Association, the emerging role of the parish nurse strengthens partnerships between churches, the community, and health care providers.
This unique resource provides an overview of the current state of parish nursing. Information and guidelines on how to initiate a parish nursing or health ministry program within a faith community are provided, including discussions of contemporary models of parish nursing. Other topics covered include the parish nurse's own spirituality, needs of diverse populations, homebound adults and the hospitalized parishioner. A special chapter details the quantitative and qualitative findings for the author’s own study on parish nursing and chronic illness, which documents the importance and value of parish nursing to the recipients of the ministry.
