Faith community nurses function under specific professional standards and a scope of practice developed by the American Nurses Association and the Health Ministries Association. Faith community nurses believe that the spiritual dimension is central to their practice and involves and incorporates it in their following functions. Not all faith community nurses will carry out each of these functions. The faith community nurses, in collaboration with the pastor, parish members and the health and wellness committee, will determine which functions best meet the needs of the parish.
Possible roles include:
Integrator of Faith and Health
Promotes an understanding of the relationship of body, mind and spirit and the role of values, attitudes, lifestyle and faith. Examples include:
- Prayer, presence and active listening
- Spiritual Assessments
- Referral to other members of the ministerial team
- Reframing, encouragement, reassurance
- Visitation to homes, hospitals and nursing homes
Health Educator
Focuses on a variety of health promotion activities for all ages with the parish. Examples include:
- Sponsors health fairs
- Makes health information available in the bulletin and displays
- Works with other ministries in the parish such as the school, youth groups, women and men’s group to promote health
- Develops group education programs related to health
Personal Health Counselor
Discusses health issues and concerns with individuals and families. As a health counselor, a parish nurse can help parishioners explore ways to cope more effectively with:
- Physical problems, emotional struggles and safety concerns
- Stressful life transitions
- Referral to appropriate healthcare providers or the healthcare system
- Assists parishioners in understanding diagnoses, lab results and medications
Referral Advisor
- Serves as a liaison between parishioners and resources within the parish, community and healthcare system
- Promotes community supported food shelf services for everyone, such as local food shelves and Fare For All
- Assists the uninsured and underinsured to available health options
- Refers parish members to available social support options
Advocacy
Promotes local, state and national endeavors related to health issues such as smoking, pandemic flu preparation, cancer awareness.
- Participates in parish activities to address social justice issues
- Accompanies parish members to health and social support systems as an advocate.
- Reports abuse and neglect issues to the appropriate social service agency
- Assists with values clarification around important decisions such as end-of-life issues.
Developer of Support Groups
Assesses the needs of various groups within the parish who would benefit from support options. Examples include:
- Arranges for qualified individuals to facilitate support groups
- Provides evidence based support groups such as Chronic Disease Management and A Matter of Balance.
- Facilitates disease specific support groups and grief/loss groups
Facilitator of Volunteers
Recruits, trains and supervises volunteers for various activities within the parish. Examples include:
- Blood Mobile coordination
- First Aid Training for Ushers
- Education for Parish Home Visitor Volunteers
- Clinics and screenings within the parish
Starting a Faith Community Nurse Ministry is often times intertwined with starting a Health and Wellness Committee.
Learn all you can about Health Ministry and Faith Community Nurse Ministry (Pastor & Parish Council).
- Read books, journal articles, newspaper articles on both topics
- She this information with other interested people and arrange for discussion
- Brainstorm how this might work in the parish
- Begin to think about the kind of nurse who could minister in your parish
Share the information found with other interested persons and arrange for on-going discussion.
The efforts to creation must be a team effort.
Educate the parish members.
- Presentations at the parish council, parish committees, sermons etc.
- Post flyers in parish bulletins and newsletters.
- Provide small brochures such as CareNotes “What a Parish Nurse Can do for you.”
Form a “Health and Wellness Committee (an umbrella group that addresses health needs in a parish.
This committee may or may not be a committee of the Parish Council).
- Membership of this committee should include other health professionals and persons involved in some aspect of the health ministry.
- The parish nurse becomes a part of this committee that will provide support and guidance for the parish nurse
Determine how the parish nurse will fit into the staff structure for.
- Supervision
- Relationships and communication with other staff members and committees.
Secure funding.
- Determine budget needs for this ministry. View a sample budget (PDF)
- Seek additional outside resources to support parish nurse basic education i.e. Catholic Education Ministries and other grant providers that support religious activities.
- Determine if the parish nurse will be paid or a volunteer staff member.
Select a Parish Nurse.
- Begin the parish nurse ministry with a blessing in the presence of the parish community.
- The parish nurse will complete a Parish Needs Assessment to move forward in the ministry.
A full description of the organization and purposes of a Health and Wellness Committee can be obtained in Stronger Together Starting a Health Team in Your Congregation by Jill Westberg McNamara, Church Health Center, 2014
A parish nurse within in the Diocese of Saint Cloud is covered through Catholic Mutual Group. “The parish nurse is defined as a professional registered nurse who has completed additional studies in the areas of Parish Nursing or Health Ministry Nursing and spiritual formation.”
(Catholic Mutual Group – confirmed 6-20-15)
Other Denominations: Please check with your church Administrator for insurance coverage option.
The parish nurse is covered by Catholic Mutual during the time that he/she are functioning in the role of parish nurse.
Parish nurses do not perform “hands on” type nursing activities. See samples of nursing activities performed by parish nurses. (in About Parish Nursing Section).
Employed and volunteer parish nurses are subject to credential verification and back group checks. According to Catholic Mutual the credential check must:
- Verify that the nurse has a valid license as a registered profession nurse in the state in which the nurse practices.
- Beginning June 1, 2012 the Minnesota Board of Nursing no longer issues paper registration cards at the time of license renewal. Verification of licensure must be obtained from the Board’s website at: Minnesota Board of Nursing License Verification.
- It is recommended that the employed or volunteer Faith Community (Parish) Nurse’s Registered Nursing license be verified at the time of annual review and the church keep some evidence of licensure on file.
The background check must include the following:
- Both employment references and personal references.
- A criminal background check.
- Driver record check.
Reduce Liabilities & Risks
To reduce the risk and liability concerns, Catholic Mutual Group recommends the following:
- All nurses should be licensed as registered nurses, be a graduate of a credited nursing program and a graduate of a Parish Nurse or Health Ministry Preparation Program.
- Nurses must keep records on all clients. The records are to remain confidential between the client and the nurse and should be kept in a locked cabinet. Even though a nurse may be reporting to a pastor or parish director, the records are to remain confidential unless otherwise released with the client’s written permission.
- Medical information provided to the nurse by a client must be protected as required by HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 Privacy Rule).
- A nurse cannot provide a medical diagnosis. Appropriate procedures should be followed for referral to physicians and other healthcare providers as needed.
- A (parish nurse) cannot administer medication and should not dispense non-prescription or over-the-counter medication. Clients should be referred to their physician or other healthcare providers as needed.
- All abuse involving minors and/or adults must be reported to the appropriate governmental agency.
- All acts delegated within the scope of professional nursing to a LPN or less skilled assistant must be in compliance with State requirements.
- All non-RN employees/volunteers should have professional experience in the ministry to which they are participating.
- As required under the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, Article 12, all personnel, including volunteers must comply with the “Safe Environment” program and policy for the protection of children and young people.”
(Catholic Mutual Group, confirmed 6-20-15)
Transportation
Catholic Mutual Group provides an excellent liability policy over and above a nurse’s personal automobile liability policy. It is important for employed and volunteer nurse to maintain liability coverage levels of 100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident in order to provide adequate protection.
For more in-depth information or further questions re: Parish Nurse Programs, contact Catholic Mutual Group at 1-800-228-6108.
Documentation
There are a variety of types and reasons for documentation in nursing practice. The recommended types of documentation include:
- Client interactions
- Activities of the Parish Nurse Program
The purposes for these types of documentation are:
- Professional accountability
- Professional standards
- Liability
- Measurement of client benefit and overall program benefit to the parish.
Establishing policies and procedures for client documentation will help assure that minimal documentation practices are maintained and the documentation is managed to protect the privacy of the client.
Documentation records are released in accordance with federal and state law.
Client documentation must be maintained in a locked cabinet/drawer to assure the client’s information remains confidential.
Tracking of activities of the program will provide information for the Parish Health and Wellness Committee, and Parish Council. This documentation will further define the role for the parish and assist in writing grants to support the parish nurse ministry. Parish nurse resources suggest the use of weekly, monthly and annual reports be developed. All reports should be in terms of numbers to assure confidentiality of clients.
Westberg Institute for FCN Liability Information
https://westberginstitute.org/
If You Have More Questions?
Please e-mail Bethany at
Bethany.Tollefson@centracare.com
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