Parish Nurse

Parish Nursing is a recent nursing specialty that emphasizes spiritual health, along with physical and mental health, as a vital component of holistic well-being. Parish nurses help to fill the void in quality patient care and education left by the streamlining of health care in the name of efficiency.

Parish nursing is not hands on care but patient teaching, health education, and helping members or friends of the church successfully access the health care system. Parish nurses may run blood pressure clinics, teach health classes, do home visits if necessary, and arrange transportation for health-related problems.

A parish nurse is NOT:

• just a registered nurse located in the church
• just a compassionate person
• a source of "hands on" medical intervention or therapy
• there to administer medication
• there to replace or compete with existing health care or parish resources

But a parish nurse IS:

• a skilled professional with special knowledge and skills
• a screener for existing or potential health problems
• a person of faith committed to promoting the integration of body, mind, and spirit
• a patient advocate
• an educator and health counselor
• a source of referral to needed support and services

Our Parish Nurse here at CPC is Lonna Smith, R.N. For more information on this program, or to contact Lonna, please call the Church Office at 410-836-2146.