As the American Nurses Association celebrates National Nurses Week (May 6-12, 2024), a group of dedicated health care professionals in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri is launching a new network of education and support for nurses and faith community leaders in the Ozarks region of Missouri.
Ozark Parish Nursing is a collaborative effort between Trinity Episcopal Church in St. James and Christ Episcopal Church in Rolla. A group of nurses with about 150 collective years of experience is leading this new ministry. The ministry will provide training and support to nurses, focusing on intentional spiritual care with a process of preventing or minimizing illness and promoting holistic healthcare in faith-based communities.
How it began
Helen Johnstone from Trinity Church in St. James and Marilyn Hanchett from Christ Church in Rolla met in 2022 at a church event. Both are retired nurses with an interest in parish nursing. "We agreed that there was a need to minister to the health needs of parishioners at our churches and did an informal assessment of those needs," Johnstone said.
That assessment led to a pilot parish nursing project in 2023 at Trinity in St. James. That project featured a once-a-month health clinic and a memorial service at the Missouri Veterans Home in St. James. Johnstone says patient referrals and consultations have grown steadily over the past year.
Johnstone and Hanchett decided to take that success beyond their doors to help others in the Ozarks region develop their own parish nursing programs.
"When I learned about the New Ventures in Community Ministry grant program, I reached out to Helen to discuss the possibility of an introductory project for the Missouri Ozarks," Marilyn explained.
The New Ventures in Community Ministry grant program is from the Diocese of Missouri. Each year the Diocese awards funds to begin new projects throughout our region. Ozark Parish Nursing was awarded a $25,000 grant for their ministry proposal.
How it works
Ozark Parish Nursing will provide special training to nurses to develop a team of volunteers to provide care customized to the culture, traditions, and faith beliefs of those being served. Although Episcopalians have founded this program, all faith traditions are welcome.
The minimum qualifications require previous nursing experience and completion of introductory training based on a published national curriculum. The Parish Nurse participates in ongoing educational activities related to spiritual care, nursing practice and related issues.
Parish Nursing was formally recognized by the American Nurses Association in 2005. (ANA refers to this specialty as ‘faith community nursing.’) The parish nurse may be a paid staff member or serve as a volunteer. Compensation is determined by the sponsoring congregation and the parish nurse.
How to get involved
The Ozark Parish Nursing team is reaching out to help churches learn more about parish nursing and how it can benefit their congregations. Team members are available for onsite visits and presentations to explain the program. They hope to offer their first training session in the fall of 2024 or spring of 2025.
"Our goal is to introduce parish nursing to the communities in the Ozarks and to identify nurses who are interested in training," said Cindy Van Woeart from Trinity Church in St. James. The team hopes the ministry will create a sustainable platform for ongoing networking support for nurses and faith community leaders in the Ozarks.
The Rev. Kevin McGrane, Priest-in-Charge at Trinity Episcopal Church in St. James, says the parish nursing program is a living expression of the Gospel of Jesus. "We are to heal the sick, comfort the isolated and the afflicted, and bring the love of Jesus and the Body of Christ to the greater community," McGrane explains. "I can't think of a better personification of that than parish nursing."
Learn more
You can learn more about Ozark Parish Nursing by visiting their website at ozarkparishnursing.org or email the team at ozarkparishnsg@gmail.com.