Parish Nurse

In September 2026 St. John’s welcomed long-time registered nurse and St. John’s parishioner Cheryl Smith in her journey towards completing national certification as a Parish Nurse.

What is Parish Nursing?

Parish Nursing is a specialty focused on providing holistic health promotion, disease prevention services, and spiritual care within a faith community.

What does a Parish Nurse Do?

Parish Nursing, also known as Faith community nursing, is focused on integrating spiritual care with holistic nursing practice to promote health and wellness within faith-based communities. Parish nurses address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of individuals and groups in close partnership with a parish’s priest and related committees.

What do they Need to Know?

Faith community nurses require a unique blend of nursing skills and knowledge about spiritual care and community health. Key areas of expertise include:

Holistic Health Care: Integrating physical, emotional, and spiritual wellness into nursing practice.
Chronic Disease Management: Educating and supporting patients with conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and arthritis.
Mental Health Support: Recognizing and addressing issues such as anxiety, depression, or grief, and connecting individuals with mental health resources.
Cultural Competency: Understanding the cultural and religious practices that influence health behaviors and beliefs.
Community Health: Assessing the health needs of the congregation or community and developing targeted interventions.
Spiritual Care: Providing nonjudgmental spiritual support, fostering hope, and addressing existential concerns.
Health Education and Advocacy: Promoting preventative care, healthy lifestyles, and equitable access to healthcare.
Ethics and Confidentiality: Balancing nursing ethics with faith-based practices and maintaining confidentiality in sensitive matters.

What are the Key Responsibilities of a Certified Parish Nurse?

Spiritual Assessment: Assess the individual's spiritual needs and concerns, such as their beliefs, sources of meaning, and any conflicts causing distress. Identify resources within their faith tradition or personal values that might provide comfort and direction.
Health Education: Organizing workshops, classes, and health fairs on topics like nutrition, exercise, chronic disease management, and mental health.
Spiritual Support: Offering prayer, spiritual counseling, or referrals to clergy to address spiritual distress and to foster hope and well-being.
Health Advocacy: Assisting individuals in navigating healthcare systems, accessing community resources, or addressing health inequities.
Care Coordination: Connecting members with healthcare providers, home health services, or social support systems.
Friendly and/or Wellness Visits: Conducting blood pressure checks, medication reviews, or health screenings during church gatherings or home visits.
Crisis Intervention: Supporting families during times of illness, loss, or trauma, and providing guidance on end-of-life care or funeral planning.
Community Outreach: Identifying health needs within the congregation or community and developing programs to address them, such as vaccination clinics or addiction recovery support groups.

What will Parish Nurse Candidate Cheryl Smith be Doing?

As a candidate, and in close relationship with Father Allyn, Cheryl will be focusing on community health assessment, spiritual care and parish-wide health education. She will be providing limited home visiting to home bound parishioners, 1-2 educational sessions, developing wellness information items in the bulletin, an anonymous survey of the parish’s wellbeing priorities and items in response to the survey. She looks forward to meeting with existing committees within the church and hopes you will engage with the eventual survey.

Contact the Parish nurse directly at stjohncaledonparishnurse@gmail.com