Steps to Starting a Health Ministry and Parish Nurse Program

Steps to Starting a Health Ministry and Parish Nurse Program

Starting a Parish Nurse Program is often times intertwined with starting a Health and Wellness Committee.

1.  Learn all you can about Health Ministry and Parish 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

2. Share the information found with other interested persons and arrange for on-going discussion. The efforts to creation must be a team effort.

3. Educate the parish members by:

·  Presentations at the parish council, parish committees, sermons etc.

·  Post flyers in parish bulletins and newsletters

·  Provide small brochures such asCareNotes“What a Parish Nurse Can do for you.”

4. 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

5. Determine how the parish nurse will fit into the parish staff structure for:

·  Supervision

·  Relationships and communication with other staff members and committees

6. Secure Funding

·  Determine budget needs for this ministry (seesample 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.

7. 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 How to Start a Wellness Committee in Your Church by Jill Westberg McNamara, IPRNC, 2002.