INR Features

The Parish Nurse Movement has been active in Iowa since the early 1980's. Currently there are about 270 practicing parish nurses and about 115 parish nurses educated in parish nurse practice but not practicing. Parish nursing is a unique, specialized practice of professional nursing which focuses on the promotion of health within the context of the values, beliefs, and practices of a faith community, Health is viewed as not only the absence of disease, but a sense of physical, social, psychological, and spiritual well-being and of being in harmony with self, others, the environment, and with God. Healing is the process of integrating the body, mind, and spirit to create wholeness, health, and a sense of well being, even when curing may not occur. Professional nursing is rooted in these concepts of health and healing. A Parish Nurse promotes health and healing within faith communities by promoting spiritual care and serving as a health advocate, church and community resource and referral agent, and health educator.

The American Nurses Association, Congress for Nursing Practice designated Parish Nursing as a nursing specialty in April 1997. ANA approved the Scope of Practice and "acknowledged" the Standards of Practice in February 1998. You can obtain a copy of these practices from the Health Ministries Association (1-800-280-9919) or www.healthministriesassociation.org. HMA is the professional membership organization representing parish nurses. The state of Iowa became a HMA chapter in 2001.

Parish Nurse education programs are accredited as a part of an academic program/school or as continuing education contact hours given by an accredited provider. The International Parish Nurse Resource Center, as a result of two invitational colloquiums (1994 & 1997) of parish nursing leaders in practice, education and administration, developed a model parish nurse curriculum. The International Parish Nurse Resource Center at Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministries can be reached for more information at 475 East Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63119, Telephone: (314) 918-2559, Fax: (314) 918-2558. Their web site is www.parishnurses.org. In Iowa there are several educational programs (see the list below).

Parish Nurses in Iowa have formed the Iowa Health Ministry Network. Many local and regional networks meet monthly to support each other and share resources. The coordinator of the state parish nurse database is Kathleen Fleming (515) 263-2206 or fleminka@ihs.org. There is also a resource and information center. Health Ministries I.C.A.R.E., Inc. offers a web site to advertise continuing educational opportunities, training programs, retreats and other health ministry related activities. The web site is www.healthministriesicare.com Email: hmicare@ncn.net Phone: (712) 288-5826.

Current Health Ministry/Parish Nurse Education Programs in Iowa

Health Ministry Clinical Pastoral Education Program--Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, IA This program combines the unique growth/learning process of CPE to bring nurses, parish nurses, health care professionals, clergy and lay ministers together so they can integrate their practice and skills in spiritual care, theology, and community health. It includes the developed curriculum for parish nurse education in cooperation with Allen College, Waterloo, Iowa. During an 11-month internship, students participate in teaching seminars two to three days a month and clinical experience in a ministry setting five to ten hours per week. Upon completion, students receive one unit of CPE from the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. Nurses also receive approximately 3.8 nursing CEUs and a parish nurse certificate. For more information contact Kathleen Fleming, Pastoral Care Services Iowa Methodist, Iowa Lutheran and Blank Children's Hospital, 700 East University, Des Moines, Iowa 50316-2392. Phone: (515) 263-2206. Email: fleminka@ihs.org

Parish Nursing Education For Practice This parish nurse education program is conducted on the Internet. It utilizes the standard core curricula developed through the International Parish Nurse Resource Center (IPNRC), in consultation with the National League for Nuring (NLN) and the American Nurses Association (ANA) Credentialing Center and is sponsored by Allen College, Waterloo, Iowa. It is a 36-hour (4.3 CEUs) continuing education course or it can be taken for undergraduate credit. Different modules for the course will be covered each week and will include reading, discussion, and short assignments (all completed on-line). For more information contact Anna Weepie, Allen College, 1825 Logan Avenue, Waterloo, Iowa 50703. Phone: (319) 226-2037. Email: weepieak@ihs.org

Parish Health Ministry Program--Mason City, IA This program prepares nurses, health care professionals, and parish lay ministers to serve on the church's ministry team as "health ministers" committed to meeting the wholistic health needs of the congregation. It is jointly sponsored between Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, Elderbridge Agency on Aging, and area clergy. For more information contact, Elderbridge Agency on Aging, 22 North Georgia, Suite 216, Mason City, Iowa, 50401-3435. Phone: (800) 243-0678. Email: ddoering@elderbridge.org

Parish Nurse Course--Des Moines, IA This parish nurse education program utilizes the developed parish nurse curriculum and is offered in the fall at Grand View College for 3 undergraduate college credit and 4.5 nursing CEUS. Contact Marabel Kersey, (515) 834-2001. Email: marabel.kersey@juno.com

Guided Correspondence Study (For Those Who Want Independent Study) The course " Nursing in a Faith Community: Introduction to the Role and Practice" is a guided correspondence study offered by the University of Iowa. The GCS is consistent with the focus of the International Parish Nurse Resource Center's preparation curriculum and has been developed by Jean King, RN MSN and Jan Striepe RN, MS. The course is designed to introduce parish nursing, focusing on the roles and emphasizing spiritual health care for self and clients. The course may be taken for three or four credits and as an undergraduate or graduate course. Also, a person may enroll at any time and may have up to nine months to complete the course. For information contact: The Center for Credit Programs @ 1-800-272-6430 or Email: credit-programs@uiowa.edu or http//:www.uiowa.edu/~ccp/courses/ and refer to the course number, 96:162, and the course title: Information on Winter Parish Nursing Course in Northwest Iowa. This course will soon be available via the web as an online course.

Health Ministry/Parish Nurse Preparation Course-Davenport, IA This parish nurse preparation course is a collaborative effort between St. Ambrose University and Genesis Visiting Nurses Association, Davenport, IA. It is approximately 36.6 CEUs. For more information, contact Department of Nursing, St. Ambrose University, 518 West Locust St., Davenport, IA 52803, (563) 333-6064, Email: nursing@sau.edu

Parish Nursing-Sioux City, IA NURS 45IR Parish Nursing is a 1-hr college credit course or 1.0 CEU offering. It is designed to explore the emerging practice of parish nursing. Emphasis is placed on (1) parish nursing roles, (2) applying the nursing process within a health ministry context, and (3) practice issues relevant to parish nursing. Participants are able to design learning experiences that meet their academic, professional and personal goals. For more information, contact faculty: Ruth Dankanich Daumer, Ed.D., ARNP, BC. Briar Cliff University, 3303 Rebecca St., Sioux City, IA 51104, Phone: (800) 662-3303 or (712) 279-5458 Fax: (712) 279-5497 Email: daumer@briarcliff.edu

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