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Parish Nursing

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Parish nursing is a holistic, caring ministry that combines the education and experience of a registered nurse (RN) with some theological education. The Lutheran Nurses Association of Australia was instrumental in introducing the concept of parish nursing to Australia in 1991. The first parish nurses were appointed in 1996.

Currently there are ten people involved in parish nurse ministry in eight parishes and one college in four districts of the Lutheran Church of Australia (LCA). The congregations they serve are located in state capital cities, in regional capitals and in rural areas.

The parish nurse

A parish nurse

  • is an experienced registered nurse (RN) with current registration
  • has had, or is willing to undertake, some theological education
  • works in a congregation, parish, church school or aged-care facility.

The role of a parish nurse includes the following:

  • initiates and leads and/or participates in health-related programs that assist members of the congregation and community achieve wholeness of body, mind and spirit
  • integrates faith and health for people in a way that is seldom offered outside the church. The spiritual dimension of the person is central to the practice of parish nursing
  • makes home/hospital/nursing home visits to parishioners and others, as needed
  • refers people to community resources (bereavement support, legal services, alternative medicines, etc.) and is not involved in hands-on nursing or the duplication of services that are already available
  • coordinates community resources through networking with individuals and agencies, being especially helpful to people with multiple needs
  • supports the involvement of volunteers in the congregation's health ministry by linking people who can help, encouraging them to build on and strengthen their capacities to understand and care for one another
  • supports the involvement of volunteers in the congregation's health ministry by linking people who can help, encouraging them to build on and strengthen their capacities to understand and care for one another
  • counsels individuals through a ministry of careful listening, conversation and prayer, encouraging and empowering individuals to become more active partners in managing their personal health
  • partners with the pastor and other parish ministries to enhance the health, life and ministry of the congregation.

Education

Australian Lutheran College, Adelaide, offers a course leading to a Graduate Diploma of Theology in Faith Community Nursing. This is an accredited course, and is available by flexible education. Click here for further information.

Short introductory courses are also offered from time to time in various locations. They are designed to equip registered nurses for their roles as parish nurses working in congregations, church schools or aged-care facilities.

LCA in-service seminars for parish nurses, pastors and others are arranged annually.

News

Role at Eventide expands

Late last year, Linda Hair was appointed as part-time assistant to Pastoral Care Nurse, Nola Landwehr, at Eventide Lutheran Homes in Hamilton, Vic. Linda is also a Personal Care Assistant at Eventide.

LCA Parish Nurse News

Related Stories

Click here to see related stories from this website.

Coming events

Introduction to Pastoral Care Nursing courses

An Introduction to Pastoral Care Nursing course will be held at Trinity Lutheran church, Pasadena, SA on 9-11 March. The course will run from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, and provide an introduction to the role of a pastoral care nurse and the skills required for this ministry. It will be helpful for pastoral carers as well as nurses interested in the possibility of serving as a pastoral care nurse in a church, Christian school or church-based care agency or aged-care facility.

A similar course will be held in the training room at the Zion Lutheran Home in Nundah, in suburban Brisbane, on 15–17 June.

Anyone interested in enrolling for one of these courses should contact LCA Parish Nursing Coordinator Lynette Wiebusch.

Parish Nurse seminar

This year’s LCA Parish Nurse seminar will be held at St Paul Lutheran church in Enfield in suburban Adelaide on Saturday 28 July. Theme for the seminar is Family matters …

2012 study tour

The Lutheran Parish Nurses International 2012 study tour will be to Finland, 4-10 September. The program will include a two-day seminar at the Diaconia University of Applied Science in the city of Oulu in northern Finland, and a tour inside the Arctic Circle to Tromso on Norway's Arctic Ocean coast.

Registration forms are available from the LCA Parish Nursing Coordinator Lynette Wiebusch.

Resource

Contact us

LCA Parish Nursing Coordinator
Lynette Wiebusch
email lynette.wiebusch@lca.org.au