Maryland
Bon Secours Baltimore Health System
Baltimore

The Beginnings of the Ministry Alliance
The Health Care Faith Community Ministry or what was then called the Parish Nurse Ministry, was initiated by Sr. Alice Talone, C.B.S. over 20 years ago at Bon Secours Baltimore. Ms. Murphy is carrying out the tradition set forth by Sister Talone in the care and education of the Bon Secours Community through the development and implementation of what is now know as the Bon Secours Community Faith Nurse Ministry Alliance.

Community Services
Today, BSBHS provides a full array of health services including Acute and Ambulatory Care, Emergency Services, Critical Care, Medical, Surgical, Vascular, Wound Care and Mental Health Services. BSBHS coordinates health services and health education in our five senior living buildings and several other senior living facilities around the Baltimore area monthly. These services are also provided to our area senior centers and church senior groups and faith communities through the joint services of the Bon Secours Faith Nurse Ministry recognizing that programs do not operate in isolation, but rather demonstrate a distinctly successful model of health care and community integration, using technology and partnership as the tools to move beyond traditional and limiting practices in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease.

The Plan for Baltimore
The ministry will work with faith communities and congregations in and around the west Baltimore area to provide families with health counseling, education, and referrals. Also we would serve as health care liaisons and facilitators to distribute health appliances and provide screenings. The Community Faith Nurse Ministry has 29 active nurse representatives from each prospective church. Currently the program has 61 faith communities on their mailing list which receive monthly health news letter, program information and information concerning Bon Secours services. The plan for 2009 is to have a nurse representative in all of these faith communities, to continue to provide help to those in need through continued monthly ministry alliance meetings, continued attention focusing on the health care needs of our faith communities.