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Definition
“The specialized practice of professional nursing
that focuses on the intentional care of the spirit
as part of the process of promoting holistic health
and preventing or minimizing illness in a faith
community.”
History
 The concept of nursing in faith communities
originated with Granger Westberg in 1979 when he
contracted with several denominations to provide
healing teams for the purpose of providing care in
the congregational setting. People referred to the
nurses on these teams as the “parish nurse”. Over
time the term parish nursing came to be widely
accepted nationally and internationally.
In 1998 the Health Ministries Association in
conjunction with the American Nurses Association
published the Scope and Standard of Practice of
Parish Nursing. A revised edition in 2005 identifies
“intentional care of the spirit” as the
distinguishing feature. Also to provide language
that was inclusive, the formal name for the
specialty was designated as Faith Community Nurse.
Standards of Practice
ANA/HMA, Faith Community Nursing Scope and Standards
of Practice. Silver Springs MD:
www.nursingworld.org,
2005. |
