Parish Nurse Tasks
The nurses involved with Trinity’s parish nurse program work as health advocates and to facilitate lay ministries in their individual parishes. Trinity’s program also sponsors the
Human Adventures of Me program.
Health Promotion
- Blood pressure checks.
- Offer screenings for various health issues.
- Serve as site for other community agencies in providing services such as flu clinics.
- Private consultations regarding health issue.
- Group education such as support groups for grief issues, caregivers and weight loss.
- Write articles for the bulletin and newsletter.
- Referral and advocacy
- Coordinate plan of care following discharge from hospital/nursing home.
- Contact physician's office for individuals that need assistance.
- Guide persons to use community resources.
- Act as spokesperson when an individual cannot act on his/her own behalf.
- Meet with families to plan care of individual or to counsel members.
- Visitation
- Make home, hospital and nursing home visits to monitor health status, provide emotional support, encourage compliance with medical treatment and recommend community services.
- Bereavement visits by self or with clergy.
- Facilitate Lay Ministries
- Coordinate volunteers to assist with various programs and needs of individuals.
- Work with the Wellness Committee to meet the needs of the congregation.
- Interpret the relationship between faith and health
- Assist family in time of crisis.
- Stay with individual during surgery if family not available.
- Stay with family during family member's surgery.
- Encourage use of prayer, scripture and devotional materials as aids to healing.
- Incorporate spiritual values into health education.
- Communication and documentation
- Communicate with clergy, church staff, church council, Wellness Committee and volunteers.
- Communicate schedule and activities with church secretary.
- Record pertinent information on the individual's record.
- Record statistical information to be shared with clergy, church council, and program staff at Trinity Medical Center.
- Participate in monthly Parish Nurse Sharing Group.