Parish Nurse

What's that? Do we have one here at Pohick? Do we want one? Why?

What is a parish nurse?

Parish Nursing is been around for a long time. There would always be someone or group involved in the healing arts, whether at the early houses churches, cathedrals, monasteries or parishes. Parish Nursing is an entity that is coming back into its own now in the 21st Century. A definition of a parish nurse is a registered professional nurse who enables the members of the faith community to be stewards of their own health.

An essential part of our Lord's ministry was healing along with teaching and preaching. "Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness among the people (Matthew 4:23)." And Jesus sends his followers out "to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick" (Luke 9:2). St. Paul, in his teaching on spiritual gifts, cites healing as one of the gifts of the Spirit - "To another the gifts of healing by the one Spirit 1" (Cor. 12:9b).

We are establishing the ministry of Parish Nurse here at Pohick Church. Carol Heddleson, RN, approached me last fall about starting this program here at our parish. Carol sees this as a program that will be for the "common good (1 Cor.12:7b)" of the community. The focus of the Parish Nurse will be on health education and promotion - to start with. Carol works as a nursing instructor at George Mason and has several of her students in parish nurse programs throughout the Northern Virginia area. She has gained invaluable insight into the theology of parish nursing. A thread that runs through the parish nurse's role is not hands on care or duplication of other available services, but to aid parishioners in gaining insights into their gift of health. The parish nurse promotes wellness through education.

It will start small. Look for more at the Activities Fair in September. We will have a booth at the Pohick Fair with some health information and blood pressure screenings.

Do we need a parish nurse? "One should aim to maintain physical health and vigor in order that his soul may be upright, in order to know God" (Rabbi Maimonides, 12th Century).

The Rev'd Jane Piver+