Parish nursing is a "nursing specialty that focuses on promoting health within faith communities, ministering to the parishioners' physical, emotional and spiritual needs" ("What Is Parish Nursing," 2007). I selected the St. Mary's parish to visit, as it was near my home and did have parish nurses. In talking to parish nurses there, I found that they considered their role as one of ministering comfort and limited medical care in conjunction with medical care provided by a physician. They saw the connection between a patient's physical and spiritual health as significant and were involved in treating a patient from both perspectives. It differs from other nursing specialties by virtue of its spiritual component, which allows nurses to see the patient as a whole person, comprising the spirit, the soul, and the body. The challenges of nurses at the parish were that they were operating largely in a non-medical setting, where they did not have the usual medical equipment at their disposal and no doctor nearby. Despite these challenges, however, parish nursing made a significant positive contribution to patient outcomes, as the nurses reported a greater level of patient recoveries and comfort, as well as a sustained stronger connection to the church during their illness. My conclusions after talking to them were that parish nursing is a highly effective approach, and I would recommend that other denominations other than Catholic make an effort to incorporate similar programs in their churches.
The NASN Board of Directors defines school nursing as "a specialized practice of professional nursing that advances the well being, academic success, and life-long achievement of students," promoting "positive student responses to normal development...[and] health and safety...[and] intervene[ing] with actual and potential health problems...case management services" ("About Us," 2009). I selected North Central High School to <...