About The Parish Nurse Program

     Lummi Island Parish Nurses focus on wellness and disease prevention using a whole-person, (body, mind, and spirit), approach to health care.  We define health as integrated wholeness and harmony with self, others, the environment, and God. 

     We are professional nurses who use advanced knowledge and skills to promote wellness and optimal health and healing in individuals, families and the faith community.  The promotion of wellness is carried out by educating the congregation and community, by raising the consciousness level of the parish community, and by fostering an understanding of the interrelation of lifestyle, personal habit, attitude, and faith in the creation of well-being.

     The Parish Nurse is also a health counselor.  Some examples of where we counsel are: for personal health problems; recommending medical intervention; explaining medications.  Other responsibilities include: making home, hospital, and nursing home visits; conducting health screenings; and, counseling about nutrition and exercise.

     The Parish Nurse is a facilitator and teacher of volunteers.  They recruit, train, and supervise volunteers who help the nurse within the congregation and the community.

     The Parish Nurse is a liaison and referral source for community resources.  As there are many intricacies within the health care system, the Parish Nurse can assist with: health care provider referrals; federal, state or community agency guideline interpretation; the arrangement for home health care; nursing home placement; legal or financial counsel for parishioners.

     Parish Nurses are interpreters of the relationship between faith and health.  They understand the key elements of a healing ministry - prayer, laying on of hands, anointing with oil, Holy Communion and other Sacraments of the church. Parish Nurses serve as a link between the message that we are loved by God - with the message that - God's grace frees us, to be loved by self and others.