September will mark a first for Alabama parish nurses, a category of registered nurses who practice holistic health ministry and care within a church congregation.
Linda Austin, a parish nurse and member of Lapine Baptist Church, will present her paper "Metamorphosis of a Rural Church" Sept. 13 in St. Louis at the Westberg Parish Nurse Symposium, an annual national conference for health professionals and clergy involved with or interested in parish nursing.
Austin, a member of the Alabama Baptist Nursing Fellowship, is the first person from Alabama selected to present at the symposium.
Her paper describes the ministry she developed at the Montgomery Baptist Association church, which focuses on achieving the ideals of parish nursing — a total health concept of mind, body and spirit.
Austin’s presentation was chosen from a pool of applicants, and competition this year was intense, she said.
"I was greatly honored and I felt that my ministry as a parish nurse was somewhat validated by this honor," Austin said. "However, real validation comes when church members adopt the philosophy that healthy bodies and healthy spiritual lifestyles go hand in hand."
Share with others: