Church congregations in Lee County and the surrounding areas now have help managing their health since the implementation of East Alabama Medical Center’s (EAMC) parish nursing program, a new spiritual and health promotion ministry that is spreading to churches throughout the area.
The hospital’s program began November 2000 when then 69-year-old retired registered nurse Martha Bailey talked to a hospital executive about being a parish nurse in her home church, First Baptist Church, Opelika. But with more than 40 years of experience and extensive administration and training skills under her belt, she was asked to serve as coordinator of the program, and she gladly accepted the position.
That year, Bailey took the basic parish nursing course at Samford University’s Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing, the first school in Alabama and one of the few in the country to begin offering a graduate program in this field, according to a press release issued by the school. Later, she traveled to Chicago for a coordinator’s conference and returned to begin developing EAMC’s program.
“It was sort of like the Lord put two things together, giving me a blessing that I didn’t know was going to come along in my retirement years,” Bailey stated, expressing her appreciation for the program supported by Samford and the Alabama Woman’s Missionary Union. “The Lord in His timing works things out and no matter how old we are the Lord can still use us if we are willing. We don’t have to sit down and fold our hands.”
This nursing specialty program is based on 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, where Paul states, “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
According to the International Parish Nurse Resource Center, which was developed in 1986, the mission of parish nursing is to intentionally integrate the practice of faith with nursing “so that people can achieve wholeness in, with and through their faith community.” Their goal is to offer a ministry in every faith community by challenging the nursing profession to reclaim the spiritual dimension of nursing care, the health care system to provide whole person care and the faith community to restore its healing mission.
To become an EAMC parish nurse, a candidate must already be a registered nurse with three years of experience and an employee of the hospital. Each applicant must also pass a target interview to qualify to work as a parish nurse.
“It takes a little more maturity and spirituality (and the) ability to teach and communicate,” Bailey added.
Without administering medications, giving shots, drawing blood or performing other invasive procedures, parish nurses serve as integrators between faith and health, educate and coordinate health ministries volunteers. They also facilitate support groups for the congregation and the community, serve as referral agents linking faith community members with necessary community resources, work as health advocates for the patients and provide personal health counseling.
According to Bailey, East Alabama Medical Center’s parish nursing program has been beneficial and fulfilling to all parties involved.
The nurses are happy to help their church members and to have the opportunity to pray with their clients and encourage them in their faith, she said. At the same time, churches are pleased to see the results of this program and the hospital appreciates being able to help area residents.
“The churches that have it are sold on it,” said Bailey. “There are lots of stories that we could tell about individual members who have been helped by the program. It’s a community thing. It’s making the hospital more aware of spiritual needs.”
After only three years of service, the hospital has seen great success in its parish nursing program with 13 parish nurses serving thousands of members in 13 different churches. In the future, Bailey hopes to continue taking the hospital beyond its walls and teaching people to take responsibility for their own health.
Share with others: