Parish nursing: holistic nursing care in faith communities

Modern-day parish nursing is a specialized practice in professional nursing that addresses the spiritual, physical, and emotional health needs of clients within a faith community. Parish nursing care has been described as holistic care; however, few studies have focused on the holistic nature of parish nursing care. A qualitative study was conducted with the clients of parish nurses. Seventeen clients utilizing the services of 3 parish nurses in Christian faith communities participated in the study. Following the institutional review board approval, the clients were recruited with the assistance of the parish nurses. The clients completed a 7-item demographic questionnaire, followed by a face-to-face interview with the author who used a semistructured interview tool. The interview questions encompassed 6 aspects of parish nursing: education, personal counseling, health screenings, spiritual support, referrals, and health advocacy. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed by the author. The results of the study indicated that the clients in all 3 churches received holistic care from their parish nurses. The care they received addressed their spiritual, physical, and emotional health needs. Recommendations for future research and implications for the clinical practice of parish nursing, using a holistic approach, are included. The findings of future research and the holistic interventions of parish nurses could influence the funding and positions for parish nurses in the future.