Parish Nursing : A New Challenge for Primary Health Care

지역교회간호(Parish Nursing) - 일차건강간호를 위한 새로운 도약

ursing as a profession is characterized by its holistic, mind-body-spirit approach to the patient. Also, nurses have historically been the leaders in health education and promotion. Parish nursing has a great potential for providing primary preventive health care. services as well as assisting people to access the health care system. While working in the community, parish nurses see the church as the new arena for delivering health care services. The parish nurse program was introduced by Granger Westberg in 1984. The concept of parish nursing is based on several beliefs; health is multidimensional and affects all aspects of an individual-physical, psychological, social, and spiritaul being. Parish nursing is one model in which churches can cooperatively work with health care institutions to address the needs of their parishioners. The role of the parish nurse is emphasized in four basic area: a) health education, b) health counseling, c) referal services, and d) facilitation and organization of support groups within the congregation. The parish nurse programs work chiefly in congregation or commuity where a certain language of faith is ready at hand. This means that the parish nurse works in an ecology of meanings and care which encourages the drawing on the message of God's grace, the practices and habits it encourages. The parish nurse may be involved in the church's health ministries and may work on either paid or volunteer basis; however, one of the most important qualification of the parish nurse is to have the nursing knowledge and skills to practice within the standards of Nursing Practice Act. The completion of standards of practice for professional nurses practicing as parish nurses had been identified as a priority by the HMA Executive Board (1996, HMA). In conclusion, parish nursing promotes health and healing by empowering the faith community, family, or individual to incorporate health and healing practices. There are several preconditions that should proceed to establish the foundation for successful development of the parish nursing program in Korea. First, reciprocal relationship with home health nursing should be considered. Second, correct terms and concepts of parish nursing should be studied and understood. Third, systematic study and investigation should be followed for further development of parish nursing. Fourth, strengths and weaknesses of different models should be studied to develop proper model of parish nursing for Korean situation. Finally, consensus of standardized education program and corporation with various religious communities as well as health institutions should be established. When these preconditions are met, the role of parish nursing as a new program for the promotion of holistic health will be established.