Missionary Nurse Career Overview
What is a Missionary Nurse?
Missionary nurses care for patients in impoverished and developing countries. They may also treat people from underserved communities in the United States. Typically, missionary nurses work with religious organizations or not-for-profit humanitarian groups like Doctors Without Borders. Many developing countries can offer little to no healthcare for their citizens, and millions of people all over the world would go without any medical treatment if private organizations did not offer it. Missionary nurses provide this medical care but also help coordinate access to clean drinking water, medicine, vaccines, and other treatments.
Where Do Missionary Nurses Work?
Some missionary nurses work in the U.S. with organizations dedicated to helping marginalized groups receive preventative healthcare as well as medical treatment. However, most missionary nurses work abroad in regions where people do not have regular access to healthcare.
Some nurses in this specialty work with religious groups, in which they also share their beliefs with their patients, while others work for groups with no religious affiliation. Some common types of missionary nurse employers include:
- Churches or religious groups
- Humanitarian foundations
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
- Not-for-profit organizations
Missionary nurses can work anywhere in the world. Typically, rural areas are the most in need of medical assistance and that is where these nurses find the most work. Rural clinics can look very different depending on the region you travel to. Whether in the rainy jungle, arid African plains, or the snowy peaks of Nepal, missionary nurses have to be ready to work with what they have and think critically to offer care with less equipment and supplies than they may be used to.
What Does a Missionary Nurse Do?
Missionary nurses often have a larger scope of practice than those working in the first world. They have the same responsibilities as any other nurse, like assessing patients, administering medications, and changing dressings. But they often work in a remote location far from any specialists or backup. Some clinics may have only one doctor and one nurse, while others may have a larger staff.
Depending on the setting and staff available, missionary nurses might pull teeth, set bones, deliver babies, and diagnose illnesses. Some even learn the basics of simple laboratory evaluation, testing their patient’s blood for malaria and other diseases.
On a daily basis, missionary nurses may complete these tasks:
- Administering medications
- Patient and family education
- Patient triage
- Preventative care screenings
- Injury assessment
- Spiritual counseling
- Training local medical staff
- Vaccine administration
- Wound dressing
Depending on the organization and location, missionary nurses may be tasked with non-medical tasks like teaching, and basic construction activities like building maintenance or repair. Missionary nurses are often on the frontlines for medical and humanitarian emergencies, like the COVID pandemic and natural disaster relief.
Education is a huge portion of a missionary nurse’s responsibility. When Ebola hit central Africa in the 1970s, medical volunteers worked hard to educate the public on the dangers of spreading this vicious disease. In that culture, when a loved one died, the family and friends would spend days with the body as a farewell.
During this time, those gathered would prepare food and eat near the body, and often touch or embrace their passed loved one. This practice was extremely important to that community, but once they understood how ebola spread through contact, they paused this practice. Education is not always met with acceptance, and it’s crucial for missionary nurses to respect the culture and history of their patients while teaching.
How Do I Become a Missionary Nurse?
To become a missionary nurse, candidates first must graduate from an accredited nursing program with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). A BSN typically takes four years to complete and an ADN takes two, but some programs offer an accelerated option that can be finished in as little as a year. After graduating, nurses may apply for nursing jobs as graduate nurses (GNs).
Many facilities hire GNs to do their training under a nurse preceptor while they prepare to take their state licensing exam: the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). After passing the NCLEX, nurses can practice independently as registered nurses (RNs) once they finish their facility’s orientation. A nurse who is passionate about getting out in the field may want to hop on a plane right away, but it’s important for missionary nurses to get some experience first.
Since missionary nurses are often required to carry out a wider scope of practices than they would working in the U.S., the more confident they become in their knowledge and experience, the better. Missionary nurses can also take this time to learn the language spoken in the area they’d like to go. Whether they want to go to Kenya and learn Swahili or to Guatemala and learn Spanish, even a little knowledge of local dialects can go a long way in building trust and rapport with that community.Missionary nurses have no specialty certifications available, but many organizations require them to have at least a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, which teaches CPR and choking first aid for patients of all ages. Additionally, higher certifications could be beneficial, like Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). The knowledge provided in these courses can build a missionary nurse’s confidence to practice in a remote area.
How Much Does a Missionary Nurse Make Per Year?
Most missionary nurses don’t pursue this specialty for the financial benefits. This specialty pays less than other RN roles, and many missionary nurses work for food and board. If the organization they choose does pay, it will likely be less than the national RN average of $81,220 annually. Given the challenges of the work and lower compensation, missionary nurses typically go into this field because it is a passion or calling. When they feel enthusiastic about the work, missionary nurses report high job satisfaction in this specialty.
Are Missionary Nurses in High Demand?
Demand for nursing volunteers is very high all over the world. However, for organizations that pay, like Doctors Without Borders, the selection process is competitive, with a high emphasis placed on speaking local languages like French and Arabic. Even though the working conditions can be challenging, missionary nursing is an adventure like no other, and paying positions can get snatched up quickly.
Additional Resources About Becoming a Missionary Nurse
An essential read for missionary nurses is When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself, which teaches relief workers how to help people in need with respect and cultural competence.
