Parish nurses, also known as faith community nurses, care for patients who are part of a church parish or another religious community. Instead of treating acute injuries and illnesses, parish nurses help their patients maintain health of the body, mind, and soul. Nurses in this role work with people in a congregation to promote preventative healthcare while also coordinating their health needs with the community and other healthcare professionals.
Where Do Parish Nurses Work?
Most parish nurses work for a specific church, tending to the needs of that congregation. In this role, nurses may see patients at the church, out in the community, or in their homes. Parish nurses sometimes serve as medical responders during services and events on-site. They may lead a team of volunteer medical professionals in the congregation, or work alone.
While churches provide the most common workplace, nurses in this specialty can also work in other settings:
Community centers
Hospitals
Long-term care facilities
Medical clinics
Social services agencies
In hospitals and long-term care settings, parish nurses may work alongside chaplains to provide spiritual care for patients admitted there. If a medical clinic is located within a parish and sees many of their patients, a parish nurse may work closely with them to coordinate preventative care for their patients.
What Does a Parish Nurse Do?
Parish nursing is similar to holistic nursing in that they treat more than just the body: they put equal importance on a patient’s spiritual journey. By combining these two pillars of wellness, parish nurses cover every aspect of well-being.
To accomplish this, parish nurses may:
Administer vaccinations
Advocate for care for their church members in health and government settings
Assist with end-of-life care discussions and decisions
Be available as a health information resource for their community
Coordinate care between the medical team, community, church, and patient
Direct church members to community resources
Manage and lead support groups in the church and community
Perform health screenings
Provide health education to members of their parish or church
Refer patients to healthcare providers
Serve as a spiritual counselor during challenging health events
Visit parish or congregation members in their homes or the hospital
Some faith-based organizations can express hesitancy at medical care, preferring to trust in their faith to see to their health needs. Parish nurses are in a perfect position to empathize with these beliefs and concerns, while being able to explain why preventative care is needed with compassion and understanding.
Parish nurses don’t try to duplicate medical care offered by other professionals. Instead, they look at the bigger picture, viewing a patient’s health as a whole and helping to identify any gaps in care. They fill these gaps with education and referrals, all in the context of bodily and spiritual health.
How Do I Become a Parish Nurse?
To become a parish nurse, candidates must first graduate from an accredited nursing program with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). A BSN degree typically takes four years to complete, and an ADN takes two years, but some programs offer an accelerated option that can be finished in as little as a year. After graduation, nurses may apply to parish nursing jobs as graduate nurses (GNs).
Many facilities and churches may be willing to hire GNs to do their training while they prepare to take their state licensing exam: the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). After passing the NCLEX, nurses can practice on their own as registered nurses (RNs) once they finish their facility’s orientation.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) used to offer a certification in faith community nursing in the past, but now only offers renewal of this credential. Different universities and even religious organizations may offer their own courses to hone parish nursing skills.
How Much Does a Parish Nurse Make Per Year?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not specify parish nurse salaries, but according to PayScale, parish nurses can expect to earn an average of $61,680 a year and faith community nurses are listed a little higher at $65,680. For comparison, registered nurses in other fields average $81,220 per year as of 2022, according to the BLS.
This amount can vary depending on your work setting and the cost of living in the area. Depending on where you work, your employer may be able to offer higher or lower compensation. Here’s how that looks for general RN salaries:
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: $90,600
Offices of Physicians: $79,810
Outpatient Care Centers: $97,200
Home Health Care Services: $82,920
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities): $77,190
Annual pay can also vary depending on which state a parish nurse practices. The West Coast, some New England states, and Alaska may pay their nurses the best, but they also have a higher cost of living. The lowest paying states are in the Midwest and some southeastern states.
The United States is home to 380,000 churches, according to the National Congregations Study Survey, and parish nurses can look to one of these congregations for employment. While not every religious organization employs parish nurses, many hospitals bring them on to work alongside the chaplains in providing spiritual comfort and counsel during difficult times.
Nurses of all specialties are in high demand in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They report that 24% of U.S. hospitals have critical staffing shortages, and at least eight states have had to call in help from the military for staffing.
Additional Resources About Becoming a Parish Nurse
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