A Partnership That Matters: Collaborative Interdisciplinary Ministry Among Parish Nurses and Faith Group Leaders

Abstract

We describe our experience of developing two university nursing courses and Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) programs for parish nurses. We note the differences between nursing prepared and theologically prepared professionals. A vignette demonstrates our joint work and adaptation of the McGill Model of Nursing.

Spiritual care in Christian parish nursing

“…Together with evidence from other studies, the phases ‘trusting God’ and ‘opening to God’ emphasize nurses’ spiritual formation: that is, their personal faith journey and relationship with God as a foundation for care‐giving. The findings from Clark & Olson's (2001) study reveal that PNs ‘expressed a high level of spirituality in terms of life perspectives and sources of well‐being’. Van Dover and Bacon (2001) show that, for nurses, providing spiritual care rests on the foundation of their own spiritual journeys.…”