PRN Parish Nurse

Location:HealthPark Medical Center -9981 So HealthPark CircleFort Myers FL 33908

Department: Spiritual Services

Work Type: PRN ; 10 hours per/week (20 hours per/pay period)

Shift: Shift ; Variable/Flexible Hours

Minimum to Midpoint Pay Rate:$28.41 / hour

The PRN Faith Community Nurse (FCN) serves as a liaison between the health care system, faith communities, and the community at large, and offers a unique association between faith and health. This nurse provides education focusing on health promotion, outreach to both underserved/homeless populations as well as other communities, and offers confidential holistic health counseling. The FCN uses knowledge of a populations demographic information, values, belief systems, and cultural diversity for the provision of educational resources. The FCN is responsible for directing and coordinating education and outreach efforts into the community based on established Faith Community Nurse Practice Standards subscribed to by the American Nursing Association and the in accordance with the Florida Nurse Practice Act.

**Will travel to our main acute care hospitals (Cape Coral Hospital, Golisano Children's Hospital of SWFL, Gulf Coast Medical Center, HealthPark Medical Center, & Lee Memorial Hospital) as well as 3 of out outpatient facilities (Lee Health Regional Cancer Center, Richard M. Shulze Family Foundation Cancer Clinic - Bonita Health Center, & Coconut Point Healthy Life Center)

The Lee Health Faith Community Nurse Program provides an interfaith association that serves all faith traditions in Lee & surrounding counties. The program combines resources from the healthcare system and the faith community. This health & faith association provides solutions for our community. With an emphasis on disease prevention and health promotion, we empower individuals and the community to make healthy lifestyle choices. We accomplish this through the health ministry of faith community nurses. The term parish nurse is also used interchangeably with faith community or congregational nurse. The registered nurse must be licensed from the state in which he or she practices and have good clinical assessment skills, as well as excellent interpersonal skills. A Bachelor of Science degree in nursing is preferred.

A health ministry team is frequently formed before calling a faith community nurse to serve the congregation.

The health ministry team:

• Comprises five to eight individuals who are interested in health, wellness and disease prevention.
• May meet to plan events that bring education and community resources to the congregation.
• Helps support the Faith Community Nurse Program.
• Assesses health needs of the congregation

What is a Faith Community Nurse?

An FCN has a current Registered Nurse license from the state where she/he practices in a paid or non-paid model working in a Faith Community. Faith Community nursing is a unique, specialized practice of professional nursing that focuses on the intentional care of the spirit as part of promoting holistic health and preventing or minimizing illness in a faith community. The contemporary Parish Nurse concept grew out of the work of Rev. Granger Westberg. He envisioned a need to bring the expertise of a nurse into the faith community to enhance well-being and wholeness in body, mind, and spirit. Faith Community Nursing: Scope & Standards of Practice, ANA & HMA August 2017, 3rd Edition

Role of the Faith Community Nurse:

• Health Counselor: Discusses individual health needs regarding illness, medication, prevention, wellness, and gives reassurance during times of concern or crisis.
• Educator: Promotes the relationship between faith, health, attitudes and lifestyle choices through bulletin articles, literature review, and health education programs
• Advocate: Identifies the medically underinsured and uninsured members of the faith community who need support for decision-making about health care issues.
• Liaison: Connects faith community members to each other in response to needs as well as to appropriate community resources.
• Trainer: Recruits and supervises volunteers in health ministries and provides education to assist them in their role. The nurse also facilitates support group formation.
• Healer: Facilitates a whole-person approach to the healing of body, mind, and spirit through presence and prayer.

For more information regarding the role of a Parish Nurse within Lee Health, click this link to learn more:https://www.leehealth.org/our-services/spiritual-services/parish-nurses

Graduate of an accredited school of practical nursing

Basic Faith Community Parish Nurse Course (or attend within one year)

Other: Communication and interpersonal skills, basic computer skills, and customer service skills. & bi-lingual (English/Spanish) required. Membership with a local faith community also required.

US:FL:Fort Myers