A group of dedicated health care professionals announced it is launching a program to provide a new level of care to faith communities in the Missouri Ozarks.
Ozark Parish Nursing, headquartered in St. James, will offer special training to nurses to provide customized care fitting the culture, traditions and faith beliefs of those being served, said group officials. Although the group is founded by Episcopalians, all faith traditions are welcome.
Helen Johnstone, a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in St. James, and Marilyn Hanchett, a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Rolla, met in 2022 at a church event. Both are retired nurses who saw a need for a nursing program in churches throughout the Ozarks region. They formed a team of nurses to build the program and secure a $25,000 grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri to make their goals a reality.
The Rev. Kevin McGrane, Priest-in-Charge at Trinity Episcopal Church in St. James, says the parish nursing program is a living expression of the Gospel of Jesus.
“We are to heal the sick, comfort the isolated and the afflicted, and bring the love of Jesus and the Body of Christ to the greater community,” McGrane explained. “I can’t think of a better personification of that than parish nursing.”
Parish nursing, also known as faith community nursing, was formally recognized by the American Nurses Association in 2005. The minimum qualifications require previous nursing experience and completion of introductory training based on a published national curriculum. The parish nurse participates in ongoing educational activities related to spiritual care, nursing practice and related issues.
The Ozark Parish Nursing team is reaching out to faith and community leaders across the Ozarks region to help them learn more about parish nursing and how it can benefit their congregations and all communities. Team members are available for onsite visits and presentations to explain the program.
The group hopes to offer its first training session this fall or in spring 2025. The trainings will take place at Christ Episcopal Church, 1000 N. Main St. in Rolla.
Learn more about Ozark Parish Nursing by visiting the group’s website at ozarkparishnursing.org, or email the team at ozarkparishnsg@gmail.com.
