Parish nursing: a unique resource for community and district nurses

Abstract

This paper examines the effect of parish nursing as a faith community initiative to support the work of district and community nurses and improve health outcomes. It discusses the reasons why faith communities might embark upon health initiatives, and describes the practice of parish nursing and its history and development in the UK. With reference to both quantitative and qualitative outcomes, the relevance of the practice in the UK health scene is assessed. The paper suggests that connecting with the third sector through parish nursing could enhance the work of community and district nurses; this would present additional sources of holistic care and health promotion and can be offered in an optional but complementary manner to the care provided through the NHS.

Keywords: faith community nursing; health promotion; holistic nursing; parish nursing; spirituality.