Over the past four to five years, parish nursing has also begun to spread across Canada. This growth has partly been in response to federal and provincial governments seeking new and more effective ways to deliver holistic health care. In addition, growing interest has come from faith communities longing to be more responsive to the real issues that face people on a daily basis. A number of Canadian parish nursing initiatives were undertaken in different parts of the country. The two-day meeting resulted in the development of a Canadian Forum on Parish Nurse Ministry.
Parish nursing is a ministry.
The nurse, in partnership with pastoral staff and congregation members, seeks to transform the faith community into a place of health and healing. The parish nurse builds on the strengths of individuals, families, and the community, assisting and empowering people to become more active in their own health. Parish nurses understand health to be a process involving the spiritual, psychological, physical, and social dimensions of a person. They believe that spiritual health is central to a person's wellness and that it influences a person's entire well-being. Both parts of the process are equally important and they can occur together or at different times.