How to Become a Parish Nurse
- 1). Obtain your nursing license. To be a parish nurse, you must first have a license as a registered nurse (RN). This is obtained from your state nurse licensing division after you've completed an associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN) and passed the NCLEX-RN, which is the national licensing examine for RNs.
- 2). Gain experience working as an RN. A minimum of two years of experience working as an RN is needed to become a parish nurse, although many ministries prefer three to five years experience. Your experience can be obtained in hospitals, nursing homes, doctor's offices or other medical facilities.
- 3). Complete courses to prepare for parish nursing. A basic preparation class is offered online or in-person by the International Parish Nurse Resource Center, and it teaches how to combine health and spirituality. There are also parish nursing classes available through other organizations and colleges, such as the Congregational Health Ministry or Carroll College. You can find a complete list through National Health Ministries.
- 4). Find a faith community to serve. Once you've received training in parish nursing, you can begin looking for a congregation to serve. Check with teachers and trainers from your preparation program as well as the spiritual leaders in your own church to learn if there are any faith communities that they know of where a need for a parish nurse exists.
- 5). Commit to the beliefs of the ministry. The focus of a parish nurse is to combine knowledge of medicine with spiritual beliefs regarding health and healing. A church or synagogue needs to make sure that you believe the principles and beliefs on which the congregation is formed before you are hired.
