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In the late 1970s / early 1980s the Rev. Dr. Granger Westberg a Lutheran Minister / Hospital Chaplain
(author of the best-selling book Good Grief) developed the modern day concept of Parish Nursing.
This relatively “new” concept of health ministry builds upon the centuries old traditions of religious
orders that cared for the sick and needy. This was exemplified in the past in this country by the many
hospices, hospitals and schools of nursing that were developed by various Judeo-Christian religious
institutions. In recent years, the concept of Parish Nursing/ Faith Community Nursing has swept the
nation. In our neighboring state of Montana close to 350 Parish Nurses have been trained in the past
ten years!
In 1998 the American Nurses Association, in collaboration with the Health Ministries Association
(HMA) the professional membership organization for nurses in this specialty, developed the Scope and
Standards of Parish Nursing Practice. In 2005, this document was transformed into Faith Community
Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice in order to embrace a non-denominational, ecumenical
perspective. This document points out that the Faith Community Nurse (FCN) bridges two disciplines
and thus must be prepared in and responsible to both. “Appropriate and effective practice as an FCN
requires the ability to integrate current nursing, behavioral, environmental and spiritual knowledge
with the unique spiritual beliefs and practices of the faith community into a program of wholistic
nursing care. This is necessary no matter the level of education the nurse has achieved.”
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