Parish Nurse

Vicky Mansson, RN

"And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
  ~ Philippians 4:19

Connecting for Care

Do you want your Pastor and/or Parish Nurse to know of your health problems?  Do you want spiritual support during your illness or hospitalization?  If so, please let us know.  We want to know when you are facing health problems.  We suggest that you or a family member contact the church when there is a need.  We would prefer two or three phone calls, rather than none. 

Please don’t hesitate because you think the Pastor /Parish Nurse is too busy.  Your situation is worthy of our time and energy.  Hospitalization and illness is significant and often spiritual support can be helpful.

If you are concerned about privacy, just let us know.  We will not share information unless you give us permission.

Maybe you think it’s not serious enough.  Often we are reluctant to admit the seriousness of a health issue.  A spiritual support visit my help greatly in dealing with your illness.  If it is not serious, then we can rejoice with you and give thanks to God.

The Parish Nurse can also serve as a health care advocate.  She can use her medical knowledge to help you successfully navigate our complex medical system.

So, please tell your Pastor and / or Parish Nurse about health concerns and notify us when you are admitted to the hospital.  Your health and well-being are important to us.

Current Health Issues

Caring for those who suffer from chronic illness

Why is the church involved? 

Nearly 1 in 2 people in the U.S. have a chronic condition.  If it’s not you, it’s someone sitting next to you.  Often, a chronic illness is invisible.  Those who live with chronic illnesses, do everything they can to look presentable, to get to church, and to sit through the service.  Surrounded by a church that loves them, they may still feel lonely and misunderstood.

Churches have an overwhelming amount of needs that must be fulfilled where the need is obvious.  So, if people aren’t saying anything about their “pain”, doesn’t that mean they are coping with it just fine?  Their faith and the ability to pray for strength should be enough, right?  Wrong!! 

The statistics are alarming:

• Despite what we may assume, 60% of those who live with daily illness or pain are between 18 and 64
• The divorce rate among the chronically ill is over 75%
• Depression is 15-20% higher for the chronically ill than the average person
• Various studies have reported that physical illness or uncontrollable physical pain are major factors in up to 70% of suicides

So, what do we do?

A recent study found that larger churches were the least likely to mention congregational care ministries as a priority.  Fortunately, our church does see care needs as a priority and we do a pretty good job when the need is obvious, but we need to explore how we can meet care needs when they are less obvious.  I am in the process of organizing a chronic illness support group and would like some in put from you.  If you are interested in a support group, either as a participant or leader, please let me know.  We will start meeting in the Fall.  Check the bulletin or the website for details.

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday  9 - 12
Office Phone - 751-3699 ext. 26
Home Phone - 444-0229

 Please leave a message on my voicemail and I'll return your call as soon as possible.  Do not hesitate to call me at home.

What is a parish nurse?

A Parish Nurse is an RN who ministers to her faith community and promotes disease prevention, healthy habits, exercise programs, and provides health screening and educational awareness to the congregation.

She functions according to the Scope and Standards for Parish Nursing: Health Counselor Educator Advocate

• Making referrals as indicated
• Acting as liaison to the community
• Keeping communication open with pastors, health care agents, and parishioners
• Teaching volunteers
• Offering healing tools: through kindness, listening, and prayer