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A Nurse's Story
Healthcare, spirit and real people connecting
“It’s about connecting,“ Lisa Kendle, RN and Parish Nurse, explains. “I get to
use my nursing training, and integrate education and spirituality and get to really
know new families and others in our church. It’s everything I wanted when I got
into nursing.”
Lisa is a member of one of the newest Parish Nurse programs in the area, at Shepherd
of the Hills Lutheran Church in rural Hickman, Nebraska. Parish Nurses are typically
nurses trained to work within their church communities to help bridge the communication
gaps between medicine and theology.
Keeping connected
Maureen Bausch of Saint Elizabeth, who coordinates the program and the training of the 350 or so Parish Nurses in the area, adds “We try to keep everything connected. It may be easier for people to attend a blood pressure check at church than to go to a clinic and the church members get to interact around a healthcare issue. In today’s world it’s easy for people to get isolated, we want to help keep them connected and this outreach program does that.”
The people with whom the Parish Nurses connect appreciate the program, like Jennifer
and Ryan Schmidt. Lisa visited them and their 2-year old son Ethan and did a postpartum
check-up on their two-month-old son, Daiten. “No two kids are the same, no two
pregnancies are the same, no two recoveries are the same, it’s very nice to have
someone to talk with about all this. And since it’s someone from the church we
can share that too.”
Ryan adds, “If we have questions, now we know who we can talk to.”
Spiritual connections
Lisa says she’s surprised how the program is helping her! “I go to church and take part in some activities but I’m not a ‘talker.’ Here, I visit all kinds of people and talk with everyone more easily. This has helped open me up.”
Lisa says she’s surprised how the program is helping her! “I go to church and take part in some activities but I’m not a ‘talker.’ Here, I visit all kinds of people and talk with everyone more easily. This has helped open me up.”
She says she also likes the spiritual connection---being able to connect everyone
and everything with God.
Lisa Kendle, Parish Nurse (far right),
with Jennifer and Ryan Schmidt and
their sons, Ethan, 2, and Daiten, 2 month,
during a Parish nurse visit to their Hickman, NE home.
with Jennifer and Ryan Schmidt and
their sons, Ethan, 2, and Daiten, 2 month,
during a Parish nurse visit to their Hickman, NE home.
Shepherd of the Hills
Hickman, NE
Parish Nurses:
- Help their pastor
- Do Hospital visitations
- Visit the Homebound
- Make postpartum visits to families
- Make Bereavement calls
They also organize blood drives, quarterly education programs on healthcare topics, and just got some grant money` for an Adopt-a-Grandparent program!
Saint Elizabeth Parish Nurse Program
If you or other members of your church---all denominations invited---would like
more information or to sign-up for the next Parish Nurse training,
please contact Maureen Bausch at 402.219.7314.