Parish Nursing in the New Jersey District

Colleen Bottcher, RN, BSN, Parish Nurse
LCMS NJ District Parish Nurse Representative
Contact Information:
Our Savior Lutheran Church
22-15 Broadway
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 
Church Phone: 201-796-3007
Colleen's Email
Parish Nursing is a wholistic (with the w) ministry focusing on the full person — body, mind and spirit. The role of each parish nurse varies as to the needs of the individual congregation, but may include:

  • Education - Promotes, develops, and facilitates educational programs promoting wellness and health for all individuals at all age levels within the congregation.
  • Consultation - Consults with church staff, organizations, the church school, community resources, other groups and individuals on health issues that relate to the wellness of the whole person.
  • Personal Health Counseling - Counsels on health matters within areas of professional competence, upon personal request or referral by the pastoral or teaching staff.
  • Health Resources - Develops a library of health information and health care resources appropriate to the needs of the congregation.
  • Advocacy - Facilitates access to adequate health care for all, especially for the medically underinsured or indigent members of the congregation.
  • Christian Lifestyle - Defines, models and promotes Christian lifestyle in the membership of the congregation.
  • Voluntary Care-giving - Recruits, organizes, trains and places volunteers into care-giving situations.
  • Home Health Visitations - Provides home-health visitation upon request to offer support from fellow members of the Body of Christ, to witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to encourage compliance with medical regiments and adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors.
  • Community Liaison/Referral - Recognizes the healing resources of various health agencies in the community and, as appropriate, refers members to them.
  • Corporate Congregational Health - Monitors the physical, mental, emotional and relational health of the congregation and makes suggestions or appropriate referrals where areas of need or improvement are identified.
Qualifications of a Parish Nurse:
ESSENTIAL
  • A member in good standing of a congregation in the LCMS.
  • A person of spiritual maturity.
  • Two or more years of nursing experience.
  • Commitment to wellness of the whole person as understood by the Christian Gospel.
  • Ability to speak to groups and conduct educational classes.
  • Ability to identify and use resources, develop programs, and train volunteers.
  • Competency in clinical nursing.
  • Completion of a recognized parish nurse preparation program, currently licensed in New Jersey, functioning under the American Nurses Association Scope and Standards for Faith Community Nursing Practice.
PREFERRED
  • Experience in community health.
  • Knowledge of organization and function of the parish.
Primary Responsibility
  • To promote health.
  • The Parish Nurse does not dispense or administer medications.
  • The Parish Nurse does not perform invasive procedures (i.e. dressing changes, injections, catheterization, tube feedings).
  • The Parish Nurse does not duplicate existing home health care services and community health programs. The Parish Nurse seeks to collaborate with those resources so that clients may obtain appropriate health and social services.

Parish Nursing is a special ministry and is rapidly becoming one of the fastest growing specialties in nursing. Parish nurses within the LCMS are encouraged to participate in a Christ-centered educational program that is consistent with the theology and practice of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.

The following educational programs have been endorsed by the LCMS Board for Higher Education and LC-MS Health Ministries. They are conveniently located for the parish nurse within the NID:

PARISH NURSE/DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM:The Parish Nurse/Distance Learning Program is offered through Concordia University Wisconsin (with the endorsement of LCMS Health Ministries and LCMS Board for Higher Education.) This four module program offers continuing education units for each module (a total of 250 CEUs) and a Certificate of Completion upon completion of the entire program.
The course is offered through Concordia University Wisconsin, but it is taken within the individual congregation. A mentor is assigned to work with the individual parish nurse throughout the program.

INTRODUCTION TO THE CONCEPT AND PRACTICE OF PARISH NURSING:This is a four day intensive program offered on the campus of Concordia University Wisconsin . It is offered as an introduction to parish nursing. It is approved for 29.5 CEUs but does not offer a certificate of completion. Nurses wishing to receive an overview of parish nursing may want to consider this option.

Information on Parish Nursing may be found on these Websites:
Parish Nurse/Faith Community Nurse Preparation Courses
Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon , WI
Contact: Carol A. Lueders Bolwerk, Program Director
Parish Nurse Ministries
Email
Phone 262.243.4233
​