Faith community/parish nursing: what's in a name?

In the Christian faith tradition, using "Parish Nurse" to describe the form of nursing based in a Christian congregation is both historic and descriptive of the type of nursing specialty practice and ministry that reaches within the Church and out into the wider community. Reflecting on the work of Granger Westberg, the Scope and Standards of Practice for this specialty, and examining the etiology of the word "parish," the authors argue that retaining the language "Parish Nurse"promotes a broader understanding of the purpose of this specialty practice, not only as inreach or outreach on behalf of a church or health system, but as a focused and integrated "parish" ministry.