Rosemary Captain, RN, BSHA - ST. PAUL PARISH NURSE
HISTORY OF THE HEALTH MINISTRY AT ST. PAUL
At the St. Paul April congregational meeting in 2010, the faith family voted to begin a health ministry with the goal to hire a Parish Nurse to serve St. Paul. A Health Cabinet was formed in June of that year and they began the task of exploring a mission and vision statement for this health ministry.
The Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministry Network (DPNMN) centered in St. Louis, Missouri, assisted the Health Cabinet on this journey. In worship on January 30, 2011 we were blessed to have Rev. Donna Smith-Pupillo, RN, give us an overview of the Deaconess Parish Nurse Ministry of which she is Executive Director. As she explained, each Parish Nurse is unique, as they minister to the needs of their congregation and their community.
WHAT IS A PARISH NURSE?
In general, these are the roles of the Parish Nurse . . .
INTEGRATOR OF FAITH AND HEALTH – Assists parishioners to achieve higher levels of wellness by improving both spiritual and physical health.
HEALTH EDUCATOR – Provides venues for the congregation to learn about health issues, individually and in groups.
HEALTH COUNSELOR – Discusses health concerns, emphasizing early response to small problems and encouraging healthy lifestyle changes.
REFERRAL ADVISOR – Provides referral to healthcare and social services within the community.
HEALTH ADVOCATE – Helps members of the congregation or community obtain needed health-related services.
DEVELOPER OF SUPPORT GROUPS - Facilitates the development of support groups for the faith community and others served.
VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR - Recruits, trains and oversees volunteers who help those in need.
WHO IS THE ST. PAUL PARISH NURSE?
On March 1, 2011 I was blessed to become the first St. Paul Parish Nurse. Rosemary (Lorenz) Captain is a native of Mascoutah, IL. I was confirmed at St. John UCC and graduated from Mascoutah High School. My nursing diploma is from Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis and my Bachelor of Science in Health Arts is from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL. During the Vietnam Conflict I served in the US Navy Nurse Corps for 2 years and joined the US Air Force Reserve to serve for 5 years beginning with Desert Storm. Education for parish nursing was obtained in 2007 by completing the Basic Education for Parish Nursing offered by the International Parish Nurse Resource Center. I joined St. Paul UCC in Lebanon in 2000 and have served as organist/pianist since 2001.
THE FUTURE OF OUR HEALTH MINISTRY: As the St. Paul Parish Nurse ministry evolves, we will explore together how some of the roles mentioned above can be developed to meet the needs of our particular faith community. The Parish Nurse, Health Cabinet, and the congregation will take small steps together as we discover the health concerns expressed by our faith family and search for ways to respond to these concerns
One service the Parish Nurse offers is blood pressure screenings on the second and fourth Sundays of every month after both worship services. I also has “office hours” in the library, where you can stop in for blood pressure checks, consultation, health information, or just to chat about a question you may have about a health issue.
The “office” will be “open”:
Mondays 9 – 11 am
Wednesdays 1 – 3 pm
Thursdays 9 – 11 am
You will also find me at both worship services most Sundays of the year. If you would like to make an appointment or have a question or suggestion for the Parish Nurse, you may call the Parish Nurse cell phone: 618-803-8311.
CALL 911 IF YOU ARE HAVING A MEDICAL EMERGENCY; NOT THE PARISH NURSE If I do not answer the cell phone, please leave a message and I will return your call as soon as I am available. Keep in mind that the Parish Nurse position at St. Paul is only 20 hours a week. You may also email me at stpaul.ucc.health@sbcglobal.com Please note, all private conversations with the Parish Nurse will be held in strict confidentiality. A PARISH NURSE MINISTERS TO THE MIND, BODY, AND SOUL OF THE FAITH COMMUNITY AS WE JOURNEY TOGETHER TO HEALTH AND WHOLENESS.