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Index:
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July 2001
- The Nurse-Pastor Team:
A Healthy Team for a Health Ministry
By: Geraldine Long, RN, MSN and
Rev. Dr. Duane Pederson, M.Div., M.Ed., D. Min.
It seems obvious to most that a healthy working relationship between pastor and
nurse contributes to a healthy and effective ministry. However, do you find yourself
resonating with any of the following situations?
After a tremendous beginning as a parish nurse when enthusiasm ran high and goals and
objectives for health ministry were clearly defined, you now find yourself spread too thin
and involved in tasks that seem outside of your role. You have burning desire to pitch in
and help wherever needed, but you’ve gradually absorbed responsibilities as assigned
by the pastor and other duties that simply need to be done in the life of the
congregation. You begin to wonder if you have become a “dumping ground” for the
pastor instead of a colleague in ministry.
After a few years as a parish nurse, the pastor with whom you developed the parish
nurse program has relocated to another church. The new pastor seems cooperative, but you
are deeply concerned that your new colleague has priorities that do not include health
ministry and that the pastor might not fully understand the scope of health and wholeness
in congregational life.
You are frustrated because you can’t seem to obtain any quality time with your
clergy counterpart because the pastor is always on the go. The pastor does have many
responsibilities, but it seems that the lady looking for her Tupperware lid in the church
kitchen receives more attention and has more access to the pastor that you do.
Because of the pastor’s position in the congregation, you know that you need the
pastor’s full support in order for health ministry efforts to be embraced by the
congregation. You believe more direction and public support from the pastor is needed.
There are so many initiates and ministries in the church that you sometimes wonder how
health ministry fits into the mission of the congregation. It is time to intentionally
reflect upon this issue with the pastor.
Many nurses wish that the relationship with their clergy counterpart was better or that
the good relationship they have with the pastor could be even stronger. To address this
concern, pastors and nurses are advised to analyze the context of their ministry setting,
explore effective working relationship characteristics, and intentionally establish
strategies which will strengthen their relationship and, ultimately, the health ministry
to which they are called.
Context of Ministry Setting
The relationship between clergy and nurse always takes place within the context of
their ministry setting. Because these ministry settings vary greatly, it is important for
pastors and nurses together to evaluate what is unique about their particular
setting and how that setting might affect their relationship and the way they do ministry.
Areas to explore together include
Use of power—A hierarchical setting will likely invest strong authority in
the clergy. A permission-giving setting will emphasize equipping everyone for ministry
with shared responsibility, authority and decision-making.
Size of congregation—Larger congregations tend to be more hierarchical in
nature and task oriented. Smaller congregations will likely organize in order to bring
people together and are often relationship oriented.
Locale—The location (rural, suburban, city) of the ministry site can shape
how ministry is done and how nurse and pastor relate to and work with one another.
History and culture of community of faith—Every ministry setting has a
history and congregational “personality” that influences staff relationships.
Personalities and work styles—No two people are alike. Differences and
similarities in personality and work style can greatly affect how pastor and nurse work
together.
Age or gender issues—Age and gender issues can affect the relationship
between nurse and pastor in profound ways but are often subtle in expression and difficult
to identify.
Theological presuppositions—Assumptions that the pastor and nurse hold
about the nature of ministry, purpose of the church, implications of faith for personal
and communal life, ministry priorities , and understanding of clergy/laity roles.
Characteristics of a Healthy, Effective Working Relationship
Regardless of the manner in which your ministry setting shapes the relationship between
pastor and nurse, there are desired relationship characteristics which will enhance and
strengthen the working relationship.
Those ministry teams which are healthy and effective typically share the following
characteristics: clear communication; open, honest relationship of trust; mutual respect
for unique abilities; defined responsibilities and respected boundaries; respect of
differences in personality, work styles, along with strengths and weaknesses; appropriate
use of power; supportive of one another professionally, personally, and spiritually;
common understanding of confidentiality issues; intentional about maintaining and
enhancing the relationship.
Additional characteristics that impact the relationship between pastor and nurse that
are unique to a faith setting include: common understanding of how parish nursing fits
into the mission of the congregation; shared ministry priorities; compatible belief
systems; affirming one another’s sense of call to serve God.
Each characteristic provides fertile ground for conversation between nurse and pastor.
There is a tremendous value in pastor and nurse simply talking together about the
uniqueness of their ministry setting and how their relationship reflects healthy,
effective characteristics.
Developing an Intentional Strategy
Virtually every nurse-pastor relationship can be improved or strengthened. But
improvement or strengthening will not happen unless the pastor and nurse intentionally
address issues and concerns. Working through each of the following will help ministry
teams develop an intentional strategy:
Identify Issues—What ongoing issues need to be addressed?
Set Goals—What outcome is desired concerning the identified issue?
Specify Activities—What intentional steps will be taken to move
toward the stated goals?
Evaluate—How and when will evaluation of the strategy take place?
Revise—What strategies need to be adjusted and clarified to meet
desired goals?
Nurses and pastors who analyze their ministry setting, evaluate the relationship
characteristics expressed in their work together, and develop intentional strategies to
strengthen their relationship will experience a higher satisfaction as a ministry team.
The time and energy to be in conversation will result in a healthier relationship and more
effective ministry.
References
Cladis, G. (1991) Leading the Team-Based Church. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass
Publications
Mead, L. (1994) Transforming Congregations for the Future, The Alban Institute,
Inc.
Sperry, L. (2000) Ministry and Community: Recognizing, Healing, and Preventing
Ministry Impairment. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press.
Steinke, P. (1996) Health Congregations: A Systems Approach. The Alban
Institute, Inc.
At the Fifteenth Annual Wesberg Parish Nurse Symposium on September 12, 1-4 p.m., Geri
Long and Pastor Pederson will lead a Pre-Conference entitles, “Building and
Maintaining a Health Ministry Team.” The material touched on in this article will be
elaborated on as part of this preconference workshop. Pastor and parish nurse teams are
strongly encouraged to attend this workshop.
Article from “Perspectives in Parish Nursing Practice”, Spring/Summer 2001,
Advocate Health Care, A Publication of the International Parish Nurse Resource Center.
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ANNUAL MEETINGS
If you have not had your annual meeting and are from the Spring Classes of ‘98,
‘99, ‘00 , please call Bev at 326-2583 to schedule it. You need to meet with
Faith at this time. If more than one nurse represents a congregation, we can meet together
as long as you were both in the same class.
Please call to schedule so that we don’t wear ourselves out trying to track
you down J! Meetings may be
scheduled any day of the week from 7:30 a.m.—8:00 p.m.
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We are still looking for a location for the dedication ceremony of our Fall Class
2001 on November 18 from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. If you want it to be held at your
church, please call Faith at 326-2683.
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COMMUNITY PARISH NURSE COURSE
FALL 2001
The Fall 2001 Community Parish Nurse Basic Preparation course will be held on:
September 21, 22
October 19, 20
November 16, 17, 18
Fridays 5:30—9:30 p.m.
Saturdays 8:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00—4:00 p.m.
Please encourage any nurses in your congregations that are interested to apply. Classes
will be held in Champaign County.
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WESTBERG PARTICIPANTS
September 12-14, 2001
Any parish nurse attending Westberg who completed their
basic preparation course through our program is welcome on the bus FREE.
Please contact Faith if you will be traveling with our group on
the bus and/or are looking for a roommate.
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PRAY FOR THE CHILDREN
You may
want to plan to do this with your church this fall.
Drug-Free & Safe
October 19-21, 2001
Pray for the Children is a time for people of all faiths to raise
children up in prayer, praying the children will be drug-free and safe. It is also a time
to pray for their families and caring others, that they may have the strength, support and
wisdom to keep the children drug-free and safe. Today, children are in peril and this
global event promises them hope through divine intervention. Hope is a child’s right.
Organized by the Pray for the Children Committee
Website: www.prayforthechildren.com
More information on insert.
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Prayer List
Please keep these fellow parish nurses and their
families in your hearts and in your prayers:
Kim Busboom
Charlotte Connerton & son
Marty Rosenbery
Jean Kistler
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Joseph’s Story
Joseph is eleven years old. In the last two years he has broken his leg bones
four times. In April of this year, Joseph had surgery on both femurs at Shriner’s
Hospital. Steel rods were inserted down the middle of the femurs. Surgery went well and he
recovered quickly. He is walking without assistance and improves every day. We have
learned that Joseph has a disease process called McCune Albright Fibrous Dysplasia. This
disease can affect the endocrine glands and the bones. At this time it doesn’t show
endocrine involvement and the metabolic consultant does not believe the endocrine system
will be affected. The disease is in his bones. Fibrous tissue is where the calcium should
be in his bones. This makes the bones more fragile and easier to break. There is a
medicine to treat the disease, however, you have to have an adequate Vitamin D level to
take the medicine. Joseph does not have a high enough level to receive the medicine at
this time. He is taking supplements and increasing his dietary calcium and Vitamin D. We
are hoping and praying that his level will increase enough to take the medicine. This
medicine will make his bones stronger. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers that have
been sent our way. It is greatly appreciated.
Charlotte Connerton (Fall 2000) and son, Joseph
St. Mary’s Church, Marshall, IL
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Our
thoughts and prayers are with Marty Rosenbery on the tragic loss of her husband.
- Our thoughts
and prayers are also with Faith on the
loss of her mother.
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MALLPACERS
HELP NEEDED
Volunteers Needed!!
Please call Bev at 326-2583 if you can take blood pressures. If you don’t have
equipment, we have some available in our office.
The events run from 5:15 to 6:30 p.m.
We need 2 nurses for each
event
Sign up now!! We need you!
Lincoln Square Mall—2
nurses needed
July 17
Village Mall—2 nurses needed
August 21
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COORDINATOR’S CORNER
The HMA
conference in Cincinnati was FANTASTIC! Excellent speakers and topics, wonderful
networking and just the recharge we needed! For those of you considering Westberg, I
cannot emphasize enough how powerful it is to be with so many other committed people. I
presented two talks; one on “Prayer and Presence” and the other “Why do we
Volunteer” complete with pictures of many of you with your response to that questionJ. Both presentations were received warmly and it was
great fun to “brag” about our program. Parish Nursing is still in it’s
formative years as a specialty and sometimes the politics surrounding where we are headed
can get to be a bit much. However, I truly believe if we can “let go and let
God” the future of parish nursing is bright. It remains a challenge to see how parish
nursing is represented and we need to continually clarify our scope of practice. HMA group
discussions were lively, to say the least, and you are overwhelmed by the magnitude of
volunteer spirit in the room.
For many of you, July and August will be the months of town festivals, county fairs,
centennial celebrations, etc. Consider using these occasions to promote the Vial of Life
program. Call our office if you need the kits or signs, etc.
We are still looking for a church/pastor to host our fall class dedication ceremony.
Please call me if you can help.
NOW is the time to see if you can get some help at your church by letting other
nurses know the dates of the fall program. By giving them the dates early, they can plan
their fall activities around class weekends.
Anyone wanting a ride/room for Westberg who has not contacted me, needs to do so as we
are finalizing transportation plans now.
Please know that I hold you in my heart as you do this wonderful work in your
congregations. Thanks to the 48 of you who have already committed to your annual
meetings—26 to go!! J
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HEALTH OBSERVANCES & RECOGNITION
DAYS
August
1-7
World Breastfeeding Week
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action and La Leche League International, 1400 North
Meacham Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173
Website: www.lalecheleague.org
September
Baby Safety Month
Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, 236 Route 38-West, Suite 100, Morristown,
NJ 08057 Materials available
Website: www.jpma.org
Health
Aging Month
Educational Television Network, Inc., P.O. Box 7536, Wilton, CT 06897, (203) 834-9888
Website: healthyaging.net
National Cholesterol Education Month
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Information Center, P.O. Box 30105,
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105, (302) 592-8573, Materials Available
Website: www.nhlbi.nih.gov
National Sickle Cell Month
Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc., 200 Corporate Pointe, Suite 496,
Culver City, CA 90230-7633 (800) 421-8453
Materials Available
10-16
National 5 a Day Week
National Cancer Institute/Better Health Foundation, 6130 Executive Boulevard, EPN 232,
Bethesda, MD 20892-7332 (301) 496-8520 Materials Available
Website: www.nci.nih.gov
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ARE YOU PLANNING ON GETTING A TAN?
You may want to think about it again, because one in every three cancers diagnosed is a
skin cancer!
The term “healthy tan” is an oxymoron statement. To get a tan you either have
to expose your skin to hours of sun exposure or a tanning booth. Neither are healthy for
your skin! Sun exposure is the main cause of skin cancer.
How many of us with this piece of knowledge still work in the yard, swim in the pool,
or lay on the beach with no sunscreen? Or even worse, how many will go to a tanning salon
to get a head start on their tan before they go to the prom or on vacation.
As a parent or as a parish nurse you can lead the way teaching your family and fellow
parishioners about the importance of protecting themselves from the harmful rays of the
sun.
According to the National Cancer Institute, there are about 700,000 new cases of skin
cancer each year—that means 1 in 6 Americans will develop skin cancer during his or
her lifetime.
A child born today has twice the chance of developing a malignant melanoma as one
born a decade ago and twelve times as likely as someone born a half century ago. Why?
Because the depletion of the ozone and the craze to be tanned.
This months newsletter is full of tips for protecting those you love from the most
common form of cancer. Skin cancer.
Articles from “Health in the Faith Community” Newsletter, Western Maryland
Health System Parish Nurse Program, June 2001 issue.
- This information is not intended to replace professional
health care.
- See your health professional for information relevant to your
medical history.
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ULTRA VIOLET INDEX
Check It Out!
The UV Index is calculated by the National Weather Service. This is then made
available to the public through the radio, newspaper, internet and TV weather stations.
The UV Index assigns a number to the next day’s likely UV radiation levels and
categorizes the level of exposure risk for people who plan to be outdoors. You can check
the UV Index at: epa.gov/sunwise
It is important for children and adults to take particular care to practice
sun-safe behaviors when the UV Index is moderate to high/higher.
Index # |
ExposureLevel |
0-2 |
Minimal |
3-4 |
Low |
5-6 |
Moderate |
7-9 |
High |
10+ |
Very High |
Source: The Skin Cancer Foundation
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SKIN CANCER: IF YOU CAN SPOT IT,
YOU CAN STOP IT
Why self-exams are so important
Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers, affecting more than 1 million
Americans each year. It’s the easiest to cure, if diagnosed and treated early. But if
allowed to progress, skin cancer can result in disfigurement and even death. Coupled with
yearly exams by a doctor, self-examination is the best way to ensure that you don’t
become a skin cancer statistic.
What to look for
A skin growth that increases in size and appears pearly, translucent, tan,
brown, black, or multicolored.
A mole, birthmark, beauty mark, or any brown spot that changes in size and
thickness; changes in texture; is irregular in outline; is bigger than 6 mm (the size of a
pencil eraser); appears after age 21.
A spot or sore that continues to itch, hurt, crust, scab, erode, or bleed
An open sore that does not heal within 3 weeks
Self-examination—Do
it.
It could save your life.
The Skin Cancer Foundation
www.skincancer.org
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The Body’s Emergency Response To Sun Exposure
That “healthy tan” you get from the sun is really your body’s
emergency response to potentially lethal radiation from the sun.
A suntan becomes a protective mechanism of the body to defend itself from the
damaging rays of the sun. Melanin, is a black substance that is produced by the
body’s pigment cells for the purpose of absorbing ultraviolet light. The
melanin’s role is to protect the lower layers of skin cells from the damage the top
layer of skin has suffered.
When damage occurs t the skin through exposure to ultraviolet rays, the cells
dispatch special repair enzymes to get rid of the injured area. These repair efforts,
however, can sometimes go wrong and lead to cancer.
It is true a tan can be lethal; it not only wrinkles you like a prune, but can
cause cancer too!
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Avoiding Skin Cancer?
Your first line of defense is to avoid direct
sun exposure as much as possible. Limit time in the midday sun as much as possible.
The sun’s UV rays are strongest between 10 AM and 4 PM.
Watch for the UV Index. Always take precautions against overexposure, but take special
care to adopt sun safety practices when the UV Index is moderate or higher.
Put on sunglasses. Sunglasses that provide 99 to 100% UVA and UVB protection will
greatly reduce eye damage from sun exposure.
Wear a hat. A hat with a wide brim offers good sun protection for your eyes, ears,
face, and the back of your neck.
Seek shade. Staying under cover or indoors is
one of the best ways to protect yourself from the sun.
Protect other areas of your body with clothing. Wearing tightly-woven, loose-fitting,
and full-length clothing is a good way to protect your skin from harmful UV rays.
Use a broad-spectrum sun-screen that protects against UVA and UVB rays and has a Sun
Protection Factor of 15 or greater, even on cloudy days.
Apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 or higher liberally, and reapply
at least every 2 hours or after working, swimming, playing or exercising outdoors.
Sunscreen is not recommended for children under 6 months of age. Consult your doctor
before using.
Avoid sunlamps and tanning salons. The light source from sunbeds and sunlamps can
damage the skin and unprotected eyes.
Avoid reflective surfaces, which can reflect up to 85 percent of the sun’s
damaging rays.
Source: American Academy of Dermatology
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“Because
children spend a lot of time outdoors they get an average of three times more sun exposure
than adults.”
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The Basics of Skin and Skin Cancer
Source: American Cancer Society and The Skin Cancer Foundation
For years society has associated skin cancer with middle to older aged people. It was
not associated with the young. Unfortunately the cases of skin cancer found in young
people has risen at a steady rate. Young people are exposing themselves to the sun more,
using artificial sources of UV radiation such as sun lamps and tanning booths. Another
enormous reason for this is the depletion of the earth’s atmosphere, the ozone layer.
Scientists realized when they discovered the hold in the ozone above the Antarctic that
more of the sun’s rays were reaching the people of this earth. This causes more skin
cancers.
Cancer takes on many forms of disease caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the
body. Skin cancer is a general term. There are three very different types of skin cancer.
Basal cell carcinoma, is most commonly seen on the face and ears. This accounts
for about 75% of all skin tumors. Basal cell carcinoma is slow-moving and usually does not
spread to other parts of the body.
Squamous cell carcinoma, also grows slowly. Unfortunately it does spread more
often. It is responsible for about 20% of skin tumors.
Malignant melanoma spreads quickly and it can be fatal. It is the worst of the
skin cancers.
Melanoma accounts for 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths even though it only makes
up 5 percent of all skin cancers.
Melanoma occurs more frequently in people who have fair skin who burn or freckle
easily. Most people who have red or blond hair and blue eyes fit in this category.
White people get melanoma far more often than do black people, probably because light
skin is more easily damaged by the sun.
Melanoma is more common in people who live in areas that get large amounts of UV
radiation from the sun. Areas like Texas or Florida are good examples. The sun is strong
and people are out in it more often and for longer periods of time .
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The skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects
against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. Skin helps regulate body temperature,
stores water and fat, and produces vitamin D. The skin has two main layers: the outer epidermis
and the inner dermis.
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The epidermis is mostly made up of flat, scale like cells called squamous
cells. Round cells called basal cells lie under the squamous cells in
the epidermis. The lower part of the epidermis also contains melanocytes.
The dermis contains blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, hair follicles, and
glands. Some of these glands produce sweat, which helps regulate body temperature, and
some produce sebum, an oil substance that helps keep the skin from dying out. Sweat
and sebum reach the skin’s surface through tiny openings called pores.
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People with any of the characteristics listed below are at higher risk for skin
cancer
They should, therefore, be particularly careful
of sun exposure:
Fair skin. Although anyone can get skin cancer, the risk is greatest for people
who have fair skin that freckles easily — a description that often includes redheads
or blondes with blue or light-colored eyes. Light skin is most vulnerable because it has
less melanin, the pigment that helps prevent burning.
Place of residence People who live in areas that get high levels of UV radiation
from the sun are more likely to get skin cancer. Skin cancer is more common in Texas than
in Minnesota, where the sun is not as strong.
Long-term exposure to UV radiation. People who work outdoors, such as farmers
and construction workers, and those who go boating often, play a lot of outdoor sports, or
sunbath, are at highest risk of developing skin cancer. Keep in mind that even though most
skin cancers appear after age 50, the sun’s damaging effects begin at an early age.
Therefore, protection should start in childhood.
Sudden and intense sun exposure. People
who work indoors all week and then bask in the sun for hours on end over the weekend are
also at increased risk of developing melanoma.
Moles. Certain moles make it more likely that a person will develop melanoma.
See a doctor if you have a mole with any of the following characteristics:
The mole is asymmetrical (one half is unlike the other half).
It has borders that are uneven or irregular.
The mole has uneven coloring (varying shades of brown, black and pink within a single
mole).
The diameter is over 6 mm (the diameter of a pencil eraser).
Some moles which are present at birth and often dubbed “birthmarks” are also
linked to melanoma.
Family history. Those with close
relatives who’ve had skin cancer are at greater risk of developing it themselves.
Diet. As early as 1939, animal studies indicated that mice fed a high-fat diet
who were exposed to UV radiation developed cancer at higher rates than those on a lower
fat regimen. About a decade ago, researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston,
found that humans who have a high-fat diet also are at a greater risk for pre-malignant
tumors and skin cancers associated with UV exposure.
Exposure to x-rays. Professionals who use x-rays in their work, such as dentists
and radiologists, and people who have had x-ray treatments for acne or other conditions
are at increased risk for skin cancer.
Exposure to certain industrial compounds. Long-term contact with coal tar,
pitch, arsenic, and other industrial compounds can cause skin cancer. Strong government
regulations have mostly eliminated the threat from such compounds, but arsenic may still
be present in some well water.
Source: Skin Cancer Foundation and The
American Academy of Dermatology.
Everyday exposure counts; you don’t have to be actively sunbathing to
get a damaging dose of the sun. This includes walking the dog, cutting the grass, working
in the garden, playing sports and picnicking.
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The More Than Ten Commandments
I must get up early.
I must walk three times a week.
I must read food labels.
I must limit the fat I eat.
I must increase the fiber.
I must avoid eating salt.
I must drink skimmed milk.
I must eat fresh fruits and vegetables
and peel them only if necessary.
First, I must scrub them well.
I must save the peelings for mulch.
I must separate cast-off papers from cans and bottles.
I must put them out on the sidewalk for collection
on the right days of the month.
I must shade my skin from the direct rays of the sun
and check each mole carefully,
noting any change in size and shape.
I must avoid excess amounts of caffeine.
I must avoid excess amounts of alcohol.
I must not smoke – at all!
I must stretch my limbs regularly
and lift or push against resistance.
I must wear a seat belt in a car and a helmet on a bike.
When I am over fifty, I must have yearly mammograms,
perhaps before. Let me check the ad.
I must eat three meals daily,
preferably dividing the calories equally among them.
I must drink eight glasses of water each day, as well.
I must drink orange juice
and be careful to remember calcium.
I must trim my toenails straight across
and see the dentist every six months.
I must write in my diary, keep track of my expenditures
and develop goals based on set priorities.
If I obey these commands, there’s a chance I will live
longer than predicted.
On the other hand,
if I believe,
Then I will live
Forever.
— Mary-Kate Heffern
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January 2001
February 2001
March 2001
April 2001
June 2001
July 2001
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