A decade ago, Maxine Blome, director of parish nursing at Adventist Health, never could have dreamed this big. What began as a fledgling partnership between the health system’s 20 hospitals and local churches has grown into a national program aimed at improving community health.

“In the last 10 years, we’ve oriented at least 800 nurses,” reflects Blome. "The needs of our congregations are constantly changing.”

For example, with the rise of managed care, patients aren’t spending as long in the hospital, which means they need more assistance once they get home. Often, HMOs do not pay for much home care, so Blome and her team of caregivers are there to fill the gap.

“We teach disabled folks how to transfer from beds to chairs and, generally, how to function in their homes again,” explains Blome. “Sadly, lots of these people live alone and can’t get to the doctor, so we also arrange for church members to take them to follow-up visits as needed.”

This is just one of the many hats these dedicated individuals wear. In congregations of all faiths, Adventist Health’s parish nurses work with local pastors to address the needs of the whole person — mind, body and spirit. This is accomplished by making health screenings, education, community resources and counseling accessible to communities through their local churches.

To promote a better sense of connection between these clinicians in the field, Blome launched a newsletter in the summer of 2004 that now reaches 200 nurses nationwide.

Double the Ministry

A regular contributor to the newsletter, La Freeda Thomas, LVN, CPE, has truly mastered the art of multi-tasking. As the director of chaplain services at Feather River Hospital (FRH) in Paradise, Calif., her role is unique in that she serves as both hospital chaplain and parish nurse. And she gives both duties her all.

“Parish nursing is actually a wonderful counterbalance to chaplaincy,” explains Thomas. “It’s exciting to be involved in a ministry that’s so proactive.”

Thomas candidly admits that, like many of her peers, she fell into parish nursing. While working on a bachelor’s degree in community health education, her supervisor at FRH brought her the parish nurse manual.

“I just knew it was the perfect fit for me,” recalls Thomas, who has since completed her degree and is now pursuing a master’s at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Thomas’ personal creed, “to find common ground,” has served her well in the past 10 years as the needs of her congregations have ebbed and flowed or changed altogether. During that time, she has been involved in as many as 20 churches and as few as six. She has promoted prostate and breast health, launched support groups and mentored many parish nurses who now have churches of their own.

“It’s been such a meaningful experience,” says Thomas. “I’ve broken bread with my congregations, I’ve prayed with them, and I’ve been in a position to encourage whole person health.”

Double the Impact

While all of Adventist Health's parish nurses are looking to expand their ministries, business is particularly good in California’s Sierra foothills, where Sonora Regional Medical Center added 13 new parish nurses, served 22 churches, made 450 home visits, conducted 800 blood pressure screenings and provided numerous community health events in 2004.

When asked how she does it, Parish Nurse Teresa Nelson, RN, refuses to take credit. “It’s all God,” she says. “He provides the resources. I’m just a nurse surrounded by love.”

Seven years ago, Nelson was indeed in need of resources. She was serving as a childbirth educator and lactation consultant when parish nursing fell into her lap. After much prayer, doors opened and she dove in headfirst.

“I didn’t have a business background. I didn’t even know how to operate a computer,” Nelson says with a laugh. But that didn’t stop her.

Though not a pastor, she joined the Tuolumne County Ministerial Association where she began to develop personal relationships with local clergy. She still believes the one-on-one visits with pastors and parishioners are the heart and soul of what she does, but she is always anxious to compare notes with other communities to find out what is working for them.

Like Nelson, Blome is never one to dream in small numbers. So she looks to the future with the same passion she brought to the job a decade ago.

“We just need more nurses and churches to join us,” she says matter-of-factly. “With a growing senior population, the needs will continue to grow. And we want to be there to meet them.”

Come Share Our Mission

As a nurse, we know you have a lot of choices when it comes to selecting a workplace. So why choose Adventist Health? Because we’re not like everyone else.

Our mission and heritage inspire us to care for the whole person — mind, body and spirit. And that includes our employees as well as our patients. Chaplains are readily available to offer support and encouragement. And it is not uncommon to see staff members praying with patients prior to surgery.

With a strong emphasis on quality, we’re always on the lookout for ways to do things better and smarter. To that end, we’re currently rolling out a clinical information system that allows our staff to complete many common tasks — charting, checking results and ordering prescriptions — online. In addition, our hospitals regularly update equipment and implement new technology to improve the patient experience and clinical outcomes.

Wherever you are in your career, we’re here to help you be a better nurse. Whether you're looking for internships, preceptorships, mentoring or opportunities for advancement, you'll find them all at Adventist Health. Our nurse leaders work hard to create an environment where staff feel valued, supported and fairly treated. Above all, we strive to do what is best for our patients, which includes appropriate staffing.

If you’re a new grad or an experienced clinician in search of a faith-based workplace you can call home, we encourage you to visit www.adventisthealth.org for a list of current openings. With 20 facilities in California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, Adventist Health has lots to offer. For more information, please e-mail Judy Blair, director of nurse recruitment, at nursejobs@ah.org or call her toll-free at 888-690-8955.