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A sad farewell to Jenny (our Parish Nurse).
(1st March 2009)

It was with huge sadness we prayed with David and Jenny during our Sunday morning worship on March 1st. This was their last Sunday with us before they moved away to celebrate retirement together.

David had served the church as a member of the Audio Visual team and as one of of our organists, and Jenny had served as a voluntary member of our ministry team as our
Parish Nurse.


They will both be greatly missed and we wish them all the best as they enjoy retirement together now living much closer to their grandchildren.

Parish Nursing for us as a church was hugely instrumental in helping us as a church reach out to the community around us in a relative and effective way.

Since Parish Nursing is relatively new in the UK we have decided to leave on our website what we previously displayed about the work of parish nursing and in particular the impact and role that Jenny had among us as part of the church ministry team. 

What follows below is what was displayed on our website
under Parish Nursing and was accurate until February 2009.

WHO IS OUR PARISH NURSE ?

Jenny Beard is a Registered Nurse. She trained and qualified in general nursing, midwifery, district nursing and orthopaedics. Her experience as a ward sister in general surgery, urology, clinical teaching, district nursing, school nursing and matron for a Christian residential home enables her to offer a wide range of health ministry to the church and community. She currently works part-time at the local hospital.

A member of Clarence Park Baptist Church, she is committed to the promotion of health, healing and wholeness within the context of faith, to the church and the local community.

How can the Parish Nurse help?

  • Make home, hospital and nursing home visits.
  • Accompany you to hospital for worrying appointments.
  • Help you to understand your disease or condition.
  • Provide information on health care topics.
  • Advocate for you to get the care you need
  • Connect with community resources.
  • Assist you in working through grief.
  • Help link faith and health.
  • Pray with you or offer prayers on your behalf.

How do I contact the Parish Nurse?

The Parish Nurse can be contacted through:-
Clarence Park Baptist Church Walliscote Road, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 1ED
Mobile tel. (details removed)


What Is Parish Nursing?
Please click HERE to be directed to the Parish Nursing Ministry UK web site

Not a cure for sick parishes!
Not a private care plan for elderly vicars!
Not a strategy for giving injections and treatments
Not even traditional nursing or health advice by
people using church premises.
Health encompasses all aspects of humanity. Fundamental to health are the beliefs, values and assumptions that inspire and motivate people towards quality of life. These give meaning and purpose to life, connecting people to each other and to that which transcends everyday physical care. Well being and healing involve many of these dimensions. Christians see health and healing as a gift from God enabling them to serve others.

Parish Nursing is a newly developing area of nursing practice in the U.K. It has become established in the U.S. Over the last twenty years and is now being practiced in Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Swaziland. A Parish Nurse is a registered nurse with community experience, who works through the church, offering spiritual as well as physical and mental care. They may practice in a voluntary or paid capacity. They will serve the church as well as the local community, with respect for people of all faiths and none.
 

Jenny’s story - Clarence Park Baptist Church ‘Parish Nurse’ 

Why Parish Nursing?
I entered nursing when I was 16 with a desire to help people to live whole healthy lives. I trained in Orthopaedics, General Nursing, Midwifery and District Nursing plus a 6 month course in Clinical Teaching.

I returned to nursing after a 15 year gap.  In that period I had been a 'Service User', a 'Carer' and had gained experience of networking with different service providers and health professionals in acquiring the appropriate care for two members of my family who had severe mental health issues.

I returned to nursing in 2005 after completing the Return to Practice course in conjunction with Gloucester University, North Bristol Healthcare Trust and Weston General Hospital.  I now work 18 hours per week as an Endoscopy nurse in Weston General Hospital.

The constant reminder from my course tutor that 'one person can make a difference' enthused me to give my best.  Although I had been out of the profession for several years and needed to up-date and learn new skills, I was certain life's experiences and my past nursing skills could be used in a positive way.

While away for a weekend break in 2006 in Devon, I came across the concept of Parish Nursing.  With the demands being made on the 'Caring Professions' and the financial constraints this new initiative and innovative approach made sense; I felt I must research and find out more on the subject.

I approached my minister as I knew we, as a church, were looking for ways in which we could move out into the community and offer positive improvements to individuals and groups of people. The concept of Parish Nursing has been enthusiastically welcomed and explored by the church and we are now looking at moving forward where I am willing to offer 6 hours a week on a voluntary basis to the role both in the church and community.
 

Why does Clarence Park Baptist Church want to be involved in parish nursing? 

The Purpose of the church
The role of the church has always been more than just holding services on a Sunday morning. This is seen in both the ministry of Jesus, but also in the way that the first churches related to the community around them.  Examples of this are the way that these churches developed their care for the poor, the widowed and helping the sick.

Our vision for the whole person ministry
Pastoral care is more than just showing an interest in a person spiritual state.  Hospital chaplains today remind us of the link between the body, mind and spirit. This means that the church in order to care for people needs to work alongside the professional health caring profession in order to complement each other. This is perhaps often seen at its best when dealing with people who suffer from depression as medication alongside counselling and pastoral care often prove to be the best combination of treatment and care for people.

At Clarence Park Baptist Church we have for some time worked with different groups in helping to develop care for the whole person.  Our buildings are used on a Tuesday morning by North Somerset PCT to host gentle exercise for old folk and we have for some time use the vast experience of many within our congregation to run a monthly bible study and social groups for people with learning difficulties, alongside integrating those with learning difficulties into our morning and evening church services.

As the minister of Clarence Park Baptist church Steve was delighted when Jenny came and presented the concept of parish nursing to him. This has also been the reaction of the church leadership and the church membership. 
 

What does our Parish Nurse at Clarence Park Baptist Church do?

Clarence Park Baptist Church has already set up a steering committee to help set some direction for the role within the church and our community. The steering committee has among them members whose professions are Minister, Specialist Nurse, Specialist in child care, Special needs worker, and Quantity surveyor.
As a result of a local questionnaire Jenny is involved regularly in hospital visiting, promoting good health in our various church and community groups, she has enhanced our links with local nursing homes. Jenny has also been involved in pastoral visiting and getting along side people who approach her uncertain of where to find information on different medical conditions.