Sheryl Stenseth, Parish Nurse

What is Parish Nursing?
What are the benefits of a Parish Nurse to you?
Who is the Parish Nurse?

What is Parish Nursing?

The focus of parish nursing practice is on prevention, health promotion, care management, and referral. The parish nurse does not provide ongoing physical care, administer medications, draw blood, or do other invasive procedures. This ministry is not a substitute for pastoral care, medical care, home health care, or social services, but rather works in collaboration with these disciplines.

(See Scope and Standards of Parish Nursing Practice adapted by the American Nurses' Association for further information.)

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What are the benefits of a Parish Nurse to you?

The Parish Nurse is a:

• Health educator, providing opportunities for you to learn about health topics so you can make an informed decision;
• Health advocate/health counselor, listening and discussing health issues with you and/or your family in your home, hospital, nursing home or church;
• Referral source, serving as a liaison to connect you with community services;
• Facilitator and coordinator of care-related volunteers, identifying and recruiting congregational volunteers to assist you as needed;
• Integrator, assisting you to bring together faith and health in your life; and
• Support group facilitator, assessing need within the congregation, and developing appropriate groups.

The Parish Nurse also:

• Assists with Pastoral Care Visits;
• Writes articles on health and wellness in The Tower;
• Consults with Augustana Early Learning Center;
• Offers a clinical site for master’s and nursing doctorate students desiring parish nursing experience; and
• Participates in community educational events.

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Who is the Parish Nurse?

Parish Nurse Sheryl Stenseth, MSN, FNP received her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from the University of North Dakota in 1977. Most of her nursing career has been spent in the hospital setting, working in Intensive Care and Ambulatory Surgery. She has also served as a clinical instructor at the Community College of Denver. She has received nursing excellence awards from Humana Hospital and Rose Medical Center and was nominated for the Florence Nightingale award in 2001.

Sheryl fulfilled a dream in August of 2002 when she completed the Masters and Family Nurse Practitioner program at Regis University. This is where she became interested in Parish Nursing and spent time with Sandy Kuka, the former parish nurse at Augustana, while completing her Masters Project on Health Ministry. Sheryl's special interests include care of the elderly, women's healthcare issues, health education, health promotion, and preventive care.

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Contact Sheryl Stenseth (303-388-4678 ext. 122 or stenseth@augustana
denver.org).