Faith and Health: A Framework for Christian Nurses

By Lynda W. Miller

This book is a response to a need. Christian nurses, in a wide range of settings, perform their work based on beliefs drawn from their faith, but until now they've had no specifically Christian theoretical foundation to help them. Nurses working in the emerging field of "Parish Nursing" in particular need a framework that helps them explicitly link the tenets of faith and concepts of health in their practice, education, and research. Nurses of other faiths may also find the framework useful in seeing a way to relate their own beliefs and values to their nursing. In the book's Introduction the author tells why she devoted her doctoral research to theory development and how she went about doing that. The body of the book describes her nursing conceptual framework in depth, yet in an informal "reader friendly" style. The concluding chapter answers the question "Now what?" and helps readers make practical applications in their everyday lives. The four major components of the Faith and Health Framework are presented in detail: Person/Parishioner, Health/Shalom-Wholeness, Nurse/Parish Nurse, and Community/Parish, with the integrating component The Triune God. Described under each component are two organizing concepts, which in turn contain other key concepts, such as: mission, ministry, compassion, competence and communion.Various perspectives on the Framework are depicted in several full-color stained glass figures and in an inspirational poem written by the author. There are extensive bibliographic references and quotations from The Holy Bible, throughout, plus Appendices of relevant materials and resources.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1490799591
• ISBN13: 9781490799599
• Release Date: February 2020
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Length: 88 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Christian Concepts for a Parish Nursing Ministry

With this book. Dr. Miller takes Parish Nursing back to its roots as a Christian concept based on Granger Westberg's work as a Lutheran Hospital Chaplain. She presents an in-depth framework of the tenants of the Christian faith, and then goes on to apply these concepts as central to the Christian Parish Nurse. The qualification, role and goals of the Christian Parish Nurse are clearly stated within a framework of a servant ministry. Supporting this framework is the philosophy that the purpose of life is not physical health; rather it is a spiritual relationship with the Creator. The stained glass figures that represent her concepts are easy to understand and helpful for presenting a Ministry of Parish Nursing to a congregation and pastors. I recommend this book for parish nurses, pastors and congregations who are developing a Parish Nurse Ministry or examining their evolving ministry. Virginia Wepfer, MSN, RN, C, Parish Nurse.

A book for all helping professions

In this volume Dr. Miller has drawn from her scholarly research and made practical application not only for nurses, but also for all persons involved in the helping professions. For Christians the book reinforces the perspective that one's conception of the Triune God informs all other conceptions of life. Non-Christians, in the helping professions, can benefit from this volume by gaining insights into the expectations of Christian recipients of care. A must read!