Parish Nursing is a health ministry of faith communities which emphasizes the wholeness of body, mind and spirit. Rooted in the vision of Christ as Healer, this ministry grows out of the belief that all faith communities are places of health and healing and have a role in promoting wholeness through the integration of faith and health.  A Parish nurse is a registered nurse with specialized knowledge, who is called to ministry and affirmed by a faith community to promote health, healing and wholeness.

The Role of a Parish Nurse is to promote the integration of faith and health in a variety of ways that reflect the context of the faith community. Examples include health advocacy, health counselling, health education and resource referral.

Our ‘Guiding Principles’ include celebrating the diversity of parish nurse programs across Canada; promoting a concept of health that actively supports body, mind, spirit wholeness; recognizing that parish nursing is a specialized branch of nursing and a grass-roots ministry; affirming and fostering local parish nurse initiatives, while promoting a national identity; reaching into the broader community promoting faith and health needs; respecting and engaging the health promoting practices of multiple faith traditions while being rooted in Christianity; including as essential shareholders parish nurses, nursing educators, faith tradition educators, diverse faith communities and partnering organizations.

Our Mission ~ The Canadian Association for Parish Nursing Ministry (CAPNM) is committed to the advancement and growth of parish nursing as a health and ministry resource within Canada.

Vision ~ Parish nursing is an essential and integrated dimension of the faith and health of diverse faith communities throughout Canada.