My computer sits idly awaiting,
Holding word, story, feeling,
Or need of each person counting
On me to reply with hope and caring.

With a comfortable ritual I begin
My day with mouse clicks again
And again to log in to examine
The virtual mail from missionary kin.

Each message explains a need,
Or asks a question, or gives creed
To an answer sent back with speed.
I think about each person as I read.

Each person is unique and supreme
Loved by God and deserving esteem.
To meet a need, I consider a scheme
Or answer a question on a health theme.

You know I am willing, able, and ready
To respond swiftly and cleverly to anybody
Who suffers illness, injury, or tragedy;
To offer help and prayers for their malady.

I compose birthday wishes abundantly.
I research and pen articles academically.
I read missionary newsletters admiringly.
I pray for those in distress affectionately.

I read each e-mail expectant to expand
My worldview and seeking to understand
The writer's to best stretch out my hand
In perceptive love and avoid sad reprimand.

E-mail letters may be happy and joyous
Announcing a birth or something fabulous.
Sometimes the information is grievous,
Sharing something distressing or horrendous.

To do all the good I can, I write and write,
I use all of myself: the woman, the wife,
The mother, the nurse, the acolyte;
Lighting the way for whole health to ignite.

Composed May 2006 by Carla J. Warnock, RN, MPA
GBGM Missionary Health Ministry Wellness Program Nurse

The assignment for my MSN, NU 505: Parish Nursing course asked me to reflect on the nurse-client relationship in the Light of the transformative power of illness and suffering and my role as the parish nurse, privileged to stand on "holy ground," acting as God's hands and heart in the world. Using a poem, I described the focus e-mail in my nursing care when my primary instrument is myself. A Health Ministry or "Parish" nurse generally serves a population associated with or connected through a faith community. He or she, while integrating faith and health, strives to provide whole-person or holistic care in coordination with the faith community's pastoral and lay ministry staff and community resources.

A Health Ministry or "Parish" Nurse is a

• Nurse performing skilled care within the confines of the organization's position description and policies and state law.
• Health Counselor offering personal health counseling in a variety of ways.
• Educator imparting health education to all ages in a variety of settings and in various ways.
• Advocate providing caring support and direction while administrating the program.
• Liaison offering referral information and assistance.
• Trainer supplying specialized education such as CPR, HIV/AIDS, Well-Being, etc.

Author's Bio

Carla J. Warnock, RN, MPA

Always wanting to be a nurse, Carla received her RN diploma from the Robert Packer Hospital School of Nursing, Sayre, PA. in 1974. Furthering her education while raising her family and working, she earned a B.S. in Professional Arts with a concentration in Health Care Administration and a Master's in Public Administration with a concentration in human resources management. In March 2007, she earned a graduate certificate in Parish Nursing. She expects to complete her RN to MSN degree in May 2009.

After almost thirty-five years in clinical and administrative nursing, Carla and her husband (Ted) felt called to full-time mission service with the United Methodist Church. Commissioned in December 1998, she served along with her husband in Haiti from January 1999 through January 2001. They worked with the Methodist Church of Haiti to coordinate Volunteers in Mission (VIM) teams that came to Haiti to serve. After returning from Haiti, Carla accepted the mission appointment to the Missionary Health Ministry Wellness Program housed in Atlanta, GA in partnership with Emory Healthcare. She continues in this mission serving as the program nurse/coordinator caring for her "parish" the missionaries like her that serve around the world. Carla and her husband of over 35 years, have two adult daughters, a son-in-law, and two grandsons. Carla is a member of the Decatur First United Methodist Church, Decatur, GA.

© 1997 - 2008 - OJNI - Online Journal of Nursing Informatics - All Rights Reserved |
Contact | Current Issue | Archive|
OJNI Corporation, 100 Serenity Lane, Kittanning, PA 16201 USA