Parish Nursing Program - Lutheran Home and Services

LUTHERAN HOME AND SERVICES PARISH NURSE PROGRAM

PARISH NURSE CO-ORDINATOR
Jane Geske, R.N.C., has been co-ordinator of the Parish Nurse program for nearly 4  years.  Jane is on the Pastoral Services team & collaborates with other departments within the Lutheran Home, particularly with Home Health, Marketing, and Admissions.  In addition, she works closely Lutheran Church Charities, Wheat Ridge Ministries, Concordia University Wisconsin, Northern Illinois District Parish Nurse Network, and the Parish Nurse Co-ordinators group sponsored by Advocate Health Care.  She writes a wellness newsletter that is sent through the Lutheran Church Charities e-mail to nearly 300 church secretaries every month.  Jane’s primary function is to mentor the ten Parish Nurses listed below, and to conduct a monthly network meeting that includes a Bible Study, continuing education, sharing, and prayer.

ST. MATTHEW LUTHERAN CHURCH, BARRINGTON
Nancy Klaman, R.N., has been the Parish Nurse at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Barrington for over eight years, working 16 hours per week.  Instead of making a “to do” list, Nancy has learned to rely on God’s guidance to plan her day.  She makes a monthly average of 32 shut-in calls to members of the congregation.

ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH, MELROSE PARK
Marlene Groll, R.N. works 16 hours per week as Parish Nurse at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Melrose Park.  Being bilingual, she is able to minister to the Spanish population in the multi-ethnic congregation, assisting them with understanding medical needs and terminology.  She has a large staff of volunteers, called the Care Corps that make regular visits to members and cue her to make a visit when they encounter health issues.  Marlene averages 30 shut-in calls per month.

THE LUTHERAN CHURCH OF ST. LUKE, CHICAGO
Irene Borg, R.N., B.S.N., M.S. is on the staff of the Lutheran Church of St. Luke (ELCA) in Chicago.  She has been networking with our group for about three years.  Irene does health education to the school children, participates in an intergenerational weekly luncheon program, and leads a class for mothers with babies, ages birth to 18 months, called Toddle Town.  Renaissance Saint Luke, a supportive living facility, opened its doors directly across the street from St. Luke’s early in 2005.  Irene provides initial assessments and regular blood pressure monitoring on site.

FAITH LUTHERAN CHURCH, ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
Janis Ingebrigtsen, R.N., B.S.N., M.S.N., has been the Parish Nurse at Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights for five years.  Working just eight hours per week as a Parish Nurse, her primary job is in administration at Northwest Community Hospital, which is located just two miles from Faith Church.  In addition to an average of 21 monthly shut-in calls in the community, she serves as a liaison between the church and the hospital.  Janis instituted a weight loss group at Faith Lutheran Church , with an average of 12 members in attendance weekly.

OUR REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH, PROSPECT HEIGHTS
Frances De Vries, R.N., B.S.N., M.P.A.; Geraldine Hanson, R.N., B.S.N.; and Sallyann Bacchiere, R.N., B.S., joined our network in August of 2004.  They are trained Parish Nurses who work as Volunteer Parish Nurses at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Prospect Heights. They have assisted a mother with six children, who needed help during an extended illness; they escorted an elderly lady to doctor’s appointments, helped her with the admission process to the Lutheran Home, moved her into the Lutheran home, assisted her with the selling of her house, & ministered to her up to & including the day of her death.  These Parish Nurses also give rides to people who have no other way to get to church services.  They do a great deal of health education and assessments, as the needs arise.

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH, BENSENVILLE
Marcia Fick, R.N., M.S.H.A., has been a Parish Nurse at Zion Lutheran Church in Bensenville for eight years.  She joined our group  for networking opportunities.  She makes shut-in calls every week with her pastor.  She also maintains health records for Concord Lutheran School in Addison.

IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, BATAVIA
Doris Houghtaling, R.N. began a Volunteer Parish Nursing program at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Batavia in July, 2004.  She conducted  over 50 blood pressure screenings as part of a rummage sale at Immanuel.  She has a core of about 12 other nurses in the congregation to assist her with wellness projects.

SHEPHERD OF THE LAKES LUTHERAN CHURCH, GRAYSLAKE
Evelyn Rossi, R.N., B.S.N., was installed as the Volunteer Parish Nurse at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Grayslake in June.  She and Janis Ingebrigtsen attended the 19^th Annual Westberg Symposium together in St. Louis this Fall.

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All of the Parish Nurses provide regular blood pressure screenings, maintain a WELLNESS bulletin board display, and write a monthly article for their respective church’s newsletter.  Together, they have developed a form to use during home visits called MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR DOCTOR VISITS.  All of the Lutheran Home Parish Nurses are members of the Northern Illinois District Parish Nurse Network, which meets quarterly.  The summer meeting is a family picnic held at and hosted by the Lutheran Home.

The Parish Nurses are frequently asked, “Just what is it that you DO?  The answer is:  It’s not what we do; it’s WHO WE ARE.  Our PRESENCE is an expression of GOD’S PRESENCE.  Through human presence, God becomes present and active in the world.  It is a sign that a person’s suffering does not separate him from God.  Simple acts of caring can be profoundly healing.  We pray for insight to see the needs of others and the grace to minister to those needs.