CHURCHES, HOSPITAL BEGIN NEW PROGRAM

Several area churches and Southeast Missouri Hospital recently began a parish nursing pilot program, which allows them to share roles of ministry and disease prevention.

United Church of Christ, Greater Dimension Church and St. Andrew Lutheran Church, all in Cape Girardeau, and First General Baptist Church in Jackson have joined the program.

Parish nursing is a new program that was founded by a Lutheran pastor nearly 13 years ago.

Its goal is to promote health-care issues through education and disease prevention.

Nurses serving as volunteers in their congregations will do a variety of tasks from screening others for disease to making hospital visits.

The Community Case Management Department at Southeast Hospital is coordinating the program.

Elma Staten is a nurse at St. Francis Medical Center and also is a member of Greater Dimension Church. She will serve as the congregation's parish nurse.