A day in the life of a parish nurse is both routine and varied. On Monday – Thursday mornings, Cathie Ketterer, RN, keeps office hours in four area churches, taking blood pressures, talking about medical issues and getting to know parishioners
She works to meet the needs of each individual, referring people to area resources and educational programs. After office hours Ketterer usually spends her lunch at the Salvation Army, helping with the food pantry or the Women’s Ministry. She also visits with residents of the homeless shelter, offering a daily devotional.
“In my 36 years at Alton Memorial, I’ve loved every job that I’ve had, but I love parish nursing the most. It’s a blessing to serve others. I’m grateful that the Foundation recognizes the value of this program,” says Ketterer.
Afternoons are spent calling on patients in the home, hospital or long term care facilities. Fridays are devoted to paperwork, where each encounter is carefully charted. Not charted, but perhaps most important, is the time she spends praying for those in her care.
AMH has four Parish Nurses that work in 12 area churches and conduct community health fairs and outreach.