In her role as parish nurse, Kristina will serve as the primary responder during worship services and parish events, and will also collaborate with us to create wellness and health education initiatives. Read her bio below.
Kristina graduated from Frankford Hospital School of Nursing in 2007. Graduated from Penn State with her BSN in 2016. She worked at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital from 2007-2018 as a trauma and ortho nurse and preceptor and mentor for new nurses and was transferred to Abington Hospital in 2018 to work in Labor and Delivery after the loss of her son Jesse in 2015 and her difficult pregnancy with her son Nathan in 2017.
Nathan was 5 weeks old when I first interviewed for the position but knew I was being called to work in OB, specifically Perinatal Loss and Bereavement. I became the co-chair of the Perinatal Loss Support Team in 2022.
She obtained her Faith Community Nurse certificate from Eastern Mennonite University in 2020 and served as the parish nurse at Holy Innocents St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and their sister church, Grace Episcopal Church and the Incarnation, both in Philadelphia helping to implement and maintain health guidelines during the worst of the covid-19 pandemic.
While serving as the chair of the Health ministry for the diocese, she completed Adult Mental Health First Aid training and then became certified as a Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor and has trained some of the diocese’s deacons.
She is trained in Psychological First Aid through her work as a RISE Team responder (Resilience in Stressful Events) for staff at Abington experiencing stressful or distressing situations while at work. I am also trained in suicide prevention, a program called QPR (Question. Persuade. Refer.) I am certified in Perinatal Death and am an RTS (Resolve Through Sharing) Certified Bereavement Coordinator.
She has volunteered as a member of the Nurse Honor Guard of Bucks County where the organization pays tribute to nurses who have passed away, either at their funeral or viewing with the Nightingale Tribute releasing them of their nursing duties and lifelong vocation.
Please be advised that all personal health information disclosed or obtained during interactions with our parish nurse is protected under HIPAA regulations.