[MelitaRN]

Hello All,

I am a Christian and a new nurse and I am in the process of trying to learn how to incorporate my faith into my work. I believe that becoming a nurse is something God has called me to do after being in corporate America for 8 years now; I want to do it right. I want the Lord to shine through me in my work and in how I relate to others. The fact that I leave behind a great career with great pay means nothing to me because it yielded no satisfaction or fulfillment. People call me "crazy", but I am crazy in the Lord and heeded to his call to become a nurse.

I have been reading a few books on religion and healthcare and I was curious to see if anyone had any advice on how I can exemplify God's example in what I do. For example, I am reading a book called "Is There a God in Healthcare?" It is a great book about a physician who incorporates his faith into his works and he describes how it has positively affected his practice. Another book that I am reading is called "Called to Care: A Worldview for Nursing" and that book is great because it talks about ideas and theories behind what nursing is and how it relates to Christianity's message of caring and loving othersas Jesus does.

Recently, I became a subscriber to the Journal of Christian Nurses and was curious to know whether anyone else has read articles or books relating to this subject. This journal is fantastic, but leaves me hungry for more after I am done reading it.

Any advice or recommendations are highly appreciated. Much love to all in the name of Christ our Lord.

[burn out]

I believe if you feel God lead you to be a nurse then you need to let him do his work through you...be the vessel. Let him use your hands and mind to help others but it will have to be him doing the work. You can pray before going into work, you can pray during your breaks, but beyond that you are on shakey ground.Perhaps if the patient asks for you to pray with them and you are comfortable that is permissable but to go beyond that may get you into trouble. It is more effective to be a role model than preacher. Let others even the blind see Christ in you, they will know we are christians by our love.

[Elvish]

My dad says "Always be a witness. If necessary, use words." I like that.