[LiverpoolJane]

I agree that our religious beliefs should not influence how we care for our patients.
I see reading another recent thread it seem to be "open season" on Jehovahs Witnesses and I was distressed to see on this other thread people were venomous in their feelings towards them.
I find this disturbing as I believe that I am a professional nurse as well as being a Jehovahs Witness.
I work in an acute area where we have become really good at correcting anaemia without blood products. Of course we have patients who are prescribed blood and I would never try to talk them out of having this. In fact most patients would not get to know what religion I am as it is not relevant to their care.
Likewise when Jehovahs Witnesses are admitted our Consultants have no problems about treating them without blood, they do not try to talk them in to having blood, their wishes are respected.
I hope I show respect for the religious beliefs of all people I come into contact with.
I have a problem when people are hypocritical about their religion, to sum up what I mean my mum (Catholic!) told me a story when she used to work in a GUM clinic. They had treated the same man several times for various STDs as he was quite partial to ending his nights out with any available female! When my mum offerred him condoms to use he said he couldn't because he was a Catholic and it was against his religion! Even my Catholic mum could not respect his decision to blatently break the "rules" but not minimise the risks while doing so!

[Diary/Dairy]

What an interesting thread.

Tweety, Thanks for your great post!

I went to a Christian college that still taught that nursing is a mission field. I sometimes think of it that way - these people do need our kindness at work......

Does anyone else subscribe to Journal of Christian Nursing? I like it. Just wondering if anyone else reads it as well.

[pickledpepperRN]

This thread explains why no computer softwear can duplicate the nursing process.

Thank you all who posted.

I recently met a man in his late eighties who was hospitalized last summer.
He remembers a nurse with a European accent holding his hand.
A male voice asked her to go somewhere. She said, "my patient needs me now. You will have to find someone else."

He attributes his survival to her.

Thank you nurses!

[rozebud]

I do not parctice nursing as a science but as an art. Health care in general has much to learn from some of the more ancient forms of health care. I learned a lot from a book "Biology of Belief" by Bruce Lipton. In this book the author talks about how important our belief is that a certain treatment will work as to weather it will indeed work. There are many miracle healing out there. I just try to be open to all of this and understand that healing comes from within the patient more than from all that we may or may not do. Our most important function as nurses is to be a good patient advocate and give the best care that we were taught to give. My religion is just that, mine. I do not expect a patient to even relate to my religion. My duty is to relate to him or her as best I can and honor his or her wishes no matter what my belief system is. I can see one time that this may not be the case and that is with abortion. For those who feel it is wrong to have an abortion, just make sure that you work in a setting that honors that belief or stay away from OB nursing altogether.

[Jolie]

Originally Posted by rozebud

For those who feel it is wrong to have an abortion, just make sure that you work in a setting that honors that belief or stay away from OB nursing altogether.

Please do not assume that a professional nurse who holds a certain belief is incapable of giving competent and compassionate care to patients with opposite beliefs.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Jolie

Please do not assume that a professional nurse who holds a certain belief is incapable of giving competent and compassionate care to patients with opposite beliefs.

I 100% agree with you there. The lifestyles of some of my patients, criminals, drugs and booze are 100% opposite my clean cut lifestyle.

But I also appreciate the sentiment that if one can't reconcile this, they shouldn't work there. I'm 100% sure I can give compassionate care to an abortion patient, but you won't find me filling out an application at an abortion clinic.

[MAISY, RN-ER]

Accepting patients as they are...a nurses duty, a patient's expectation. Rightfully so...

My first memorable nursing experience and terminal patient was as an extern on an Oncology floor. An African American family...the patient, much older and Catholic. Varied children...Catholic, Muslim and Baptist. Many faiths spending time and their mother's last days in peace, harmony and fellowship. They were an amazing family, the many church members from varied faiths that came to pray....were also amazing in their tolerance and respect of each other's ways. Their needs as a family... anointings, services, food choices, and even care of their grandmother's skin and body were respected by the staff. Sometimes it was a tall order, but well worth it. I was with them and her when she took her last breaths, helped them clean and care for her body, and made the arrangements with the mortuary to have her moved that same day. I will never forget them as long as I live.

Personally, I think new nurses should put some time in an area like this. The nurses who are permanent staff are wonderful and usually extra special. You need to be, to deal with death like they do...I truly believe that acceptance is taught, and learned through life experience.

While some like to believe their religion is the only way....grownups realize that whatever makes you strong, focused on healing, or gives you hope is all the mental medicine a patient requires! ]

Maisy

[softstorms]

All our caring and all our thoughts are what brought us into nursing. But I think from all I have seen here, I is not about us. This is one place that we stand uniform on. It is all about our pt. and the needs they have. It is about thier life, not ours. We are not the one on the table or in the bed. It is our ability to stand by that bed or table and let them make a choice. And hope when the day comes that we are there, someone stands by that bed and lets us make a choice.

[rozebud]

Originally Posted by Jolie

Please do not assume that a professional nurse who holds a certain belief is incapable of giving competent and compassionate care to patients with opposite beliefs.

I assume nothing. There is so much argument about abortion that I know that many nurses would not take part in it and frankly, I understand that. I have done so a few times but have no desire to help with an abortion done for convenience again. However, there are some reasons in which I might participate if necessary. Since I no longer work in that setting it is not an issue.

[Spidey's mom]

Originally Posted by Tweety

I also strongly believe in patient centered holistic care. This includes addressing the patients spiritual condition and needs, and keeping my beliefs out of it.


If someone, and this has happened to me, believes that laying smelly cabbage over a wounded area and praying helps heal, I'm not going to interfere. Am I going to personally lay the cabbage and pray? No I'm not because I'm a scientist and I don't believe it will help, but allowing them their beliefs is paramount.

.

Cabbage leaves work wonders for nursing moms' engorged breasts.


steph (I'll weigh in on the topic after I finish stats).