Would You Pray if your Patient asked?

AmethystVeralyn · Jul 25, 2004

I have prayed both for and with my patients for years.

I have prayed for them sometimes even when they don't

ask and without asking them which some people feel

is intrusive.

donmomofnine · Jul 25, 2004

I pray for my residents and with my residents. As a Christian community, it is a vital part of the life there. I also pray with staff who request prayer. If they don't ask, but tell me their troubles, I tell them I will pray for them, and I do!:)

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 25, 2004

Once, shortly after a code 99 (in which I typically have little or no part) a young chaplain and I were unwinding in the unit kitchenette with a cup of coffee and talking about old cars we'd owned. About the third time a nurse came in to get something and excused herself. it finally dawned on me they thought I was Talking To The Chaplain, rather than just talking to the chaplain.

A year or so later, we'd had a patient expire--a teenager--and a chaplain intern had to accompany the body through the whole process, afterward. She looked a little shaky as she waited for the morgue cart, and I was having a slow evening, so I decided I ought to kind of stay close by and offer support. It wasn't until later that it dawned on me that I might be getting a little full of myself if I thought I needed to comfort the chaplain--even an intern. Still, it was interesting to me to learn about their training, and she didn't seem to mind the company.

I think that's kind of the thing about prayer, too. If you're modest and your heart's in the right place, it will usually work out okay.

When my dad had his CABG, a nurse offered to pray with him. He welcomed it. Had I been the pt., it might have made me a little uncomfortable, but I wouldn't have been offended. I was a little put out, though, at another nurse in pre-op who practically insisted I tell him I love him before they wheeled him away. Dad knows I love him, but neither of us was ready for final farewells, so I just said, "I'll see you soon."

The thing is, you've either got to be very sensitive to what the patient (or family member) needs/wants, or else it may be better just to be quiet.

Dixiecup · Jul 25, 2004

Goodness, what a turn this thread took!
All I can say regarding the agnostic/atheist nurses is that if a patient asks for them to say a prayer on their behalf when that patient is unable to do so on their own that you will make the effort to find someone QUICKLY who can. However, if I were that patient, I'd feel that nurse abandoned me in my greatest time of need. I know... I know.. shouldn't discuss religion & politics, BUT I'm quite sure (as do I, but no need to answer) there are patients who would wonder how someone could go into a healing profession without having a spiritual base. AGAIN, no need to answer this, but just MHO. :chair:

What's MHO and IMO? All these initials confuse me! :confused:

Dixiecup · Jul 25, 2004

How do you get asked to pray? Do patients grab your arm and ask you to say the "OUR FATHER" and "HAIL MARY" with them? I can just imagine some patient bullying staff to pray. What if your job forbid you to pray?

usually they just simply say "nurse, would you pray with me?"

Chevelle · Jul 25, 2004

Nurses Prayer
May I be a nurse, Lord
with gentle, healing hands,
who always speaks with kindness,
who cares and understands.
And while I'm serving others
as You would have me do,
please help me to remember
that I'm truly serving You.

I love that! I would like to make myself a copy if that is ok...:)

treddrn · Jul 25, 2004

Yes I would. Yes, I have. Yes, I will continue to pray for my patient. I prayed for a patient one time when he was thinking he was having a MI. He asked for prayer and I prayed right there for him. He started crying. His wife started crying. Then we hugged. When he arrived in the ICU, he told everyone that the nurse in the ER prayed for him. He told my supervisor. My supervisor later came down and questioned me about it. I thought I was in trouble but I admitted to it. She said, "I knew it was you." Well, needless to say, she gave me a lot of positive remarks about it and thanked me for praying with this man. While up in the ICU, he calmed down, had a NSR, and did not need anything for pain. Everything checked out fine and he was discharged in the morning. He wrote a nice letter to the president of the hospital and I was awarded a free meal ticket and recognition via email to all staff. I don't care about the "rewards" by the hospital. I am proud to be there for my patient and will pray whenever called upon.

vineyard · Jul 25, 2004

If a patient asked you to pray with or for them at the bedside, would you?
I had this discussion with some other nurses and the responses were interesting. Some said they would have no problem, others said it was too personal a request for a patient to ask, and others said they would call the chaplain as they felt it is a chaplain function only.
I witnessed one occurence where a patient asked his nurse to pray with him. Without hesistation, she took his hand and prayed a very nice non-denominational prayer. I realize not everyone can or might not want to do this, but it really brought solace to that patient.
Your thoughts?

hello there!:)

if you are goin to ask me,then i would answer ya a 100% yes answer!this is simply because its always been a privilege [raying for other people especially to those people who needed such...we,human beings cuold basically seldom hear other people to ask us to pray for them.WHen they tend to ask us to pray for them,meaning,they have a great faith that if we can pray them,healing would probably begin as you also begin to pray....:)again,ITS A PRIVILEGE HEPING OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH PRAYER...God Bless!:)

elvie

missmercy · Jul 25, 2004

You betcha!! Sometimes that is the only thing left that I can do for them!! I have worked in situations where the patient or the family has asked me to pray with them -- I am blessed that they trust me with such a very personal, private, and sacred act of caing. I have been praying for someone as they breathed their last -- it has been the one last thing I could do to comfort a DNR. Many families have told me that they have been blessed by our moments of prayer -- what an honor!

1BlessedRN · Jul 25, 2004

I love that! I would like to make myself a copy if that is ok...:)

Thank You Chevelle:) my nurse instructor gave it to me in a frame, and I love sharing it with anyone.

Nurses Prayer

May I be a nurse, Lord

with gentle, healing hands,

who always speaks with kindness,

who cares and understands.

And while I'm serving others

as You would have me do,

please help me to remember

that I'm truly serving You.

__________________

Wolfpax · Jul 25, 2004

YES, completely, without hesitation, any religion what so ever including nontraditionals (as long as it doesn't involve a ritual sacrifice at the time)

debblynn13 · Jul 25, 2004

I've been reading this thread and was wondering if there was anything online that could help when praying for people, esp those with different religions. I found this site interesting.....

http://www.beliefnet.com/prayeroftheday/prayer_main.asp

Debblynn