Are you a nurse with "alternative" spiritual beliefs?

Nurses Spirituality

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If so, have you gotten grief from coworkers or patients because of it? Tell your stories here!!I'm pagan, and I'm pretty low key about it. I have nothing against Jesus. If he existed, I think he must have been a pretty cool dude. But, I don't consider myself a Christian per se. I've worn jewelry that represents my faith and gotten raised eyebrows and a few comments here and there, but nothing I can't handle. Patients have been pretty ok with it but maybe that's the pre-op drugs doing their job, lol.

I am Pagan as well, everyone at works knows, and some ask questions but here, its wonderful that all my co-workers accept me, no vile looks at all concerning this. My patients some grab my hand where my pentacle ring is worn an as if to be part of a secret tribe. Others who see it say its a beautiful ring, its small and dainty. I found that I am emmersing myself into religions of all kind, so that I am aware of patients needs. I find that I am a more understanding person of their own personal rituals. It fascinates me and I am like a spounge to water. I soak it all in.

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there are three subjects in life that are extremely personal and people have strong beliefs about - Religion, Politics and Nutrition. I dont fit the "norm" in any of these areas, and if i am asked what church i go to, i usually answered where ever I am working. As I did work weekends MOST OF LMY LIFE!!! so sundays, I was working. it would get me out of the conversation for the moment.

Seriously though, it is about respect as many of you have stated. Respect both ways. If a patient would begin to preach to me, then I would simply thank them for their blessings. If they ask me to pray with them, I would do so, but I insist they lead the prayer. if they ask me hwat religion I was, i would simply change the subject.

Until I became a Hospice nurse, spiritual practices were a side bar to the job I had to do. Although having said that, offending someone because you do not understand their religious belief is not a comfortable situation.

Each patieint and situation is different, your instinct will guide you.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

I'm Atheist. Sometimes I wonder if I'm more humanist, since I sometimes like people, but then I feel that kind of makes me think humans are superior to the other species on the planet. Then, I think I'm more Earthist, but then I feel that would make me feel superior to any possible aliens (outer space kind). While I definitely partake in many Earthy things (stuff like 365.25 days/year, 24 "hour" days, seasons, lunar cycles) and enjoy spending time with friends and families during the Earthly (annual) holidays, I don't think it really matters to me when I spend time with people. Holidays are just locally/nationally/"religiously" held social events. I do find religion to be almost alien, and am often surprised people still believe there are deities that exist. But, in the end, religion/spirituality should have no bearing on my work. When I treat my patients, I see them as ill individuals that need help to recover or improve (if that will happen). I don't need spirituality to be empathetic and caring, just as I don't believe religion makes people empathetic or caring. They are separate aspects of a person's life.

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Specializes in none.

Why tell any of the patient and staff what you are? None of their business anyway. I am proud to be an Atheist. But no one outside my wife knows it. I don't feel that I am special, superior, or better. I'm just here. Now that I can recite long passages from Shakespeare when many of the people in this country can't read or wouldn't read a newspaper.(Sports pages excluded.) Yeah, I feel superior in myself. When I dying patient ask me to bow my head and pray, without a hesitation, I bow me head and silently recite the lines from, "Plane Nine From Outer Space" The patient doesn't know the difference. He's happy. I'm happy.

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Specializes in Utilization Management; Case Management.
I have never worn a star of David, and I do think some jewelry is made to look quite close to an actual religious iconograph. And I mean no disrespect, however in my own personal beliefs I could perhaps take a lesson or 2 from a number of religious organizations......

To each their own...however

Most religious symbols are pagan symbols, taken from the conquered/converted groups so that they can maintain something familiar to them before these people came with warth to convert in the name of their 'God'...no?

It is hard to say what is disrespectful when the true history and origin of these things are quieted in light of the dominant religious gospel or what have you.

I dont have a religion, I have a relationship with the creator (whatever the world names him/her). My view is kind of based in perception. No one outside of you can have an effect on you because you dont know what their true intention was only how you felt about it. I control my reaction to things so if some one does something I don't like, I try to think about why I don't like it, and forgive them. I might need to forgive a situation a few times but its a work in progress undoing all these years of conditioning and ego. I don't think a particular religion can help me with that... but that's just me.

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I was raised Roman Catholic and look very Irish, so most people assume I am a practicing Catholic. I am not, although I do believe in the Divine/Creator/God/Goddess. I just go with the Catholic thing because in this area it is a predominant religion and patients often find comfort in their Catholicism when they are very ill or dying.

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Specializes in psych/dementia.
I am a Pagan and I work in a Catholic facility, so I do not wear symbols of my religion to work or discuss my religion with co-workers or patients. I did get some strange looks when I declined having my hands blessed by the nuns, lol.

This is me too. When I was in college I wore my pentacle and it wasn't a big deal. I wouldn't dream of doing it at work though.

I don't discuss my beliefs with anyone at work either.

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Specializes in none.
This is me too. When I was in college I wore my pentacle and it wasn't a big deal. I wouldn't dream of doing it at work though.

I don't discuss my beliefs with anyone at work either.

But I bet if you wore a Roman Torture device (cross) people would think you are so holy.

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Specializes in Forensic Psych.

To each their own...however

Most religious symbols are pagan symbols, taken from the conquered/converted groups so that they can maintain something familiar to them before these people came with warth to convert in the name of their 'God'...no?

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Absolutely. The extremely conservative branch/cult of Christianity I was raised in wouldn't go anywhere near the majority of typically Christian symbolism, such as crosses, or celebrate "Christian" holidays such as Christmas or Easter due to the roots in paganism.

There's a bible verse that speaks of not taking the spiritual practices of "pagans" and using them to worship the "one true god. ". They took r seriously, and apparently almost everything Christian came from somewhere else, because we sure as heck weren't allowed to do much!

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Specializes in thoracic ICU, ortho/neuro, med/surg.

Atheist pagan in the Bible belt, married to another atheist nurse. I wear a pentacle at work, usually no one says anything. I always refuse to pray with patients, though, and my husband does the same. Neither of us discusses our religious beliefs with the patient -- if the patient ASKS me, I tend to say something about how we're not here for me, we're here for them, so let's focus on them, etc. My co-workers are aware, though.

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Specializes in none.
Atheist pagan in the Bible belt, married to another atheist nurse. I wear a pentacle at work, usually no one says anything. I always refuse to pray with patients, though, and my husband does the same. Neither of us discusses our religious beliefs with the patient -- if the patient ASKS me, I tend to say something about how we're not here for me, we're here for them, so let's focus on them, etc. My co-workers are aware, though.

Just asking. Atheist means you don't believe in any deities and Pagan means one is polytheistic. Oh well, none of my business anyway. Blessed Be.

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I'm a Nichiren Buddhist. It is because of my belief in reincarnation that I am drawn to working in hospice. It is my firm belief that no religion is wrong and that "all roads lead to Rome". Since I was raised christian and am married to a jewish man, I am well acquainted with each religion's customs and beliefs. I am comfortable with using the language of the other person's spiritual beliefs in connecting with them and seek only to be a comfort and not to change anyone's mind.

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