How to drop subtle hints with my nursing students about faith.

Nurses Spirituality

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Hi all! I am a new clinical nursing instructor and am wondering how to drop hints if possible about having faith. Especially as these are future nurses. I know that carrying the love of Christ shines bright and that in of itself is pretty awesome and an awesome testimony. Occasionally when they get stressed out about exams ill say..." besides studying now would be a great time to learn how to pray about things that concern you...and trust God. "

Thank you for being willing to see the issue through other eyes. It may seem obvious to you that what you are doing is putting forward the love of Christ. Never forget that there will be students in your class with deeply held religious convictions that differ from your own. Nurses really need to embrace multiculturalism. As a Jewish nurse in a very fundamentalist Christian part of the country, I have learned that over and over again. I am there to care for the patient and the family. I am there to validate them, and to provide for their needs. I am not there to pull them out of their world view and into mine. When they say, "You know Jesus" I just smile. I know Jesus as an iconoclastic rabbi and a child of G-d in the same way that I am. That is not what they are saying, but if it gives them comfort; let them believe whatever they want. It's not about me. It's about them.

Your willingness to see through other eyes is wonderful. You'll be a great instructor.

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Thank you Eliza. We have to remain teachable and life long learners. I really do want to help them succeed and have faith in their ablities.

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While I think that it is sad that America has gotten to this point, many people are very hostile to the Christian faith and will attack it (and you) whenever possible. If you were muslim, jewish, buddist, or other, people would receive it happily, but unfortunately it is culturally acceptable for people to treat Christians with disrespect. After you gain your students respect on a nursing instructor level, they will be paying attention to your life choices and see your faith and respect/learn from it as well. I was one of two Christians in a class of over 100 students, and by the end of nursing school, they all knew what my faith was and respected it. I received the class award for compassion and caring because I do try to treat people in a loving Christian way and they felt that. I think you are right that having home in God makes such a difference for sick patients (or anybody), but it is not something that can be taught directly in school.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
While I think that it is sad that America has gotten to this point, many people are very hostile to the Christian faith and will attack it (and you) whenever possible. If you were muslim, jewish, buddist, or other, people would receive it happily, but unfortunately it is culturally acceptable for people to treat Christians with disrespect. After you gain your students respect on a nursing instructor level, they will be paying attention to your life choices and see your faith and respect/learn from it as well. I was one of two Christians in a class of over 100 students, and by the end of nursing school, they all knew what my faith was and respected it. I received the class award for compassion and caring because I do try to treat people in a loving Christian way and they felt that. I think you are right that having home in God makes such a difference for sick patients (or anybody), but it is not something that can be taught directly in school.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to bring this up. I don't get where so many people think Christians are being persecuted. What holidays do schools, government offices, and post offices close? It certainly isn't Jewish or Muslim holidays. This country has a history of being Christian-centric. More and more people choose not to become part of a traditional organized religion and more diversity is seen. I fail to see this disrespect you speak of; rather, I see people questioning unchanged practices and thoughts that don't really fit with many people's current beliefs. One example of this is a weekly column published in my city's newspaper, written by a Christian pastor. His column is not about God's love, but rather preaches hatred of certain groups in society (GLBT, the poor, basically all those he considers undesirable). The backlash, as evidenced in online comments and letters to the editor, do not criticize his Christianity but rather his hatred. Disagreement with religious views does not necessarily equal disrespect.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thank you for being willing to see the issue through other eyes. It may seem obvious to you that what you are doing is putting forward the love of Christ. Never forget that there will be students in your class with deeply held religious convictions that differ from your own. Nurses really need to embrace multiculturalism. As a Jewish nurse in a very fundamentalist Christian part of the country, I have learned that over and over again. I am there to care for the patient and the family. I am there to validate them, and to provide for their needs. I am not there to pull them out of their world view and into mine. When they say, "You know Jesus" I just smile. I know Jesus as an iconoclastic rabbi and a child of God in the same way that I am. That is not what they are saying, but if it gives them comfort; let them believe whatever they want. It's not about me. It's about them.

Your willingness to see through other eyes is wonderful. You'll be a great instructor.

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautifully said.

Sweet_Wild_Rose I was wondering how long it would take for someone to bring this up. I don't get where so many people think Christians are being persecuted.What holidays do schools, government offices, and post offices close? It certainly isn't Jewish or Muslim holidays.
In my school district.....holidays are celebrated. There are no tests/homework during Passover or Ramadan....the learned the Dreidel song but cannot sing "O Holy night" As a Eastern Orthodox....my holidays are NEVER celebrated and most people believe I'm Jewish when I say Eastern Orthodox. (visual....my big fat Greek wedding)

I think there are extremes of intolerance and extremes to tolerance. I think in general we need to be kinder to one another......But it does not belong at the patients bedside while hospitalized. AND it doesn't belong being taught by an instructor at a public non-religious school........Period.

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Specializes in critcal care, CRNA.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to bring this up. I don't get where so many people think Christians are being persecuted. What holidays do schools, government offices, and post offices close? It certainly isn't Jewish or Muslim holidays. This country has a history of being Christian-centric. More and more people choose not to become part of a traditional organized religion and more diversity is seen. I fail to see this disrespect you speak of; rather, I see people questioning unchanged practices and thoughts that don't really fit with many people's current beliefs. One example of this is a weekly column published in my city's newspaper, written by a Christian pastor. His column is not about God's love, but rather preaches hatred of certain groups in society (GLBT, the poor, basically all those he considers undesirable). The backlash, as evidenced in online comments and letters to the editor, do not criticize his Christianity but rather his hatred. Disagreement with religious views does not necessarily equal disrespect.

There are extreme examples from all groups. There have several things I have seen to change what the holidays are considered. Instead of Christmas people say x-mas and I have seen many have a holiday party and even heard of the holiday tree. I'm not kidding. Happy holidays instead of merry Christmas bc people may get offended.

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.
While I think that it is sad that America has gotten to this point, many people are very hostile to the Christian faith and will attack it (and you) whenever possible. If you were muslim, jewish, buddist, or other, people would receive it happily, but unfortunately it is culturally acceptable for people to treat Christians with disrespect. After you gain your students respect on a nursing instructor level, they will be paying attention to your life choices and see your faith and respect/learn from it as well. I was one of two Christians in a class of over 100 students, and by the end of nursing school, they all knew what my faith was and respected it. I received the class award for compassion and caring because I do try to treat people in a loving Christian way and they felt that. I think you are right that having home in God makes such a difference for sick patients (or anybody), but it is not something that can be taught directly in school.

One thing that stood out in your post is yor capitalize Christian only but not the other faiths.

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Specializes in Pedi.
Incredibly put off if an instructor dropped hints on praying while attending a Jesuit college? Really? It seems I wouldn't be moved so much in that situation.

Yes, really. I wasn't put off by it when the President of the University (a priest) sent out emails about tragic events on campus or in the city and said that the University extends its prayers to all involved or by praying at on campus masses or anything but if a nursing instructor (or really any professor) had suggested to me that I should spend more time praying, I'd most definitely have been put off by it. Attending a Catholic University doesn't mean one is Catholic or even believes in any deity and I don't know of a single person who chose that school because of its religious affiliation. It was a Catholic school so I was required to take a theology course but said course was taught by a WOMAN who was a liberation theologist, non a priest or a nun and it was a course on comparing Christianity and Hinduism, no praying and no suggestion that Christianity is the way, despite this being taught at a Catholic university. There were openly gay Jesuits (priests!) on campus.

The nursing school at my university was very progressive and was not held to the "Catholic principles" or whatever they're calling them these days that the administration abided by. For example, nurses who worked in the Student Health Center were prohibited from discussing any forms or birth control with students or from even telling a student "there's a Planned Parenthood up the street" if she came in pregnant and asked about abortion. Nurses employed by the student health center could be fired if they did either. When I went on a School of Nursing sponsored immersion program to Central America, we brought HUNDREDS of condoms with us, distributed them in the clinic we worked in and taught the local health promoters how to teach the people of the village to use them. Recently, this university made the national news over what they called a "condom controversy"... students handing out condoms on campus. The nursing school does this in the University's name in MANY different environments. In fact, when I interviewed for my spot on the Nursing immersion that I went on, I was asked by the Professor leading it if I held any beliefs that would preclude me from teaching about birth control options. Had I answered yes, I would not have been chosen to participate in this program, despite it being run through this Jesuit university.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
While I think that it is sad that America has gotten to this point, many people are very hostile to the Christian faith and will attack it (and you) whenever possible. If you were muslim, jewish, buddist, or other, people would receive it happily, but unfortunately it is culturally acceptable for people to treat Christians with disrespect

I received the class award for compassion and caring because I do try to treat people in a loving Christian way and they felt that. I think you are right that having home in God makes such a difference for sick patients (or anybody), but it is not something that can be taught directly in school.

Where do you live?

As a Jew in the on the east coast, I have rarely ever seen Christians respond positively to hear about Islam and to the Buddhist faith, especially in a school environment. Most would have a meltdown if someone tries to proseltyze to them about another faith, in their children's school.

As a generally rule, those that are hostile to religion are hostile to all religions (except their own, if they are so inclined).

As a Jew, I have had to deal with Christians sending in representatives dressed like Orthodox, into my neighborhood, imitating my neighbors, and approaching Orthodox children on their way to school to try and convert them. And then they complain about the hostility shown to them. I suspect that if the same technique was used on Christian children, people would have a conniption over it and show some hostility.

I also lay odds that if someone said that they won an award for compassion and caring and they said that it was for treating pts in their loving Buddhist manner, or Muslim manner, there would be some serious objections to the wording by those of other religions. The vast majority of religions teach the same love and compassion towards others.

As a note, I attend school at a major Catholic school. And no, our instructors do not pray with us, nor do they discuss their faith.

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

caroladybelle-

I hear you so well.

I am long out of school but I was the only Jew in the Baptist based program in theory but had a religious basis that still came through.

I got plenty of anonymous Christian tracts in my school mail box and even sent to my personal home address.

The one thing that stands out after all these years is my fellow student telling me "You will find Jesus."

That type of stuff coming from fellow students pushed me away. If it had come from an instructor it would have been even worst.

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

I think It's appropriate to point out that everyone should have a place to go to gather themselves. Be it prayer, meditation, moments of silence, boxing, the gym etc. Let them know they don't have to do it on their own and let them know its OK, and welcomed to have outlets. Let them decide what they want those outlets to be, and if they want to approach you privately about what outlets you choose to use they can. Then they can decide for themselves what works. Thats my advise. I understand wanting to witness, but I find its not always welcomed and can actually turn people away all together from Christianity.

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Put the shoe on the other foot. How upset would YOU be if your nursing instructor dropped "hints" about their faith or values system that didn't match yours? I'm a student in MN, and there was a brief, thankfully benign incident where an instructor told a gay student how disappointed she was that the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage didn't pass. Luckily, she recovered well, and the student in question is not a boat rocker and is generally pretty mellow. That could have gotten ugly real fast. I do have instructors who mention going to church, ect, or things they went to do that are faith-based in conversation, and that is totally fine. What is NOT fine is seeking students out to suggest how they should cope with the stresses of nursing school. Trust me when I tell you that the students who want that kind of input will seek you out. On our campus, the professors that are "allies" have a sticker on their doors. It's never brought up, never solicited, never offered. We all know what it means. And I have one instructor who had an Obama pin in a place in her office that I don't think anyone else would have thought to look. And even then I would be super careful. Nursing students are super sweet until something doesn't go their way, and then they're hell-demons. It's all fun and games until someone gets kicked out because of bad clinical performance or not being able to cut it academically. Trust me when I tell you they will make a federal case out of you "sharing" your faith. More likely than not they won't get anywhere, but do you even want to go there?

Wow. How awful for the student who happend to be gay, and the instructor making comments such as you describe. It was perhaps not "thankfully benign" as that is just plain uncalled for, and unfortunately discrimitory, as it was said the the gay student. And personally, my respect for the instructor would go right down to slim to none. There are "allied" stickers on doors for just this purpose, because gay students shouldn't have to put up with comments such as your instructor made. Gay students are bullied, they need to talk in a safe enviroment....and much like religious views, have at it to spew this stuff in one's personal life, but not to a room full of young adults who are nursing students (or any students, for that matter).

As a general rule, instructors should refrain from any comments that could be thought of to be in violation of most school's policies regarding religion, race, sexual orientation. Students pay a large amount of tuition money. They do not, however, pay to go to nursing school to be told that they are somehow in the wrong because they are not Christian or they are gay.

I am astounded at what some instructors get away with and the amount of tuition students are charged to suffer through comments that have absolutely nothing to do with nursing.

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