I am Afraid. Please Pray for Me.

What would your reaction be if your patient asked you to pray with them? Would you feel uncomfortable? Would you be able to grant his/her request? When is it OK to pray with a patient? How should we pray? What can you do as a nurse to support the spiritual needs of your patient. Nurses Spirituality Article

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You are reading page 2 of I am Afraid. Please Pray for Me.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN

1 Article; 909 Posts

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

I think it's also very important to use discretion, however faith, religion, and spirituality are three different animals.

Even NANDA, bless their hearts, has picked up on the importance of one's "Spiritual Health" in addition to Physical and Mental Health. I think this is a wonderfully appropriate, timely needed, and reminder thread of the importance and necessity of Holistic Nursing Care.

:)You Go TnButterfly!!!;)

neuron

554 Posts

I do not believe it is the 'nurse's' responsibility to 'pray' with the patient. It depends on the relationship she/he has with the patient. The hospital might not be fond of nurses praying with patients. Know the policy of the hospital.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN

1 Article; 909 Posts

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

This is one time I would actually be brazen enough to buck policy and risk termination if the patient requested, I would be on my knees in an instant with or by them, "fond" or not. Thank-God for a Bill of Rights that Supersede the hospital's policy.

I bet they are not "fond" of being on a National News story either. Censoring a Patient's Rights is a slippery slope. "This just in, Nurse terminated for a patient requested prayer." -would be an honor.

I choose to be a patient advocate in this important matter. I'm not trying to be divisive or rude- but if I couldn't meet a reasonable demand such as this, I've got pastors that volunteer, inpatient Chaplains, or Volunteer Layman/Deacons (male/female of each).

This is a wonderful article. :) I find that as an atheist, I am prone to forgetting the varying degrees of importance of religion in clients' everyday lives. In all honesty, religion itself is an idea that is very foreign (and nonsensical) to me, so I admit being asked to pray would make me feel uncomfortable inside. However, just like other simple comfort measures, it really aids in client comfort, and isn't that why we're all nurses in the end?

However, I do agree though that there is a line that can be crossed - though I think that should be at the particular nurse's discretion. I can't think of a situation in which I would feel all right kneeling, for example (plus there's the sanitation issue!), but I would gladly hold hands in a prayer circle with a family, I think. This is a tricky issue, really. :/ Being a new graduate RN, I've never exactly encountered this situation, even in clinicals.

AR_RN

82 Posts

Specializes in urology, pediatrics, med-surg.

I'm fortunate enough to work in a Catholic hospital. I'm not Catholic, but the nuns that visit each patient daily are a great comfort to many of my patients, regardless of their faith. Have I talked about faith with scared patients? Sure. Have I prayed for and with patients at their request? Of course. Would I ever refuse a patient the comfort of a prayer? Never!

ColimaDog

2 Posts

I couldn't get over your profile picture. I'm a Boston Terrier fan too. They can change your life, as can a good nurse.

BostonTerrierLover, BSN, RN

1 Article; 909 Posts

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

That reminds me Colimadog, I think therapy pets were an awesome idea! It's always funny to see how they can open up the biggest sourpuss on the floor- and really bring out the "child" in all of us. You can tell the whole ward is in high spirits after a visit. I know that's kind of "off topic," but if you ever have a patient that's withdrawing faster than staff can address, or their resistant to treatment, a 5 minute pet therapy session can make a world of difference.

neuron

554 Posts

BostonterriorRN, we are not talking about 'Patient's Bill of Rights', we are talking about the nurse's. I have yet to see someone 'lose it all' for the sake of the Lord. In your experience, has a patient asked you to pray?

Columnist

tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN

83 Articles; 5,923 Posts

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.
One of my most unforgettable experiences with prayer happened at my first nursing job. We had a 53-year-old patient who was dying of pulmonary fibrosis; her family and friends gathered around her bed in a circle, and they invited me to join them in praying for her. I felt honored by this request, and so I did. Somewhere in the facility a radio was playing "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" from The Lion King. Oh yes, I could feel that energy in the room as we held hands and prayed for an easy journey to Heaven.....and she slipped away silently just as her priest said the final prayer of the Last Sacrament. I'll carry that memory to my own grave.

Thank you for sharing this very touching and meaningful experience. I am sure you made a positive difference to the dying patient and the family.

Those kinds of experiences do tend to etch a permanent spot in your memory.

Columnist

tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN

83 Articles; 5,923 Posts

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.
It is wild that our sermon today was on how sad it would be to have no one lifting you up in prayer.

So many people facing overwhelming obstacles in their lives, and the horrid thought of them facing it alone is Boston's worst fear! I was blessed growing up, to always have someone there to putt a bandaid on me, pat the dust off of me when I fell flat-face-first, or became spiritually near death from all that we see.

I had a small young boy enter the Emergency Room one night, having an exacerbation of Cystic Fibrosis, and obviously at the end of struggle. He was a preteen resident of a local Boys Home, and I had taken care of him on multiple visits. He said the the worst battles he fought were with loneliness, fear, and nightmares. I asked him what I could do to make him less afraid(leave a light on, leave the curtain open, or roll the TV into his compartment).

He said, "just when your doing your paperwork, or not busy, will you set by me, I won't bother you."

I was heartbroken this beautiful child had no one, how courageous a young man who had experienced such hardship to admit he was lonely and scared. I know this is a small example of nursing a patients spiritual needs, but it's amazing what healing power there is in silence, how therapeutic it can be to your patient's spiritual health by just being their.

You all probably know if you know me, silence was a hard skill to master. I thought that this therapeutic communication skill was bogus- but once I was able to understand the time and place for it, it is one of the best tools in my Nursing Toolkit for spiritual wellness, and it works with every faith, religion, agnostic, and atheist patient, because I think every patient has a spiritual health- that if in need of treatment, we should aim to nurse it(and never forget the comfort that just "being there," can bring.

What a fantastic post, Boston!!! For a believer, knowing that you are being lifted up in prayer is such a powerful thing.

One of the worst times in my life was when my teen-aged daughter was in a horrific crash in which there was a fatality. My daughter and others suffered very serious injuries. It was very comforting to know that others were lifting her up in prayer.

Thank you for being there for that young boy. The gift of presence at a time of crisis is a wonderful thing to give someone. You don't have to worry about what to say. You do not need to fill the silence with sometimes meaningless words. Just being there is enough.

Columnist

tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN

83 Articles; 5,923 Posts

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.
When I worked in the hospital I had several CD's of all faiths.If a patient appeared low I would offer them to pick from the selection By mistake my son's CDs "Chicken Soup for the Littlest Soul " ended up in the mix.Surprisingly, it was a huge hit and pts loved it. t )(Sometimes I noticed pt tearing up listening to it )Perhaps it was it's gentle message that was so soothing.

I found these tapes were fantastic for pts with confusion or dementia ,it settled them into a peaceful center.The religious hymns with marching beat were great for confused parkinson pts plus it helped stabilize their balance and lift their spirit. (the only down side ::::chuckle :::is when the pts with the head phones sang very loudly...and yeah usually off tune!!

I myself follow formal doctrine but would happily participate in any religious activity if it would help a pt. All roads lead home,For myself, I believe God looks at our heart,so that all thats needed to celebrate another's faith . I am very holistic so would comfortably do a rain dance if it would make a pt smile !

The CD's are a wonderful way to provide spiritual care. I will have to get look for "Chicken Soup for the Littlest Soul." I love all of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

Columnist

tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN

83 Articles; 5,923 Posts

Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.
I have supported patients in their need for spiritual comfort.

Everyone is entitled to seek comfort in their own way. I hope that we can help them find it.

Totally agree. We need to remember that one size does not fit all.

What we (nurses) believe isn't really the point. It's about the patient, not us.

It isn't about us. True.

I think it's also very important to use discretion, however faith, religion, and spirituality are three different animals.

Even NANDA, bless their hearts, has picked up on the importance of one's "Spiritual Health" in addition to Physical and Mental Health. I think this is a wonderfully appropriate, timely needed, and reminder thread of the importance and necessity of Holistic Nursing Care.

:)You Go TnButterfly!!!;)

Body, mind, and soul.......they all go hand in hand when caring for our patients.