I Love being a Christian Nurse

Good Morning, Gil · Apr 12, 2012

lol, nowhere in my post did I say Christians are somehow superior beings to the rest of the world. In fact, we do not believe this to be true, hence the mercy and grace reference. I was simply responding to a post, and helping to support the OP who was receiving unfounded responses. She is posting on a spirituality section of allnurses; isn't that kind of the point of this section?

And, as far as spirituality and religion, you fundamentally cannot make the distinction (this is a postmodern view that just does not make sense; I am "spiritual" as I "meditate" lol; what exactly are you meditating on? If you choose to meditate on God, money, or sex lol, then that becomes your religion as that is what you worship. Everybody chooses to worship something, even if its himself/herself, power, or money, but I digress...). One really cannot have spirituality without religion. Even athiests choose to believe in something, nothing; they do not believe in God, so they believe that after death, we just sit in the soil for a while until our bodies decompose. I normally don't talk about religion/politics with people I barely know, especially not on this kind of forum, but I just wanted to support the OP and respond to a few inquiring posts.

I'm not going to attempt to "argue" Christianity, though; that's just not how it works.

As far as treating patients as individuals and respecting their cultural differences, yes, I do that as do many other people of differing faiths do. I do not understand how the OP's post suggested otherwise lol.

Merlyn · Apr 12, 2012

I hope there was never a question in anyone's mind that everybody is deserving of equal respect, regardless of religious belief (or lack of)

Even people that fly air planes into buildings because their belief say that they will go to heaven that way.

Merlyn · Apr 12, 2012

I too was interested from the post and began to read EVERYONES postings. I find it hard to believe how judgmental some can be. "I Love Being a Christian Nurse" simply tells me who the person is. Does it make a difference in their nursing? I can't say and would not comment as if I did know. I can only comment for myself.... I can say I love being a Christian Nurse or a Nurse who is Christian. I am sad that the original poster has come under attack.. as many posts seem to.
As I said I can only speak for myself......
After I was diagnosed with a brain tumor; told I was not a candidate for surgery I prayed ALOT and asked God to direct me to my next path. The more time spent in the clinic, and talking with other patients the more drawn I was to nursing. It was then I quit my job and began nursing school. 1/2 way through my LPN schooling they found a hemorrhage around my tumor and decided that I was now a great candidate for surgery. They bumped up my surgery & the Minister was in with another
patient; my mom and I were about to pray when the nurse came in. I asked if she would like to join she declined (no problem) but then she added her two cents (as many have on here) "I don't know why people bother, the doctor is the one
who is holding your life in his hands; but if you must can you do it quickly so we can get you to the OR" I was shocked....After my surgery I finished school. And for the past 5 years I have worked as an LPN and graduated with my ADN.
Does being a "Christian" impact my nursing? I believe it does... I accept everyone! I love and have understanding for everyone and will do the best for my patient and all works I do I do in the name of the Lord. God has brought me down this path in my life and granted me the knowledge and abilities needed to care for ALL my patients. NOT JUST OTHER CHRISTIANS! If I have a patient who asks me to pray with them I will. If they are of a different religion and ask if I will take part in a "prayer" or custom which provides them comfort pre, post or during their stay I will. I DO NOT push my beliefs onto others. I DO NOT wave a flag around intending to offend. Do I pray in public? YES! Do I pray for my patients? YES! Do I believe in the power of prayer? Yes! Do some that I work with think this is odd? YES! When i have times of trouble..I can pray to God for anything and know i have help. Do they accept me as I accept them? YES! Why? Because we respect each other. I make it a point to review my clients religious status on record and let them know of services offered; I have also taken classes on many different religious customs as well as different ethnic customs so I can be a better well rounded open minded nurse to my patients. I also donate my time and nursing skills to different organizations and charities. I believe that with my beliefs it makes me a better person, more well rounded and the ability to give quality healhcare to my patients.
George Bernard Shaw said "There is only one religion, though there are a hundred versions of it."
Here is an interesting link about spirituality and health care The role of spirituality in health care

I just want to comment about the nurse that told you to hurry up when you prayed, She was, what we atheist call an Idiot *****. You just don't talk to a patient and their family like that. Now I have posted some mean things on this thread, and i'm an Atheist but when I work in LTC I carry my Church Bag, as I call it. In the bag a pair of rosaries, a catholic prayer book, a KJV bible, Jewish prayer book,Yamaka, and Handbook on witchcraft. You see as an atheist I have no trouble praying with my patient no matter what they believe. It doesn't hurt my belief but I found that it gives them comfort and really they are the only ones that count. Glad you are better, you healed. Pax Vobiscum

subee, MSN, CRNA · Apr 12, 2012

Did I imply that I am an atheist? Just because one doesn't adhere to religiosity, doesn't mean that one is atheistic. That's the whole point about the reference to Einstein. If God is good enough for him, then HESHE might be good enough for me. You're assuming that because I

don't care for the Me-Thou separation comes from rigid adherence to dogma, I'm denying the existence of G_d. In other words, that my standards are not up to yours. What does meditation have to do with anything / It's probably good for your blood pressure but I don't have the patience and my blood pressure is fine. Why is meditation a bad thing? Would you disapprove of Buddhists? They seem to be very innocuous to me.

livin4mylilj · Apr 13, 2012

Wow im almost done with school and I was worried about having no time for my family with a nursing career but this thread made me realize nurses are obviously not busy enough. Thank you for calming my fears. Now I know that the nurses who seem to have no life are only that busy because they waste time waiting to pounce on someone for saying something they don't like or don't understand, what a waste of time and breath. Grow up and get a life. I don't know how you can stand being a nurse when you are so ready to attack, and so vicious. I thought nurses were more open minded. Well anyway just glad to know I will have plenty of free time. I will choose to live my life to the fullest and be happy by booty trying to persecute everyone, that is what truly living is. For the people that want to dissect my ***** and talk crap go right ahead, knock yourself out, I won't be reading any comments anyways......okay and.......GO

TopazLover, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2012

I look at religion as man made. I look at spirituality as an internal barometer. I think of spirituality as beliefs, value systems, and human response to stimuli. Religion is man's attempt to regulate spirituality.

Before you start to flame me i will remind you that I do consider myself a Christian. I find little in common with some Christians, am closer to Buddhists in some ways but still have a relationship with religion.

Merlyn · Apr 13, 2012

Wow im almost done with school and I was worried about having no time for my family with a nursing career but this thread made me realize nurses are obviously not busy enough. Thank you for calming my fears. Now I know that the nurses who seem to have no life are only that busy because they waste time waiting to pounce on someone for saying something they don't like or don't understand, what a waste of time and breath. Grow up and get a life. I don't know how you can stand being a nurse when you are so ready to attack, and so vicious. I thought nurses were more open minded. Well anyway just glad to know I will have plenty of free time. I will choose to live my life to the fullest and be happy by booty trying to persecute everyone, that is what truly living is. For the people that want to dissect my ***** and talk crap go right ahead, knock yourself out, I won't be reading any comments anyways......okay and.......GO

I'm glad this one is not going to read the comments. Plenty of time. Recovering from triple bi past. A Life? We that have been working in this business for had more of a life then this one will ever dream of. I expect Dolly Dimples will be posting to this board again. Under the 'charge nurse gave me a dirty look' or 'how can I find a job.' They all come back.

allnurses Guide · Apr 13, 2012

lol, nowhere in my post did I say Christians are somehow superior beings to the rest of the world. In fact, we do not believe this to be true, hence the mercy and grace reference.

Actually, the mercy and grace reference you used referred to Christians. You're just superior enough to have eternal life while everybody else burns in hell, that's all.

Mercy: not getting what you do deserve
Grace: getting what you don't deserve, so...
In a nutshell, I and other Christians believe that by grace we are saved.

I wondered why you wrote that at all because it has nothing to do with the question. You answered the question at the beginning of your prior post when you said this,

It may not impact nursing care itself, but one's religion/spirituality does affect how one sees the world

I realize that you added a disclaimer at the end of it "not implying other people don't have compassion". However, people don't generally feel the need to point out the obvious (in this case that nominal religion doesn't predict how compassionate an individual person is) unless there is a point they're trying to make, however subtly it may be expressed.

I think the issue of judgemental attitudes toward drug addicts and prostitutes is far more a person to person thing than a sect to sect thing. Millions of people call themselves Christian. What they should not do doesn't excuse what they actually do (or think).

When you explained why you brought it up you said that someone wanted to know how being a Christian affected their nursing care, when you stated in the first part of your reply that it doesn't. Believe me, I am in no way a Christian basher. I think there is more to your post than you want to admit to -- and I'm glad we were able to give you two lols for your day.

allnurses Guide · Apr 13, 2012

Ruas61 and Nursel56,
I believe when posters like Good Morning, Gil state that their Christianity enables them to provide compassionate care, it is not to say that others are unable (as they have repeatedly stated). EVERYONE is able... but some find that their faith *guides* them in their compassion. Others may find other sources of inspiration, but we all have a reason.
Why are some people looking for a way to turn any statement into something negative?

Vespertinas,

I haven't objected to the OP's post at all. As I said in my other post here, the tone of it makes me wonder if she hasn't read some of the other posts around recently. If she is simply feeling exuberant about her religion, that is fine with me! GoodMorningGil's post was different entirely. I responded to that a few minutes ago.

Religion and spirituality are so complex and so personal misunderstandings are inevitable. There's a thread in the Break Room about religion where I wrote a really long explanation of my journey with the subject matter. You almost have to write something like that to even begin to hope that other people understand where you are coming from. I mean no disrespect.

iteachob, MSN, RN · Apr 13, 2012

If you're not a Christian nurse, why read and respond to this thread? Just. Let. It. Go. Live and let live. To each his own. That pretty much sums up how I would (not) respond to a thread titled "i love being a (insert religion other than the one I practice) nurse. OP said nothing against anyone.....just saying'

brainkandy87 · Apr 16, 2012

If you're not a Christian nurse, why read and respond to this thread? Just. Let. It. Go. Live and let live. To each his own. That pretty much sums up how I would (not) respond to a thread titled "i love being a (insert religion other than the one I practice) nurse. OP said nothing against anyone.....just saying'

Because the OP had absolutely no point to make whatsoever. The original post of this thread would've made more sense as a reply in some other thread. Instead, it sits alone atop this thread, just waiting to be torn apart and it should be torn apart. We are nurses. Our religious beliefs should in no way be connected to our role as nurses.

iteachob, MSN, RN · Apr 16, 2012

Because the OP had absolutely no point to make whatsoever. The original post of this thread would've made more sense as a reply in some other thread. Instead, it sits alone atop this thread, just waiting to be torn apart and it should be torn apart. We are nurses. Our religious beliefs should in no way be connected to our role as nurses.

You do realize it was posted in the Nursing and SPIRITUALITY forum? Should that forum be torn apart as well?