Religion Needed to be a Good Nurse? - Page 23

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  1. Nov 13, '05 by
    Quote from ZASHAGALKA
    Can you be a nurse without caring? NO.
    I know that this is OT, but I disagree. I work with a few nurses who don't care (in the nursing-theory sense of capital-C care), and they're still excellent. I'm think of one guy in particular, who is kind but dispassionate, efficient and a real asset; he cares about his family, his salary, and doing a good job, but he's not at all invested emotionally in his patients. There are days I wish I could be more like him.
  2. Nov 13, '05 by
    Quote from talaxandra
    I know that this is OT, but I disagree. I work with a few nurses who don't care (in the nursing-theory sense of capital-C care), and they're still excellent. I'm think of one guy in particular, who is kind but dispassionate, efficient and a real asset; he cares about his family, his salary, and doing a good job, but he's not at all invested emotionally in his patients. There are days I wish I could be more like him.
    I wouldn't say this guy doesn't care, but he has emotionally detached himself from things he cannot control. Pts will live, suffer, and die and all we can do as nurses is promote their comfort and advocate for their rights. If we didn't care about these things then I don't see why we would even bother...but to become too emotionally involved will complicate our objective ability to provide services.
  3. Apr 2, '06 by
    This is such a fascinating discussion. The Original poster said that one is never supposed to talk about "religion or politics", but I really enjoy discussing these topics. I am an open minded Christian myself. Some people might say that I am not a real Christian, since I don't believe that non-Christians are going to hell. But aaaaanyway..........
    I think a disproportionately large number af nurses are Christians, because they are practicing their faith. Jesus said " Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me". So the nurse that does the "dirty work" of cleaning up feces or vomit from a socially "undesirable" person is doing Gods work.
    I myself felt that I was doing "rewarding" work when I was helping an old person to dress or bathe.
    Also, we nurses see a lot of sadness. It helps to believe in the afterlife when you are working with dying children.
  4. Apr 2, '06 by
    Is that a servants heart to be able to clean feces and vomit, to hold a dying person's hand and resite "The Lords Prayer" ?To hold and comfort the Left Behind? To have your hand on a transducer and see a baby so tiny you need a microscope and yet know there is life in that heartbeat. I maybe tired and downhearted about being a nurse but I Believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin ,lived on this earth to better understand me ,and died for my sins b/c there is no work on this earth that would get me into Heaven except my faith and to live each day to the Glory of Jesus Christ my Savior . Sorry I didn't mean to get on a soapbox Thanks for letting me heal a little
  5. Apr 3, '06 by
    I'm not a christian and am sick and tired of it coming up in every damn subject. If you're not a christian in the USa you're obviously nothing.
  6. Apr 3, '06 by
    Quote from StNeotser
    I'm not a christian and am sick and tired of it coming up in every damn subject. If you're not a christian in the USa you're obviously nothing.
    In doesn't come up in EVERY subject, but when our nursing leaders define nursing in terms of spirituality (care theory, energy field distrubances), it's not difficult to understand why nurses constantly ponder spirituality in their practice.

    Especially since there seems to be a direct linking to nursing and the 'better angels of our nature.' But even that is history. Modern hospital care has its basis in religious orders.

    I am a devout Christian. But you have my full support in the concept that nursing is better served by focusing on our scientific and technological education and training.

    Indeed, I seriously doubt that nursing can define 'spirituality' for even a minor subset of nurses. We bring our own spirituality to our jobs, whether that is based in religion, or not.

    If such is the case, then what is the point of trying to create a theoretical underpinning that can never describe the individual contributions of nurses, whether they are religious or atheist?

    Religion, in many ways, defines 'community'. Indeed, the great contribution of America in the history of the world is that the Constitution defines our community - and NOT religion. Benjamin Franklin once said that the greatest thing he ever created was 'Americans'.

    I don't think it's accurate to say that you're nothing in American if you aren't Christian. The very thing that makes American unique is that we are a community the crosses theological and cultural boundaries. Indeed, if you could define America, the term that comes most to mind is: we are a melting pot of ideas and peoples.

    ~faith,
    Timothy.
  7. Apr 3, '06 by
    Quote from ZASHAGALKA
    The very thing that makes American unique is that we are a community the crosses theological and cultural boundaries. Indeed, if you could define America, the term that comes most to mind is: we are a melting pot of ideas and peoples.

    ~faith,
    Timothy.
    Why do you think that America alone is unique in this? I am a British citizen and lived there for 27 years. We have had both a Jewish and a female leader (Prime Minister). You haven't. We also hold true that there should be no discrimination on gender or religious grounds. Yet the only leaders you've ever had have been Christian males.
    talaxandra and ChelseaLynn1623 like this.
  8. Apr 3, '06 by
    Quote from StNeotser
    Yet the only leaders you've ever had have been Christian males.
    And they make darn sure as candidates that they let all know they are strong Christians. Without that vote, they would never get in office.

    We may have the freedom to choose our faith in this country and that is great, but I feel a bit patronized when I hearing that from Christian presidents.
    ChelseaLynn1623 likes this.
  9. Apr 3, '06 by
    Quote from StNeotser
    Yet the only leaders you've ever had have been Christian males.
    Someone once told me that the reason Lieberman would never get elected was because this country would never elect a Jew...

    I didn't think much of it then, but then I recall how certain sections of people were 'flustered' when Kennedy was elected and people thought that the Pope was pretty much calling the shots now.
  10. Apr 3, '06 by
    Quote from vloho
    Is that a servants heart to be able to clean feces and vomit, to hold a dying person's hand and resite "The Lords Prayer" ?To hold and comfort the Left Behind? To have your hand on a transducer and see a baby so tiny you need a microscope and yet know there is life in that heartbeat. I maybe tired and downhearted about being a nurse but I Believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin ,lived on this earth to better understand me ,and died for my sins b/c there is no work on this earth that would get me into Heaven except my faith and to live each day to the Glory of Jesus Christ my Savior . Sorry I didn't mean to get on a soapbox Thanks for letting me heal a little
    :angel2: :angel2: :angel2: :angel2: :angel2: Yeah..what she said !
    Couldn't agree more.

    LPN 90