Religion Needed to be a Good Nurse?

[Kabin]

We just covered a spiritituality/religion lesson in our BSN course and the instructor (religious) came out and said good nurses had spirituality and would be there for whatever spiritual needs the PT had. I understand the benefits of PTs being able to express their own spiritituality, but not being spiritual myself, I always assumed this could happen without me losing my own identity/belief system by praying with the PT. There are professionals in this area afterall and it's not as if nursing doesn't have enough on its plate already.

So the question is, does the nursing career, with all it's specialized education and skills, also view good nurses to be spiritual/religious or is this instructor taking some liberties with the topic?

[nurse_clown]

i was taught when i was younger that everyone had a purpose in this life. i ask what purpose is it when a long-awaited child is stillborn? the families go through hell in their grieving. i have even known parents to kill themselves because of this. who does that serve? what have these babies that are unable to defend themselves done to deserve to be hit, kicked, burned, and raped? i feel that a god that allows that to happen isn't one that has earned my respect or love.

that is one of the reasons why *i* choose not to serve that god as opposed to the ones i commune with.

in nursing, i don't think you have to serve god. some nurses do and some nurses don't. for me personally, i've come across a lot of people who claim they are religious and think that everyone else should. but those are the same people that judge others for their choices and it's also those same people that probably the most cruel people walking the face of the earth. i don't put much stock into someone saying they are religious because i don't believe anyone can be truly religious.

i too was taught that everyone and everything on this earth is here for a reason...a purpose. sometimes the purpose is cruel such as the death of a child or an untimely death of a young adult. everything happens for a reason. we can always justify in our heads what those reasons are. i hear it over and over again. life isn't fair. it makes more sense to me. a god who is as powerful as they say wouldn't continue to allow the amount of suffering that is hard to accept.

i used to work for a child protective service agency. the stuff i saw was absolutely awful. i never understood why people could be so mean and neglectful of their children. what child deserves that?

anyway, that's my peice. i don't believe for a second that religion is necessary. i've worked with a lot of nurses who were very "grounded" but not religious. i've also worked with a number of nurses who "say" they are christian people aren't.

[kittycare]

YES, NURSING REQUIRES SPIRTUALITY...NURSING IS WHOLISTIC...U NEED TO EXAMINE UR-SELF BEFORE U CAN GIVE WHOLISTIC CARE...I AM NOT SAYING TO GET ON HANDS AND KNEES ,BUT MOST HAVE A HIGHER POWER (GOD in my case) THAT GIVES THEM STANDARDS AND PRINCIPALS, GRACE, CARING, LOVE AND COMPASSION...THESE THINGS ARE NURSING...

[stevenking, BSN, RN]

in nursing, i don't think you have to serve god. some nurses do and some nurses don't. for me personally, i've come across a lot of people who claim they are religious and think that everyone else should. but those are the same people that judge others for their choices and it's also those same people that probably the most cruel people walking the face of the earth. i don't put much stock into someone saying they are religious because i don't believe anyone can be truly religious.

not a balanced statement. how can i take your sentiment seriously when you claim that religious people are "...probably the most cruel people walking the face of the earth"? you opinion about someone not being religious strikes me as very infantile. from merriam-webster online we discover the following definitions for religious:

1 : relating to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality or deity

2 : of, relating to, or devoted to religious beliefs or observances

3 a : scrupulously and conscientiously faithful b : fervent, zealous

how do you rationalize that you feel someone can not be truly religious? on what grounds and by what authority?

i too was taught that everyone and everything on this earth is here for a reason...a purpose. sometimes the purpose is cruel such as the death of a child or an untimely death of a young adult. everything happens for a reason. we can always justify in our heads what those reasons are. i hear it over and over again. life isn't fair. it makes more sense to me. a god who is as powerful as they say wouldn't continue to allow the amount of suffering that is hard to accept.

if you are truly curious, there have been tomes written about the problem of evil and its various problems in the christian community. your conception of god does not include one who would permit suffering. how about i say that my conception allows it---all we've done is the "he said, she said" dance. opinions are like noses...everyone has one.

anyway, that's my peice. i don't believe for a second that religion is necessary. i've worked with a lot of nurses who were very "grounded" but not religious. i've also worked with a number of nurses who "say" they are christian people aren't.

wow, how can you deduce who "is" or "is not" something. especially since you denigrate the practice of faith?

this post is a classic example of why forums permit too much bandwidth to people who have amazing issues. i don't know the poster...but i can deduce that this person has been "burned" by religious pursuits in the past and now has nothing valuable to input except for sour grapes.

just my $.02, read and respond if you wish...after all, it's only opinions anyway.

[kittycare]

Religion Is Churchy...relationship Is Love ,compassion,non-judgemental,kind,understanding,caring,grace,patient....

God Allows Man To Chose ...he Gave Man The Perfect Will....what Man Does With It...well He Will Either Be Rewarded Or Condemed For It.

[stevenking, BSN, RN]

kittycare said:

YES, NURSING REQUIRES SPIRTUALITY...

Only in the sense that we are spiritual beings...

[stevenking, BSN, RN]

kittycare said:

Religion Is Churchy...relationship Is Love...

I have never taught anyone that I advocate religion - since I believe religion is a construct of mankind. I do advocate a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ...the Living Lord who died for the sins of mankind.

I choose to facilitate this relationship via religion.

[MMARN, BSN, RN]

I believe that being sympathetic and understanding of the pt's belief system could help the situation out. I personally am a Christian and even though I'm going to be exposed to many different views it means that I'm going to have to be sympathetic of them. I belive that just being there for them even if it is as the stereotyped angel, it could be helpful to them. No "preaching" required, but a word of encouragement and compassion works wonders.

[MMARN, BSN, RN]

thekingster said:

I have never taught anyone that I advocate religion - since I believe religion is a construct of mankind. I do advocate a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus Christ...the Living Lord who died for the sins of mankind.

I choose to facilitate this relationship via religion.

RIGHT YOU ARE MY BROTHER !!!!!!

[tvccrn, ASN, RN]

Hopalong said:

To tvccrn and others - no it's not a perfect world, God has not intended it to be. Without sadness there can be no joy, without war, no peace. In other words there is indeed a time for everyting under heaven, as the Bible says.

I know it's not a perfect world and I stated in my post the I know there are bad people out there. It's the little ones that haven't done anything wrong that I have a hard time accepting as being treated mercifully.

I am not trying to convert anyone I am merely stating that for these reasons I don't count myself as religious because, in my mind, religion denotes a worship of that one diety.

[nurse_clown]

not a balanced statement. how can i take your sentiment seriously when you claim that religious people are "...probably the most cruel people walking the face of the earth"? you opinion about someone not being religious strikes me as very infantile. from merriam-webster online we discover the following definitions for religious:

how do you rationalize that you feel someone can not be truly religious? on what grounds and by what authority?

if you are truly curious, there have been tomes written about the problem of evil and its various problems in the christian community. your conception of god does not include one who would permit suffering. how about i say that my conception allows it---all we've done is the "he said, she said" dance. opinions are like noses...everyone has one.

wow, how can you deduce who "is" or "is not" something. especially since you denigrate the practice of faith?

this post is a classic example of why forums permit too much bandwidth to people who have amazing issues. i don't know the poster...but i can deduce that this person has been "burned" by religious pursuits in the past and now has nothing valuable to input except for sour grapes.

just my $.02, read and respond if you wish...after all, it's only opinions anyway.

i take issue with a lot of your post. it's the exact problem that i have with people who are religious. why can't someone who isn't religious have an opinion without some religious person shooting it down? just because you can't understand that life is alright without religion. i've made my opinion and just because it isn't your religious opinion, it isn't balanced or infantile? is that how you convert people to your religion. you say that it's your two cents but you're response was very judgemental. very jugdmental. that's the problem.

i merely put my opinion on the table. whoever can take it or leave it. my life is fine. my work ethics and prinicples are fine. there is nothing unbalanced or infantile about my work. i am a registered nurse and a darn good one at that. just because i refuse to engage in a craft that to me is meaningless (evidenced based, for your information) it doesn't mean that i am not a good nurse!!!! just because i don't share your opinion, it doesn't mean i am wrong. you have proven my case completely. that's the problem with fanatic religious people that assume that everyone else needs "saving". sorry but there are registered nurses that aren't religious and we are doing just fine in our profession without the religious conversion. thank you very much!!!

[tvccrn, ASN, RN]

asoldierswife05 said:

You have a lot of serious emotions tied up in your post, and I am guessing by your id that you are in critical care? Although I don't know you personally, and I am not trying to convert you either, you seem like you may need some encouragement.

Just from my own personal experience, God can seem unmerciful but I do believe he has a grand design that we are too feeble-minded to even begin to understand. When we see suffering, we don't look at the big picture.

Jesus was the most RIGHTEOUS person that walked the face of the Earth, and look how he met his end? But our salvation came from it (Just my belief). Look at people like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr...they did a large amount of suffering themselves, but they brought about a revolution. This country was founded because others were suffering oppression!

I understand it must be hard to see innocent lives being taken, leaving families in such deep pain, and not be able to see a clear reason why. But having faith (not necessarily in God but in a greater purpose... a design of life) may help you cope with these things. But because of these precious lives we lose, our medical care continous to become better and better. If you ever get a chance to visit St. Jude Hospital I would recommend it. You would expect those children, especially the ones who KNOW they are going to die, to be miserable and depressed...but they are not! They live life with a smile on their face and bring joy to everyone they talk to. I have seen staff members brought to tears. I can't look at the spirit in those children and not know there is a God. That is my personal conviction.

If you feel like you are dealing with too much loss and grief perhaps you should break from critical care for awhile. Not saying that to be mean, just out of concern. ((((((HUG)))))))

I was in critical care at one point although my ID refers to the community college I attended. Thank you for your concern.:loveya:

[stevenking, BSN, RN]

i take issue with a lot of your post. ...sorry but there are registered nurses that aren't religious and we are doing just fine in our profession without the religious conversion. thank you very much!!!

your post did not "prove" anything. if anything, it substantiated my belief. i am not trying to convert anyone to anything...this original thread asked if religion was necessary to be a good nurse. we've all established that effective nursing care can be performed quite nicely without religion whatsoever.