Religion Needed to be a Good Nurse?

Nurses Spirituality

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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?

No...(yup and I am a Christian).

I think it helps though....

Their are times that honestly, if I didn't feel the MORAL obligation to help someone that needs help....then their would be NO way that I would sacrifice my extra time/resources (once again).....but sometimes when I look to my left or to my right...and I see someone that really needs help..and I do not see anyone else steping up...Then I am going to help because I feel its the right thing to do...to me, (and trust me I tone this @#$t down in the workplace cause I dont want to be labeled a nut in a field that values science and pragmatism) But I do look at nursing, for some people, as literally a "Calling"....God put you there in a place to help people and gave you those special skills because that is his plan for you to help that person, at that time. Afterall, one of Jesus's major ministries was healing the sick. "He who helps the least in my kingdom will inherit the greatest"...or something like that. I am sure Psych people would have something to say about this POV, so I keep it to myself for the most part...This is what some churches teach tho.

But anyway, it helps give me a reason to keep doing good work even if its not fair to me..or i am tired or I don't feel like it ect ect. How many people do you see out there that were probably good people but are sooooo burnt out and could give a crap less what happens to their patients? And the higher ups that manipulate patients into coming in for extra medical treatments and appointments just so we can make more money...Don't get me started. We have all seen some of the corruption that takes place in the medical field...Not to mention how utterly hopeless I feel at times. My faith help me quite a bit!

However...going home with the sense that what I do is actually useful...and actually makes a difference...Totally worth all the BS to me. Money cannot buy that feeling.

I guess you could look at it this in entirely general terms...that is what YOU do is simply to contribute to your fellow man...you dont HAVE to be religious to have a strong moral compass and desire to follow it. I believe in being accepting of other peoples beliefs.."Different strokes for different folks"...their are many moderate Christians like myself around..but you only hear the crazy ones on TV...and that turns alot of people off. Christianity is about LOVE and Forgiveness. Not hate and judgement.

I am also very turned off my mainstream religions...not the bible..but organized religion often falls short, i feel. For instance, (forgive me this is blasphemy, I know ha!) But I tend not to go to chruch...I kinda wish I could find one that I liked. But...I work nights 6 or more per week most times, every weekend, every holiday almost...because their is a desperate need. And honestly, I am so exhausted 9/10 times by the time Sunday gets here..the last thing i feel like doing is going to church. Its hard at times just to get enough rest so I can pull myself together and get to work, lol. I know some Christian nurses that refuse to work Sundays, our short staffed day,.....but to me, I believe God knows that I am exhausted...and that people need nurses on Sunday too!...so I dont beat myself over that by any means. I contribute and participate in my own way..But I do wish I belonged to some kind of christian group and think I would benefit from being part of some 'christian community'

anyways.

Lol. Such a weird question. It's been hard to have to fragment a big part of my personality in this industry because if you knew that ..YES!...I do believe that Jesus did die on the cross to save me from my sins...would they still take me seriously? Would the Dr's still listen to what I have to say or does make everything I say suspect? Now I certainly do not deny my faith..I'll talk about it to anyone that wants to listen...But I am not Tim Tibow. LOL. Really I do not have time at work to entertain these questions of religion anyways..we already have much of our mental focus spoken for by the work we do. But I would like to figure out how to reconnect with that side again. I pretty strongly feel (despite what evangelicals might say...aka spread the good news)....that when I am at work..in the role of the nurse, that it is totally inappropriate to be trying to cram religion down someones throat at that time. Call the chaplain. Thats what HE is their for.

Specializes in Medical.

I don't think you have to be spiritual or religious to be a good nurse. I don't need to share my patients' beliefs to respect them. I don't need to care about my patients to provide care for them. And I suppose I'm lucky that, living in a country that predominantly identifies as secular, I'm not asked about my beliefs, or asked to pray for (or with) my aptients.

I currently identify as a Unitarian some of the time, agnostic others (which for a lot of people is the same thing), with a foot in Pastafarianism and a hand in secular humanism. I don't know if there's a god, or an afterlife - I think what matters is what you do in this life. So, though I'm far from perfect, my motivation for going the extra mile is that someone has greater need than I. Most often that's my patients, but I also contribute 10% of my gross income to charity, am active in my union, serve on committees, recycle, pick up rubbish when I see it in the street, and generally hope to leave at least a few bits of the world better than I found them.

The largest barrier to converting people to Christianity is Christians that confess Jesus by voice and deny him by actions. Returning to nursing has dragged me back to the cross kicking and screaming all the way. I could not put up with the bad hours, bad patients, bad management and bad working conditions if it wasn't for Jesus carrying me through yet another day. I have to often go into the bathroom and kneel and pray for guidance and patience less I begin to commit grave sins. We are the hands of God ministering to his children. All of his children. It changes the perspective and makes it easier to accept the difficulties.

Specializes in Med Surg - Renal.
I have to often go into the bathroom and kneel and pray for guidance and patience less I begin to commit grave sins.

Wow..exactly which sins are you trying not to commit?

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

I do not believe religion or spirituality is necessary to be a good nurse. What is necessary is compassion, respect, and supporting the patient's belief, whatever that may be.

Specializes in RN.
The largest barrier to converting people to Christianity is Christians that confess Jesus by voice and deny him by actions.

Just to touch on this view, I totally disagree. The Bible clearly states that people "do not believe." That is what separates anyone. Christians as well as other religions or non-religions basically strive to be "decent people." The fact that a person "believes" is more profound than our actions...just my $.02

Anyway, no you don't need "religion" to be a good nurse. Inversely there are those who are religious who are horrible nurses and need to get out of the biz.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, LTC.

Spiritual care is part of nursing scope of practice. Refer to NANDA for your nursing diagnosis

and care plans which can serve as guidance for you and/or patients in this area.

Your instructor was not mis-speaking....she was doing what she was suppose to do, teach new nurses.:-)

That being said, after you graduate and seek employment you will probably not have

much difficulty finding a place to work where no spirituality is practiced and where if it is,

disregard even persecution follows.

I recently made a social services referral on new admit for palliative care (who requested)

to see a Priest and it was totally blown off by DON and SS. I was told she "receives

plenty of social interaction."....well 3 days later she died without having request met.

Anyways, very best to you and hope, maybe NANDA will offer you some awareness in this area.

Specializes in none.

I'm an Atheist which leaves me out of this thread all together except to say that I have said rosaries for the Catholics,read bible verses for the protestants, kaddish for the Jews. These prayers didn't effect my belief. I just consider it part of being a nurses. This country is too hung up on religion. I hope when it is time for me to die, there will be someone to comfort me. To give me a shot of whiskey and talk baseball to me.

The reason why I'm on this site is because I'm making a career change and besides, my wife and both of my sisters are nurses. The grave reality is that one must be very careful in speaking to clients about your faith. A good nurse is a good listener. I also agree with the other posts on religion vs spirituality. The two are opposites. My wife and I put very little trust in ourselves and rather, Christ which lives within us. I want to become a nurse because I want to care for people, no matter how they treat me. And I will only be able to get through those tough days because I know that I am a worthless human being and was counted worthy enough to be saved and have an opportunity at eternal life. But many of my colleauges do not think of me as worthless....MBA grad, big money job, weathly clients, etc. It has nothing to do with good works or deeds....they only make "yourself" feel good. Regardless of your faith or what you believe, if you are a good listener and show all your patients charity (love), you are an excellent nurse!!!!

Ephesians 2:8-9

8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Specializes in none.

Sorry you feel worthless, Sparky. Not all of us do.

"i could not put up with the bad hours, bad patients, bad management and bad working conditions if it wasn't for jesus carrying me through yet another day."

i'm an atheist, and a nurse. a passionate one if you ask me (passionate atheist and nurse) i put up with everything you mentioned, just fine. i do it because i know i'm making a positive difference in the lives of others, and that my life has meaning because of what i do. plus, i feel they compensate me more than well enough for what i deal with.

not being religious/spiritual doesn't make you a bad nurse. however, not respecting the religions and spirituality of other people could certainly make you a bad nurse. no matter what i believe (or in my case, don't believe), respecting others is what's important.

"

the grave reality is that one must be very careful in speaking to clients about your faith"

you shouldn't be speaking to clients/patients about your faith. you are there to learn about them and listen to them, not the other way around. you listen to them talk about their faith... or their favorite sports teams, or their dog, or their time serving in the army. they are the patient and the focus is on them, not you.

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