Religion Needed to be a Good Nurse?

MichaelLooney · Nov 4, 2005

When I took the BNA class they made it clear that we are NOT to share our religious preferences with residents since they may NOT have the same religious beliefs as us, and we should refrain from sharing in there's as well since it can be misconstrewed by another resident who doesn't have the same religious beleifs as whomever you do decide to share with.

If that makes any sense.

nurse4theplanet, RN · Nov 4, 2005

Wait a minute, what were we talking about? Oh yeah...

Kabin said:
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?

After re-reading your post a little more carefully, I think I believer your instructor either did not explain herself appropriately or you may have taken it more sensitive because you do not consider yourself spiritual in a religious aspect...which is quite alright.

What really makes you a GOOD nurse is being able to accept others spirituality, relious needs, and such without being judgemental. You don't have to agree with them, but you do have to bust your butt to meet their needs just as you would want a nurse to do for you whether she agreed with your beliefs or not.

Meeting spiritual needs does not mean just PRAYING with the patient...don't know if your instructor said this or if you just interpreted it that way. Nor are your required to PRAY with your patient. As a Christian, prayer is very important to me, but I would not pray with a Buddhist, seeing as how we differ so greatly. But I would seek out that religion's spiritual leader to allow them to have a companion of the same conviction to pray with.

Now, if you share the same religious views with your patient then I see nothing wrong reading to them from a religous scripture or praying with them at the bedside...of course if time permits, and you are ASKED. But the safest and most appropriate thing to do as a nurse is to seek out a professional in this area.

So to answer the last question in your post the nursing profession would view good nurses as those who can accept and provide equal care to patients of all spiritualities, and be sensitive to their needs. Was your nursing instructor taking liberties with the topic...well, you didn't go into much detail about what was said in your post...so that would be something you would need to discuss with others who heard the lecture. wave.gif.f76ccbc7287c56e63c3d7e6d800ab6c

Tigger Nurse · Nov 4, 2005

MichaelLooney said:
When I took the BNA class they made it clear that we are NOT to share our religious preferences with residents since they may NOT have the same religious beliefs as us, and we should refrain from sharing in there's as well since it can be misconstrewed by another resident who doesn't have the same religious beleifs as whomever you do decide to share with.
If that makes any sense.

I do not share my religious beliefs without the patients consent! If they believe in God and are begging for help, I try to assist them with their dilemma, especially if there are no family members or other close friends to comfort them. I live in a mostly Mormon community now and religion is a very important factor in their lives. I respect all religious beliefs and just refer to my own when it is appropriate. :saint:

stevenking, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

fergus51 said:
I think you have a good view of things.

I always love to see that...

fergus51 said:
Off topic, but there are Christians who do not believe in the exclusive rightness of Christianity. I was raised going to UU church, which was founded as a Christian church and many members would still call themselves Christian, but the "universalist" part of UU means that a person would not be denied salvation or heaven or whatever simply because they didn't believe in Jesus. Oh, and I LOVE Ferris Bueller's Day off!!!

About Christianity - I would simply label Christians who did not believe in the exclusive rightness of Christianity as something other than Christians, then.

About Ferris Bueller's Day Off - a classic which should be imbued with legendary status. :chuckle

fergus51 · Nov 4, 2005

thekingster said:
I always love to see that...
About Christianity - I would simply label Christians who did not believe in the exclusive rightness of Christianity as something other than Christians, then.
About Ferris Bueller's Day Off - a classic which should be imbued with legendary status. :chuckle

I would argue that the loving and merciful nature of God would preclude him from abandoning his children in the afterlife simply because they didn't say "Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation" when they were alive. Course, I could be wrong and that is why universalists are considered heretics by some:p but, hey it works for me:chuckle IMO, it's a relationship with Christ that determines whether someone is a Christian or not and I wouldn't call myself a Christian. People in every religion do seem to pick the points that matter most to them and pay less attention to what doesn't. To me, the necessity of a belief in a certain creedo or only ONE way to God doesn't make sense. I once heard some tv commentators talking about this referring to catholics who choose to use birth control despite the church condemning the practice. One said "Well, religion should be an all or nothing thing. If you don't believe in all the tenets of catholicism, you aren't a catholic. You can't pick and choose. Why would you buy raisin bread if you don't want raisins?" The answer was quick and to the point: "You buy it for the bread". That makes a lot of sense to me and it explains why some Christians are universalists and not exclusivists when it comes to religion.

I do think God will be angry with anyone who says anything bad about Ferris Bueller's Day Off though.... very, very angry:angryfire

stevenking, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

Tigger Nurse said:
I do not share my religious beliefs without the patients consent!

I try to live my beliefs so I don't have to speak them...

Tigger Nurse said:
If they believe in God and are begging for help, I try to assist them with their dilemma, especially if there are no family members or other close friends to comfort them. I live in a mostly Mormon community now and religion is a very important factor in their lives. I respect all religious beliefs and just refer to my own when it is appropriate.

I, too, respect people's religious beliefs...even those I believe to be dead wrong.

Just my $.02,

tatermama85 · Nov 4, 2005

Just be true within your self and do not be judgemental regarding others beliefs i truly believe we are all God's children and believe we do nursing as our purpose in life as the saying goes"do unto others as you would have them do unto you" a smile and hand holding go along way good luck in school:)

stevenking, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

fergus51 said:
I would argue that the loving and merciful nature of God would preclude him from abandoning his children in the afterlife simply because they didn't say "Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation" when they were alive.

Yet, this is precisely what Christianity claims...

fergus51 said:
I do think God will be angry with anyone who says anything bad about Ferris Bueller's Day Off though.... very, very angry:angryfire

?

stevenking, BSN, RN · Nov 4, 2005

tatermama85 said:
Just be true within your self and do not be judgemental regarding others beliefs...

Even if I am judgmental about someone else's beliefs...I still provide the same level of care to a patient. After all, people are free to disagree with me...

But many are wrong [and no...I am not taking myself too seriously...you shouldn't either...]

Steven King

The Kingster

mtnmom · Nov 4, 2005

thekingster said:
I always love to see that...
About Ferris Bueller's Day Off - a classic which should be imbued with legendary status. :chuckle

The wonderful thing about a classic like Ferris Bueller is that it can bring people of all beliefs together in laughter. And that is a good thing indeed.

If you dont like that movie there is definetely something wrong with you. you probably will not gain admission to heaven, Nirvana, or any afterlife of any description other than Hades.

And by the way, while I am here, can I put in a plug for another classic side-splitter, "Airplane".

fergus51 · Nov 4, 2005

thekingster said:
Yet, this is precisely what Christianity claims...

There is a great deal of diversity in Christianity and what each church teaches. A catholic and a baptist will differ greatly on what it takes to get into heaven so I don't think universalists can be dismissed so easily.

I know the truth though.... you just have to accept Ferris Bueller's Day Off as a funny movie and be able to recite some of the lines by memory to please our creator;) Bueller?..... Bueller?.... Bueller?:roll Airline is pretty funny too, but I don't know if it's necessary for salvation or not.

HRLRN · Nov 4, 2005

So God looks down on my Associates Degree? Uh-Oh.:)