Are you a nurse with "alternative" spiritual beliefs?

[GadgetRN71]

If so, have you gotten grief from coworkers or patients because of it? Tell your stories here!!I'm pagan, and I'm pretty low key about it. I have nothing against Jesus. If he existed, I think he must have been a pretty cool dude. But, I don't consider myself a Christian per se. I've worn jewelry that represents my faith and gotten raised eyebrows and a few comments here and there, but nothing I can't handle. Patients have been pretty ok with it but maybe that's the pre-op drugs doing their job, lol.

[Mr Midwife, BSN, RN]

I've always listed my religion as Biker (Catholic under Pope Valentino Rossi), the other male midwife in my unit says he's Protestant Biker under Minister Stoner!

[bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN]

I was raised catholic and am a " Christian" trying to figure out what exactly I believe. I don't take everything my preist and nuns taught me for fact. I believe man wrote the bible several years after Christ's death so how do we know how much of it is true? I have atheist friends and can understand some of the points they have brought up. There is just something inside of me telling me there is something more, I'm just still trying to figure out what that is. I respect all religions and beliefs and live learning from people of different faiths. I think as long as you have a reason for what you believe and aren't just "following the crowd" then you have every right to believe whatever.

[C-lion]

I am a Buddhist in the deep South, and work at a Christian hospital. I did not do any clinicals there, so I was unaware that they pipe in prayer over the intercom each day, or that each meeting would start with a prayer. We have been taught to respect patients religions, but I feel like it is assumed that all the employees are Christians.

[grandpaj]

I'm an agnostic, living in an area of the country where there is a church on just about every street corner. I routinely get asked by patients if I'm a Christian, if I share their faith, if I "know Jesus Christ." I debate about whether I should be honest or lie. I work on an oncology unit, where the patients are often terminally ill, and I feel like if I dodge around the question it's the same as saying no. I don't judge anyone based on their religion and don't feel that religious beliefs affect my ability to provide competent and compassionate patient care. I haven't yet come up with a universal strategy for how to deal with these questions - rather, I just try to answer based on what I feel the patient wants to hear and how much of a rapport we've built. Sometimes though, I feel like patients want nurses to share their religious beliefs, as though it affects the quality of the care one provides, and that can be frustrating.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I'm an agnostic living in an area of the country where there is a church on just about every street corner. I routinely get asked by patients if I'm a Christian, if I share their faith, if I "know Jesus Christ." I debate about whether I should be honest or lie. I work on an oncology unit, where the patients are often terminally ill, and I feel like if I dodge around the question it's the same as saying no. I don't judge anyone based on their religion and don't feel that religious beliefs affect my ability to provide competent and compassionate patient care. I haven't yet come up with a universal strategy for how to deal with these questions - rather, I just try to answer based on what I feel the patient wants to hear and how much of a rapport we've built. Sometimes though, I feel like patients want nurses to share their religious beliefs, as though it affects the quality of the care one provides, and that can be frustrating.[/quote']

As a spiritual agnostic, if someone states to me "Do you know Jesus Christ?" My response is "I am aware if Jesus Christ". If one decides to go further, asking about if I claim him, salvation, etc., I state that "I have a belief system I am comfortable with, tell me more about yours" or something to that effect...most if the time I leave out the belief system and go straight to the tell me more statement...take the lead from the pt...

[qaqueen]

Just asking. Atheist means you don't believe in any deities and Pagan means one is polytheistic. Oh well, none of my business anyway. Blessed Be.

Depends on your definition of pagan. Here are some definitions that you may not have found (or considered)

1.) "a follower of any of various contemporary religions that are based on the worship of nature or the Earth; a neopagan. "

2.) "Synonym Study Heathen and pagan are primarily historical terms that were applied pejoratively, especially by people who were Christian, Jewish, or Muslim, to peoples who were not members of one of those three monotheistic religious groups."

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I'm a Baptist...a REFORMED one! Yup, I'm one of those Calvinist types!!! Feels pretty alternative in my neck of the woods

[SoaringOwl]

I'm Zen Buddhist. The only time it has been made an issue is when another nurse on the floor told the DON that since I do not believe in God I should work Christmas Eve a d Christmas day without talking to me the DON did schedule me for both. The usual policy is each nurse takes a 4 hour shift so we all have the chance to be home. We straightened it out through an in service and went back to the four hour schedule.

The only other problem it has created is when someone "finds out" I'm Buddhist it becomes the most interesting thing about me. :)

I always find it laughable when only christians think they're entitled to the christian holidays. I come from an atheist and agnostic family, but we still get to gether on xmas and exchange gifts, and easter. Even the Jewish members of the family get together with us. It's like saying an immigrant nurse shouldn't have the 4th of July off.

[sweetbriar]

Pagan here. I've come into contact with quite a few nurses and EMTs who are pagan :)

[bb007rn]

I am Pagan, also and only once did anyone have any issue about it. (I don;t even remember the context) I do have people comment on my " pretty charms/jewelry"... I get the "Star of David, are you Jewish"-thing a lot. And if I choose to respond, "No, I'm a Witch", I find myself having to attempt to explain my entire belief system to a stranger. So now the general response is "thanks" or "No, I'm not Jewish" and then "Have a Blessed day".

[Girlafraid13]

I follow mostly levayan satanism for about the past 8 years but never share that with anyone and never will. Especially will never share that with a patient.. people usually don't understand it.

I do have a tattoo of the sigil of baphoment but it's covered when I wear scrubs :). And if someone wants me to pray with them I allow them to pray and will hold their hand or whatever they need no problem.

[sweetbriar]

I follow mostly levayan satanism for about the past 8 years but never share that with anyone and never will. Especially will never share that with a patient.. people usually don't understand it.

I do have a tattoo of the sigil of baphoment but it's covered when I wear scrubs :). And if someone wants me to pray with them I allow them to pray and will hold their hand or whatever they need no problem.

I think that's awesome. It's less about people *not* understanding it and more about people being *unwilling* to understand it.