Boldness to Speak

[Parakeet]

I wanted to write this as an encouragement to other believers in the LORD Jesus Christ, that there are opportunities to give the Gospel in nursing.

I am in my last semester of a nursing program. It is at a technical college, and none of my classmates seem to be Christians. A few perhaps in name, but language and life do not line up. I had a desire to give the Gospel to every one of my classmates as well as my teachers, but the possibility of being able to speak personally with them for any length of time while completing nursing school just did not seem to be a possibility.

I decided that at the end of my previous semester, I could make gift packages with homemade soap, small gifts and a Gospel tract. I was able to give these to my classmates and teachers, and I also plan, LORD willing, to give them to the incoming nursing class as well.

For my patients, I have been able to pray with a couple of them based on their request. I have had patients ask me why I treat them the way I do - in other words, I think and hope that Jesus Christ is shining through - and they want to know what it is in me that loves them no matter what.

I think it all depends on your circumstances and how far you are willing to go. I just try to tell my patients about Jesus whenever I can - whenever they want me to.

I hope maybe this can encourage someone. As days are getting darker and the second coming of Jesus is closer than ever, I think we will have a higher price to pay for sharing our faith. Perhaps it is better to make it a habit now when it is easier than later. May the LORD Jesus embolden us that we would not be ashamed of Him when real persecution comes.

Might be unpopular to write, but so what! It is not me that counts, only Him! :)

[Farawyn]

The OP posted stated that she prays with patients and shares with patients when she is asked to do so. There is nothing wrong with that. She isn't going into each room and forcing a prayer or the Gospel message with those who don't ask. She also stated that her actions have spoken volumes to people. She gave gifts to her classmates which included a tract - not a Bible.

I don't know why people are getting bent out of shape over this. She posted to encourage others to think about doing the same. I can say that when asked, I do the same thing. Everyone I work with know about my faith, yet there are those who disagree. We get along anyway as the reason we have been thrown together is for the care of our residents in our LTC. I don't care what your faith is or isn't as long as you give quality care to the residents. We don't have to be friends outside of work if we strongly disagree.

Also, just because a person is a Christian does not mean they are intolerant, so stop with that.

I personally like Parakeet, although I often disagree with her. I think she is in for a rude awaking when she tries to share as a nurse, with people who do not ask for it.

I was raised a Catholic. I am clearly "lapsed" I'm friends with several of the Christian posters in this thread because we respect each other's right to worship or not worship. If Spidey's Mom, who is my friend, or crackle, tells me she will pray for me, that makes me happy, because for her, that's what she can do to help me.

That's different than getting religious tract from a classmate.

Parakeet has posted intolerance against gays and women and cited her faith as the reason.

Many of us have read her posts. I like her despite that, because to me she seems naive and wanting to do right.

I just hope she can contain herself at work.

I'm tired of repeating myself. Have a good night.

[canigraduate]

She has a pattern of forcing her views on others. See some of her previous posts. Also, giving tracts out to classmates is over the top.

If she continues that with her patient population, that's wrong. That's an abuse of the nurse's role.

We don't want her to get in trouble, and we don't want her patients to suffer.

You can get offended all you want, but preaching has no place in a nurse-patient relationship. The only exception is when a patient voluntarily asks for it.

[Nurse Leigh]

I personally like Parakeet, although I often disagree with her. I think she is in for a rude awaking when she tries to share as a nurse, with people who do not ask for it.

I was raised a Catholic. I am clearly "lapsed" I'm friends with several of the Christian posters in this thread because we respect each other's right to worship or not worship. If Spidey's Mom, who is my friend, or crackle, tells me she will pray for me, that makes me happy, because for her, that's what she can do to help me.

That's different than getting religious tract from a classmate.

Parakeet has posted intolerance against gays and women and cited her faith as the reason.

Many of us have read her posts. I like her despite that, because to me she seems naive and wanting to do right.

I just hope she can contain herself at work.

I'm tired of repeating myself. Have a good night.

Yep. And I'm not an atheist; I just have issues with the way organized religion sometimes (often?) is used as a weapon rather than a bridge.

I actually enjoy intellectual conversations about different religions and the ways they often overlap.

I love the stories of Christians in the Middle East protecting Muslims as they pray, and then the Muslims protecting the Christians as they pray.

I also like talking with those who identify as atheist, agnostic, spiritual, or polytheistic or whatever. Respect and learning are always good.

But, I don't discuss it with my patients. I am very happy to contact the chaplain for them, though, and do what I can to accommodate their practices.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

...but do you believe in angels?

I mean - that is your username and all...[/quote

lol actually I do! Ok make no sense. I don't subscribe to the big guy in the sky that grants wishes like some sort of genie or something

You are more than entitled to whatever kinds of beliefs you'd like! No judgement from me...I just had to call you on it if you didn't believe in them, haha.

[NanikRN]

Also, just because a person is a Christian does not mean they are intolerant, so stop with that.

OP judging classmates as not quite Christian enough -as per her initial post- seems intolerant to me

And, of course not all Christians are intolerant. No one ever said that. We are talking about specific actions as reported by OP

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

C'mon, Farawyn, you judge people every day... We all do.. That person lying in the gutter with an empty alcohol bottle in his hand.. Quick, what say you? That he is a man who has passed out from a drunken stupor. Right? Or, how about that pregnant women who comes in to see you at your clinic, and she tells you she wants to come clean and she fears her baby will be born with addictions. YOU immediately start to identify that she is a person with real problems who is attempting to drown them with drugs and/or alcohol and you have a concern about the babies health.

It is the same thing here. If I see a person speaking to the "fact" that they are a Christian, and then two minutes later she is talking to their husband on the phone, and telling him to F off and that she doesn't care that he is upset about her new boyfriend. What thoughts come to my mind - your mind? Are you judging her to say that her marriage won't last long? Or are you stating something which appears apparent to you? Parakeet was making an observation too, and just as it is her right to do so, you have a right to be offended. But know that many who complain that they don't want to be judged do so because they don't want light shined on their life. Coming under condemnation is no fun for anyone. Now, I'm not saying this is you, as you may have other reasons for your actions or thoughts, but at some point, my Lord says that EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue confess...And yes, It is your right not to believe any of this, again, just like its Parakeet's right to want to seize an opportunity to share Christ if she can. As long as discernment is used, she'll be fine.

Bipolar Bible Bingo. Pick and choose which parts of the Good Book you would like to follow and repent about the rest....

Sigh.

Jesus may be the way, the truth, and the light for any number of nurses. Or not. Same goes for patients.

If a patient wants spiritual guidance, there are other disciplines that can provide that, and should. And a nurse should refer to the Chaplain, ones own minister, prayer group, whatever it is that the PATIENT requests. But to then start preaching/praying and otherwise then makes the nurse a peer. And that is a boundary issue.

The moment that the nurse, in his/her professional capacity over ill and vulnerable people, hold hostage a patient with come to Jesus moments is when one crosses the line to unethical.

OP in school (and as you will find in work) it is highly offensive to attempt to gain brownie points to heaven by preaching any sort of religion. Outright or disguised as a gift. Which is really devious in my opinion.

And to throw in some food for thought--those people who are devout in astronomical ways could question why it is that a female is working, not home having the Lord bless her with kids, wearing pants, having a haircut, wearing makeup or jewelry, having an uncovered head, or not submitting and cleaving to her spouse. Which are all parts of the Bible. So it you are going to open Panadora's Box, you need to then get into a justification on why it is that you are just choosing SOME things as absolute fact and not others. And as a male nurse, becoming too" familiar" with female patients who are not your spouse.

It is all a question of ethical (and legal) boundaries.

[almost_nurse]

I have also had patients thank me for treating them with compassion. I am not Christian. I just believe in service and love toward my fellow humans. I am glad you have found solace in your faith; just respect that people can be good even if their beliefs differ from yours.

[IVRUS, BSN, RN]

Bipolar Bible Bingo. Pick and choose which parts of the Good Book you would like to follow and repent about the rest....

Sigh.

Jesus may be the way, the truth, and the light for any number of nurses. Or not. Same goes for patients.

If a patient wants spiritual guidance, there are other disciplines that can provide that, and should. And a nurse should refer to the Chaplain, ones own minister, prayer group, whatever it is that the PATIENT requests. But to then start preaching/praying and otherwise then makes the nurse a peer. And that is a boundary issue.

The moment that the nurse, in his/her professional capacity over ill and vulnerable people, hold hostage a patient with come to Jesus moments is when one crosses the line to unethical.

OP in school (and as you will find in work) it is highly offensive to attempt to gain brownie points to heaven by preaching any sort of religion. Outright or disguised as a gift. Which is really devious in my opinion.

And to throw in some food for thought--those people who are devout in astronomical ways could question why it is that a female is working, not home having the Lord bless her with kids, wearing pants, having a haircut, wearing makeup or jewelry, having an uncovered head, or not submitting and cleaving to her spouse. Which are all parts of the Bible. So it you are going to open Panadora's Box, you need to then get into a justification on why it is that you are just choosing SOME things as absolute fact and not others. And as a male nurse, becoming too" familiar" with female patients who are not your spouse.

It is all a question of ethical (and legal) boundaries.

If anyone is spewing Babel, it must be known that this is the epitome of doctrine gone wrong! If OP is a Christian, and someone asks her to pray with them... She is just as capable, and maybe more so that a priest, a minister etc. With the HOLY SPIRIT living inside of her, she can be just as capable as anyone else.

[Extra Pickles]

oh my goodness I'm not even sure where to start! You can't say you are respectful of other people's religions if your idea of respecting them is to force religious tracts, meaning your religion's teachings, on them! That is not being respectful, it's downright rude!

Anyone who sits in judgment of someone as not being Christian enough or not seeming to be religious enough for them is being very un-christianlike!! Judge not lest ye be Judged, anyone????

I realize that many Christians believe that the only way they can do right by Jesus is to proseletyze (not sure if I spelled that right??) but as far as I can tell it's just forcing your own beliefs and opinions on everyone else!!

You say there is only one true way to get with God and that's through Jesus well all I can say is that sure isn't tolerant of other people's religions now is it? It's scoffing at other people who don't believe Jesus is the one true way at all!!

This is really upsetting to see someone who wants to be a nurse, in the position of providing intimate and highly sensitive care to people and they may have to suffer through such intolerance and rudeness on something as basic as one's own religious faith. I would chase you away from my family with a STICK if you came at me or them with this kind of behavior!!!!!!

[Kitiger, RN]

For my patients, I have been able to pray with a couple of them based on their request. I have had patients ask me why I treat them the way I do - in other words, I think and hope that Jesus Christ is shining through - and they want to know what it is in me that loves them no matter what.

When you pray with a person "based on their request", that is not hammering anything down their throat.

Lighten up. :)

[ktwlpn, LPN]

If anyone is spewing Babel, it must be known that this is the epitome of doctrine gone wrong! If OP is a Christian, and someone asks her to pray with them... She is just as capable, and maybe more so that a priest, a minister etc. With the HOLY SPIRIT living inside of her, she can be just as capable as anyone else.

So what if another of her patients is falling on the floor while she is praying with this one? It's called " delegation" She will be on duty to NURSE. Not MINISTER

[falcon123]

Be authentic as possible, they speaks truer and LOUDER than any philosophical argument.