It's not my job to pray with you.

Nurses Spirituality

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I am not religious. I do not pray. If praying makes you feel good then awesome. Do that. When patients are religious and need spirutual support, I am the first one to find their local pastor/rabbi/medicine man/etc. for them. This is how I can support my patient. I do not feel however, that I should be pressured to say prayers. yes, I will give my patient space and quiet time to pray if they want, but i don't feel it's my job to pray with patients. I feel this is over the line.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
If you don't mind, I'd actually like that. Particularly about how the Holy Spirit is a different force than G'd.

Thanks :)

OK. Let me get back to you tomorrow; it's been a long day and I am really tired.

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.
I am not religious. I do not pray. If praying makes you feel good then awesome. Do that. When patients are religious and need spirutual support, I am the first one to find their local pastor/rabbi/medicine man/etc. for them. This is how I can support my patient. I do not feel however, that I should be pressured to say prayers. yes, I will give my patient space and quiet time to pray if they want, but i don't feel it's my job to pray with patients. I feel this is over the line.

I totally agree with the original poster. It is incredibly selfish and presumptous to even ask. My beliefs are deeply personal and the nurse patient relationship is not. I do not share that aspect of myself with a strangers, and especially not with posters on an anonymous internet forum. I certainly will not pretend to pray for a stranger or to comfort a patient in that manner.

I can count on one hand the number of times that I have prayed with a patient and those few were people whom I trusted and had known for many years.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, orthopedics, urology.

You are absolutely right. Thank you for the insight and the article.

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You should not be FORCED, REQUIRED OR EXPECTED TO participate in religious activities simply b/c it will make someone else feel better. Just like people want you to respect their beliefs ...then people need to respect your beliefs or lack there of! It's a two-way street!

And Legally it's not your job to pray with patients.

SMH

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OK, OK. OP, you're right. Not your job. The benefit to the patient's well-being is supported scientifically. One tidbit: "An interesting bit of science attached to this ethnocentric and geocentric evolution of prayer comes out of Duke University Medical Center, where a study found that, within a group of 150 cardiac patients who received alternative post-operative therapy treatment, the sub-group who also received intercessory prayer (they were prayed for) had the highest success rate within the entire cohort."

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/enlightened-living/201007/the-science-psychology-and-metaphysics-prayer

"The Science, Psychology, and Metaphysics of Prayer." Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications

Many more studies support this. But if you believe your ethical principles trump a possible improvement of patient well-being, you must have some very good reasons that I have no way of comprehending. I like science, and I am an atheist, but I want to do what is in my power to (possibly) improve outcomes. In the end--nope, not your job. Carry on.

Shh... I don't pray either. I Kind of just support in silence. (Bonus: When a family member faints from emotional exhaustion, I'm there to help.)

I wonder if they'll fire me.

These studies are not scientifically defensible. How does anyone know that no one was praying for the patients in the control group?

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These studies are not scientifically defensible. How does anyone know that no one was praying for the patients in the control group?

Agree but for different reasons, how does one know if any gods are actually listening?

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How does one know that there is a God to listen?

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How does one know that there is a God to listen?

That is a good question, it requires faith which as an atheist I do not have. I'm not the best to answer this question lol

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I don't believe there is a way to accurately measure the efficacy of prayer, but I qualify that by knowing there is a vast amount of things I know I don't understand. Doesn't bother me in the least to just send people thoughts of (for lack of description for same in other faiths) agápē or brotherly love. I can't imagine that would actually be unacceptable to anyone who cares for a loved one, and if it is, well that's just how we'll leave it.

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I'm not religious in the least (I actually kind of resent most religions) but I don't mind praying with my patients. I believe that positive energy and hopeful thoughts are a good thing and if my patient feels like doing what with me I'm not going to tell them no. I get why some people are uncomfortable with prayer but how hard is it to separate yourself from the situation and just be there for someone? It seems stubborn to me. Everyone is different I guess.

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Specializes in ICU, Postpartum, Onc, PACU.

I think it's the nice thing to do. I never pray anymore and barely consider myself a Christian most of the time, but how much is bowing your head and sharing a moment (not a prayer, specifically) with a dying patient hurting anything?

I have had friends who are atheists/agnostic come over to my house as a kid and when my dad said the prayer before a meal they bowed their heads and were respectful. You don't have to close your eyes or be into prayer, but having a moment with a patient who is obviously in need at that time is a good thing.

Of course you call the chaplain or whoever else is available, but if it's a quick little thing I don't know why that's so difficult for people. I've participated (to the best of my ability) in Wiccan rituals in hospital rooms before and it did me no harm, plus it was appreciated by the patient. Win/win.

xo

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Specializes in Medical-Surgial, Cardiac, Pediatrics.

I don't pray with patient either, and I don't pretend to. Were I polytheistic, I wouldn't ask someone to pray to a god they don't believe in just because it makes me feel better, and I wouldn't ask them to be silent and pretend, since that would largely just be disingenuous. People need support, but they don't need empty gestures or pretending.

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