Nurses' Spiritual Lives

[FutureMaleOhioNurse]

I spoke to an ER nurse about his spiritual life. He told me that he's now closer to God than before he became a nurse. He went on to explain that he found himself praying more for his patients and has even witnessed several miracles. This, in turn, strengthened his relationship with God. He said, "How can something that defies medical/scientific laws occur? The only explanation is divine intervention." I'm curious as to how your spiritual lives have been affected by being a nurse. Have you witnessed any miracles that physicians cannot explain? Please share them here. Has your faith been affected because of the tragedies that you've witnessed and thought, "How can there be a God?" As a Christian, I would really like to hear from you. My faith is strong, but I want to know if I have to prepare myself before I start nursing school this fall. This thread can also serve as a motivational tool to help those in the medical field who are having problems with their faith. :) What can I do to keep my faith strong while witnessing the things that nurses deal with every day (e.g. a child dying, domestic violence, etc.)?

[Fribblet]

This job has made me into a raging atheist. The sheer amount of waste and human suffering does not equate into belief in a "higher power." Different strokes for different folks.

I wouldn't categorize myself as a "raging" atheist, but I am an atheist. I was an atheist before I even considered going to nursing school. Being a nurse has not convinced me of anything in "spiritual" matters except that my lack of belief is much more in tune with reality.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

The more I learn about the human body, the more convinced I become that God has designed us purposefully.

That being said, I don't discuss my beliefs with my patients. On admission, I assess for the patients' spiritual needs. (Do you have any cultural, religious, or spiritual beliefs we should be aware of when caring for you? Do you want to speak with pastoral care for any reason?)

I pray all of the time at work, though. Silently, in my head. (I also like to sing hymns in my head when doing difficult procedures). I've also had some talks with God before and after work that have been...not pleasant.

I was raised pagan and I still respect Earth-based spirituality very much. My Christian beliefs reconcile with my upbringing more than one might think.

In a nutshell, I was a Christian before I became a nurse and I am still a Christian. My beliefs concerning Jesus and God haven't really changed, although perhaps the way I see God's handiwork has become clearer.