Nursing Spirituality

[EGspirit]

The reason I became a CNA was because the very first time I opened the textbook (and I was a total newbie-outsider to anything like that), I felt like I was looking at the Gospel. I felt like caring for people, and being good at it, WAS the Gospel. Now, I'm an RN, and I still feel that way. That a shift at work is worshiping God, and a really hard shift, is glory.

Sometimes I feel the world needs nurses, not priests. But that's me, and even by my own reckoning, I'm utterly insane. So, what do you think? Does nursing have spiritual implications for you?

PS. I tried to get rid of the oversized image of the Good Samaritan up there, but it won't let me, and it won't let me delete my post and start over either. Sorry about that. Next time I'll know to resize my images first.

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

Not at all. I believe the jolly green giant is more real than any flavor of deity. However, the fact that I'm a non-believer doesn't give me license to be a nasty, uncaring individual. I choose nursing because I like helping people and it provides a good living & that's all. No mystical higher power pointed be there.

[wondern, ASN]

I love seeing babies born.:inlove:That reminds me of miracles, God, and blessings.

I also ask Jesus to please help sick people all the time. Sometimes I like to do it out loud just so he can be sure and hear me. I'm not really religious though. It's more like a personal relationship.

[Davey Do]

I love seeing babies born.

I like babies. Babies seem to like me. But I never wanted to have one of my very own.

I do remember the first baby I ever saw born in March of 1983. I thought it was a beautiful thing. I thought, "I'm going to remember his name so if I ever meet him again I could say, 'You were the first baby I ever saw born!'"

That baby is now 34 1/2 years old and I've yet to meet him so I can say that.

Beautiful thing also about the personal relationship, wondern.

[wondern, ASN]

Thank you Davey Do and awwwwwww.....

What a sweet memory!

[CafeduMonde4Breakfast]

I watch my patients to see who seems to be spiritual or seems to have deep needs. Sometimes, if I feel they are open, I will ask them if they are spiritual. If they say yes, I'll ask them what they believe in. Many patients have asked me to pray with them. A couple have said it changed their life for the moment. I want my patients to be able to be in more of a parasympathetic state, and less of a sympathetic state for all of the benefits that brings. I aim to serve my patients to meet their medical and physical needs, their intellectual needs to learn about their diagnosis, and also to help those who would like their good Samaritan to talk with God with them. For all, including those who aren't interested in spiritual things, I aim to bring laughter, the best medicine, and to the best of my ability, to leave no need unmet and no question unanswered.

[Laur318, BSN, RN]

Great discussion. To be able to support people in their time of need is an absolute blessing- especially if you can support them emotionally/spiritually. I think that caring for patients is a calling, a duty, and a privilege. In this field we are in a special position to witness God's work all the time.

[Tenebrae, BSN, RN]

For me, no.

I try to live by the words in the following statement "Live a good life and if there are gods and they are just then they will judge you based on how you live your life. If there are no gods or they are unjust and cruel then you would not want to worship such a being. So live a good life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones"

I do my job for the paycheck, however I'm fortunate to have a job that allows me to walk beside patients and their families are the darkest and most scary times and hopefully help them to shine their own light on the situation". Do I have any machinations on saving the world? Heck no, I'll settle for making a difference in my small corner of the world

[khminh]

For me, no.

I try to live by the words in the following statement "Live a good life and if there are gods and they are just then they will judge you based on how you live your life. If there are no gods or they are unjust and cruel then you would not want to worship such a being. So live a good life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones"

I do my job for the paycheck, however I'm fortunate to have a job that allows me to walk beside patients and their families are the darkest and most scary times and hopefully help them to shine their own light on the situation". Do I have any machinations on saving the world? Heck no, I'll settle for making a difference in my small corner of the world

When I am sick, if I have a choice, you will be on my first priority.

What I need at the moment is compassion and empathy from a human without baggage. I am not an atheist, but I feel safe around atheists. I feel like I can entrust my being into their hands without the afterlife threat. I don't need to be saved for being who I am. Christians just don't get it. I bet Christian nurses are simply Levi in white coats. They are in the field to win souls.

[Wuzzie]

What I need at the moment is compassion and empathy from a human without baggage. I am not an atheist, but I feel safe around atheists. I feel like I can entrust my being into their hands without the afterlife threat. I don't need to be saved for being who I am. Christians just don't get it. I bet Christian nurses are simply Levi in white coats. They are in the field to win souls.

You know, that's a pretty broad brush you are using all over this site. While I agree there are some pretty despicable people who self-identify as "Christian" that does not condemn the entire lot. Not everyone is fundamentally extreme. There are plenty of people of faith who do not push their beliefs on anyone, especially vulnerable patients and I happen to be one of them. What happens to you in the afterlife is not my business. Frankly, I don't really know what's going to happen to me. But if my faith helps me be a little kinder, a little more patient, a little more accepting then I don't think that's a bad thing.

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

I'm a non-believer but I feel that everybody is entitled to whatever they believe in. Personally I can't stand the zealots on either side. On the one side you have the hard-core "you gotta believe in my God or you are going to hell / are an infidel / ignorant...." & on the other side you have atheists who feel compelled to belittle people of faith. I say if it makes you feel good then do it. Both extreme sides of this argument make me feel compelled to projectile vomit.

[khminh]

You know, that's a pretty broad brush you are using all over this site. While I agree there are some pretty despicable people who self-identify as "Christian" that does not condemn the entire lot. Not everyone is fundamentally extreme. There are plenty of people of faith who do not push their beliefs on anyone, especially vulnerable patients and I happen to be one of them. What happens to you in the afterlife is not my business. Frankly, I don't really know what's going to happen to me. But if my faith helps me be a little kinder, a little more patient, a little more accepting then I don't think that's a bad thing.

Then what I said about those Christians does not apply to you.

I read the Bible. I know Christian doctrine pretty well. If Christian nurses truly care about patients as they claim, they would have certain skepticism in them.

Using Pacal's wager to scare me into believing in Jesus is simply insidious. I can easily disqualify my caregiver's qualification by using his own Bible. Worshiping a god who commanded genocide against non Hebrews and claiming compassion for me is oxymoron.

Nevertheless, I don't want to do that. Leave my sacred space alone. Then I will appreciate your good wish in your prayers. Attempting to talk me into accepting Jesus, who would punish non believers according to the book of revelation, you can expect consequences. Before you get a ding from BON, you will get a lecture about morality from me first.

[khminh]

I'm a non-believer but I feel that everybody is entitled to whatever they believe in. Personally I can't stand the zealots on either side. On the one side you have the hard-core "you gotta believe in my God or you are going to hell / are an infidel / ignorant...." & on the other side you have atheists who feel compelled to belittle people of faith. I say if it makes you feel good then do it. Both extreme sides of this argument make me feel compelled to projectile vomit.

Except that people on your side care about patients simply because it's the right thing. Patients can expect nothing but compassion from you.

I don't know any nursing program that teaches nurses to be concerned about patients' afterlife. Somehow, Christian nurses feel like it is their job to make sure patients are saved from their god's wrath.

I don't care about the burden Christian nurses have for spreading good news. Their intent is loud and clear: I, as a patient, am too dumb to know that there is a much worse thing than death; therefore, I have to accept Jesus. Utter nonsense.

When my uncle-in-law passed away due to cancer, he experienced no pain. There was a smile on his face when he released his final breath. He was a practicing Buddhist. I bet Christian nurses would look at that and still believe that he was tortured for eternity since he was not saved.

Seriously, Christian nurses should work at a Christian hospitals and leave non-Abrahamic patients alone.