Nursing Spirituality

Nurses Spirituality

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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. :bag:

Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.

It has no spiritual implications for me at all, and I can't relate in the slightest way for those that answer yes. BUT I respect it, and we don't have to agree on things as long as you do your job well and don't cross those boundaries at work whether that be with coworkers or patients unless they initiate it first.

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Holy Holy-War Batman:

It's times like these that I'm grateful to be a non-believer. I truly think that whatever deity you chose to pray to is your business. I also think it has no place what so ever at work. I have been an ER Nurse for quite some time and honestly can say I've never - ever once seen a patient care who a nurse prayed to or if they prayed at all for that matter. They are sick or hurt and they want a well-trained professional to help them. Nurses occasionally will try to push their flavor of mysticism on each other but those are typically private conversations between zealots that I could care less about. At no time should this impact in any way how we treat patients. I've helped war hero's, wonderful men & women and drug addicted rapists / child molesters & they all get the same thing which is the very best I have to offer. Only once have I seen this happen & I was a patient. Some time ago I went to rehab for ETOH abuse and one of the Nurses and a Counselor tried to push a "voluntary" prayer meeting on the patients there. I thought that completely inappropriate and after calling them ass-clowns 8 ways from Sunday it never happened again. Mixing medicine and personal beliefs in "fill in the blank" is garbage. If I'm sick I want somebody to help me. I don't care is they worship Jesus, Budda, Satan or the Cat in the Damn Hat. I just want help & the nurse can check that nonsense at the door with the rest of his / her baggage

You sound like someone who has absolutely nothing. And that doesn't mean that I endorse the opposite of what you said in your post. I don't think anyone should preach their religion at work--that is a place and time where one should "show" their religion. But I will say it again, you sound like someone who has nothing.

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It has no spiritual implications for me at all, and I can't relate in the slightest way for those that answer yes. BUT I respect it, and we don't have to agree on things as long as you do your job well and don't cross those boundaries at work whether that be with coworkers or patients unless they initiate it first.

And notice, you call yourself "jaded." But hey, if it means nothing more than a job to you, then that's what it is. So long as YOU do your job, and don't leave people suffering because you are spiritually absent.

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You sound like someone who has absolutely nothing. And that doesn't mean that I endorse the opposite of what you said in your post. I don't think anyone should preach their religion at work--that is a place and time where one should "show" their religion. But I will say it again, you sound like someone who has nothing.

That was a bit mean don't you think?

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That was a bit mean don't you think?

No, not given the context of what she wrote.

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No, not given the context of what she wrote.

Was it necessary?

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Was it necessary?

What do you care? Why not let her talk for herself. Why try to make something that isn't there? Why do you feel the need to stir up what isn't stirred up?

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What do you care? Why not let her talk for herself. Why try to make something that isn't there? Why do you feel the need to stir up what isn't stirred up?

Not stirring things up. Just trying to keep this thread open because it's interesting. Personal attacks do nothing to further discussion. No need to be nasty and it isn't helping you support your viewpoint.

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Not stirring things up. Just trying to keep this thread open because it's interesting. Personal attacks do nothing to further discussion. No need to be nasty and it isn't helping you support your viewpoint.

No one is being personally attacked. No one has been personally attacked. You need to stop trying to create a negative situation where one doesn't exist. It's inappropriate.

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No one is being personally attacked. No one has been personally attacked. You need to stop trying to create a negative situation where one doesn't exist. It's inappropriate.

I'm doing nothing of the sort. But telling someone they have "nothing" or that their patient care may suffer because they are "spiritually absent" isn't appropriate either or very nice and I won't stand by and let it continue. I assumed by the image in your first post that you were a practicing Christian but I may have been misled by that. Regardless, it seems any further discourse with you is pointless. Enjoy the rest of your day.

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I'm doing nothing of the sort. But telling someone they have "nothing" or that their patient care may suffer because they are "spiritually absent" isn't appropriate either or very nice and I won't stand by and let it continue. I assumed by the image in your first post that you were a practicing Christian but I may have been misled by that. Regardless, it seems any further discourse with you is pointless. Enjoy the rest of your day.

mmm buh bye.

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I often wish that nursing had chosen a different word than "spirituality" for its approach to patients' and nurses' issues of meaning in their lives. Spirituality so easily becomes seen as some sort of religious issue, whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, New Age, etc. I know that in theory there is a difference, and people are eager to say "Oh, but spirituality isn't necessarily religious," but the reality is that for someone growing up in our culture it is almost impossible to hear the word "spiritual" without linking it with some religious notion.

As a caregiver I can tell you, if you ask, what values will guide my care for you in your current situation. And you can tell me, if you want, what gives meaning to your life and how you'd like me to facilitate that in your current situation. And it can all be done without reference to "spirituality."

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