Prayer and patient care.

sharona97, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2007

I have and with their families (they initiated and I joined in). I also took a CEU class on the same subject. I;ve held many a dying hand, hope somone is there for me when I;m needing them.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2007

That's not my gift and honestly I've never been asked. I always ask them if they need a chaplain upon admission and periodically throughout their stay if they are facing difficulties. That's their job and their gift.

Zookeeper3 · Sep 5, 2007

Umn, I've been providing care to a dying patient ready to code (way down in the bible belt), and have been grabbed in a prayer circle (everyone holds hands and the preacher prays). At this point it becomes disrespectful to the patients spirituality and I join in, with multiple people awaiting me, I'm blessed specifically and I watch for the bolt of lightning to strike my agnostic butt dead.

Honestly I personally cringe, but I do pray for the patient as it is their belief system because 1. I'm stuck 2. It's for my patient. I try to leave my personal beliefs at the time clock and I'd like the same if it were for me.

Even though we're educated and have experience with spirituality, it's always tough when it's not your personal belief system.

mesixfuture · Sep 5, 2007

I wear a skirt w/ my scrubs instead of pants. So patients usually guess that I'm religious, and I'm often asked to pray. I always oblige when asked. Sometimes I pray silently for my patients, especially during delivery or in surgery. I think God hears me either way, whether they realize I'm praying for them or not. But back to the OP, if a patient asks you to pray with them, by all means pray!

Columnist · Sep 5, 2007

Yes, I frequently pray with my patients as it is part of my job as a Parish Nurse. They often are the ones who request prayer during our visit, but if they don't, and I feel it is appropriate, I ask if they would like prayer.

sharona97, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2007

Well said Zookeeper3.

liljsmom02 · Sep 5, 2007

I pray if the family is praying. I have also prayed silently. I think we have all prayed to a God of some sort at times. Sometimes we just need strength and it helps us to find it.

Jo Dirt · Sep 5, 2007

Umn, I've been providing care to a dying patient ready to code (way down in the bible belt), and have been grabbed in a prayer circle (everyone holds hands and the preacher prays). At this point it becomes disrespectful to the patients spirituality and I join in, with multiple people awaiting me, I'm blessed specifically and I watch for the bolt of lightning to strike my agnostic butt dead.
Honestly I personally cringe, but I do pray for the patient as it is their belief system because 1. I'm stuck 2. It's for my patient. I try to leave my personal beliefs at the time clock and I'd like the same if it were for me.
Even though we're educated and have experience with spirituality, it's always tough when it's not your personal belief system.

This sounds just like me.

I had to accompany a patient to church recently on a private duty case. When I protested the supervisor said if I chose to wait until church services were over I had to dock the time I waited outside.

So I went. It was a Pentecostal church. They were so wild I actually had to excuse myself to the bathroom so I could laugh after a woman caught her foot in the microphone cord when she was jumping around in a frenzy and tripped.

You's have to have been there.

Jo Dirt · Sep 5, 2007

Yes, I frequently pray with my patients as it is part of my job as a Parish Nurse. They often are the ones who request prayer during our visit, but if they don't, and I feel it is appropriate, I ask if they would like prayer.

I thought Parish Nurse mean they were from Louisiana?

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Sep 5, 2007

I have prayed for and with patients. I do not force it upon them, but I ask them, esp those facing difficult situations if they would like a chaplain to come and visit and/or pray with them. Sometimes it falls to me to be the one that prays simply because I speak Spanish and none of the chaplains do. It doesn't bother me. If someone said they didn't want a chaplain or prayer, that's cool with me. I just let them know it's there if they want it.

Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN · Sep 5, 2007

Do you ever pray with or for your patients?

If I'm stuck in the room - ie - patient is about to code - I am usually too busy to drop what I am doing to join hands. I've never had a family complain about that.

I generally step out when the chaplain comes in if it is safe for me to leave the patient's side. I want to give the family some personal grieving time if at all possible.

I also don't pray for my patients. When I'm done for the day I do my very best to leave it at the hospital. Praying for them on my off time would not be good for my own mental health. Sure, there are a few patients that hit closer to home than others, but still - it took a long time a lots of effort to be a nurse at work and a wife and mother at home.

Hope this answers your question.

Blee