Religion Needed to be a Good Nurse?

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Nov 7, 2005

Mave said:
I believe that being sympathetic and understanding of the pt's belief system could help the situation out. I personally am a Christian and even though I'm going to be exposed to many different views it means that I'm going to have to be sympathetic of them. I belive that just being there for them even if it is as the stereotyped angel, it could be helpful to them. No "preaching" required, but a word of encouragement and compassion works wonders.

Beautifully done. We live by example, not by word. Excellent post.

Side note: Folks, we need to be a little bit more understanding here towards each other. Nothing inflames hearts more or gets them up on a soap box more than the topics of sex, politics, and religion. Let's be respectful in how we post.

Thanks

stevenking, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2005

RIGHT YOU ARE MY BROTHER !!!!!!

Yeee-ha. A fellow believer...

kittycare · Nov 7, 2005

That Is A Quality That Man Has And Should Allow Him/herself To Be Seen By All..

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Nov 7, 2005

Folks, this thread has gotten too hot to handle, so I'm closing it for 24 hours for a cooling-off period and moderator discussion. I ask those of you who have gotten into the flame wars (you know who you are) to re-read the TOS, which advises members to debate the ISSUES and not each other.

This is a worthy discussion, but it cannot continue unless members can abide by the rules and show each other the courtesy of allowing EVERYONE to express their opinions without flaming, judgment, or personal attacks.

Thank you.

Marla

Moderator, General Nursing Discussion

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Nov 10, 2005

OK, is everyone cooled off and ready to resume this discussion?

Good.

I think this is a valuable topic, which is why I'm re-opening the thread. However, this is contingent upon your willingness to keep the debate polite and respectful of others' points of view.......please remember that we are all adults, as well as educated professionals, and we should behave accordingly. What we say here matters.........just ask anyone who was around when the American Journal of Nursing quoted posts out of context from one of our threads:uhoh21:

That said: Let the debate begin!:)

Cute_CNA, CNA · Nov 10, 2005

What we say here matters.........just ask anyone who was around when the American Journal of Nursing quoted posts out of context from one of our threads:uhoh21:
That said: Let the debate begin!:)

Woah, which issue was that?

Bipley · Nov 10, 2005

Kabin said:
We just covered a spiritituality/religion lesson in our BSN course and the instructor (religious) came out and said good nurses had spirituality and would be there for whatever spiritual needs the PT had. I understand the benefits of PTs being able to express their own spiritituality, but not being spiritual myself, I always assumed this could happen without me losing my own identity/belief system by praying with the PT. There are professionals in this area afterall and it's not as if nursing doesn't have enough on its plate already.
So the question is, does the nursing career, with all it's specialized education and skills, also view good nurses to be spiritual/religious or is this instructor taking some liberties with the topic?

A teacher should have made no such claims. I'm an atheist and I have been in the teaching world. I've been a nurse for over 20 years and I do a pretty darn fine job with my patients.

Your teacher was out of line and I wish I would have been there because I would have set the record straight.

Think about it, what is she saying when the patient doesn't share her brand of religion? Her comments were silly, out of line, and exceedingly insulting to those of us that manage to do the job quite well without believing in her individual faith.

Bipley · Nov 10, 2005

asoldierswife05 said:
I think having religion/spirituality in your life DOES make you a better nurse (whatever that religion may be), because (and i am making a broad generalization here, i understand) most religions encompass basic loving, caring, moral values that we hold ourselves accountable to and effect the way we respond to others.

As an atheist I should probably be insulted by this statement, but I'm not. Amazingly, it does NOT take religion to encompass basic loving, caring, or moral values that we hold ourselves accountable for. That is essentially saying that without religion one is not capable of morality or love. Isn't that also saying that without religion we'd be out there eating babies too?

And that, is just silly.

Hopalong · Nov 10, 2005

I am truly sorry to see this thread become a agonostic/atheist vs. Judeo/Christian debate.

Good nurses come in both genders, both sexual persuasions, with a variety of belief systems. The important point is that good nurses have a value system that makes them good nurses.

What is nursing? my personal definition is " Nursing - the gentle art of caring"

Before I became a born-again Christian I was a good nurse - very thorough and technical - now the patient has a different impact on me. Does that make me a better nurse? Probably not, but I must practice our craft the way I am, and so must each of you - no matter what your belief system.

After all, "To thine own self be true."

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Nov 10, 2005

Hopalong said:
What is nursing? my personal definition is " Nursing - the gentle art of caring"

I disagree.

Nursing is the assertive art of being a high tech, well educated, first responder, monitor and interventioner in critical situations.

Caring might be part of the job - and values (what this thread is about). But it is not the major part of this job.

To say that nursing means caring holds us back. Anybody and everybody has the capability to care. But not everybody has what it takes to be a nurse. I'm a professional healthcare provider, highly trained and experienced. I might be caring, but that only scratches the surface of my worth.

~faith,

Timothy.

Bipley · Nov 10, 2005

sbic56 said:
Being agnostic, I have to respond to this. It's not that those who do not believe similarly are intolerant, moreso they do not like it when sometimes those of others faiths push their beliefs upon them and this just seems to happen more often in Christianity. Nontheists rarely talk about their beliefs unless they feel their belief system is being questioned. To me, religion is a personal thing and the "don't ask, don't tell" policy should be applied so nobody feels the need to defend their beliefs. I think oftentimes Christians assume everyone believes and do not mean to offend. For example, I know I sometimes receive those mass generated religious emails from friends who do not know my beliefs, because I don't talk about them publically and rather than become annoyed, I simply delete. Those who push when they do know how I believe, well then I get pissed. Nobody likes it when someone implies their belief system is "wrong." It's more about respecting others beliefs than being intolerant, IMO

Sbic...

Thank you for writing this. I was afraid I wouldn't be as diplomatic so I refrained from responding.

But you know what? There is a big huge issue here. This is something we really need to look at as a profession. Most of the nurses I work with merely assume I am Christian and I let them assume that. If the truth be known, where I work the majority of the employees are atheist or agnostic. The Christian nurses have NO idea and we like to keep it that way. Otherwise cliques form and that isn't a fun working relationship. It becomes the Christians vs. the non-Christians. If they had *any* idea how many atheists they are working with they would be absolutely floored. You can't swing a dead cat at my hospital and not hit an atheist. Yet the nurses really believe it is such a Christian environment. Do they wonder why we don't mind working Christmas and Easter?? :chuckle

I worked with a nurse once that mistakenly found out I was an atheist and from that day on she swore each time she was near me the demons in my soul were giving her headaches. Funny thing, she never had those headaches before she found out about my atheism. We don't have a disease they are going to catch, we merely believe in one less God than they do.

Want to know another real kicker? I'm a board moderator for a Catholic forum! How funny is that? The site owner knows of my lack of belief but the members assume I too am Catholic. If they find out I am an atheist it will be JUST like at work with the Christian nurses discover my atheism. Life is so much easier when people don't know.

Don't ask and don't tell. Best religion policy in the world!

Hopalong · Nov 10, 2005

ZASHAGALKA said:
I disagree.
Nursing is the assertive art of being a high tech, well educated, first responder, monitor and interventioner in critical situations.
Caring might be part of the job - and values (what this thread is about). But it is not the major part of this job.
To say that nursing means caring holds us back. Anybody and everybody has the capability to care. But not everybody has what it takes to be a nurse. I'm a professional healthcare provider, highly trained and experienced. I might be caring, but that only scratches the surface of my worth.
~faith,
Timothy.

I don't understand your response. Refer- your 2nd paragraph, which IS what the thread is about. So unless you are starting a new thread, I will ust use your own words as a response.