Religion in the Room

Nurses Spirituality

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I'm a NS, and I've been wondering what role religion does or can play out in patient care.

Let me say first, that while I'm personally a big Jesus fan I DO NOT believe in pushing my beliefs on others. But my question is, if a patient were to ever ask their nurse to pray with them, for them, etc is this generally allowed?

Or is it mostly a frowned upon practice, or maybe more of a facility based decision?

Really interested in your thoughts on this.

This thread has gotten a little more attention than I would've thought.

As a Christian, would like to explain a few things. (this is not meant to be soap box-y; just informative.)

(Most) Christians believe that all things should be done to glorify Christ. (hence the nursing for Jesus lanyard.) And we DO believe in witnessing to others about Christ and what he has done for all. However, one bad wrap we get, is our own fault in that dept: the life you lead (though not perfect) should be a witness, not always asking every stranger if they 'know the Lord'.

I would like to reiterate that I don't believe in forcing any religion on anyone. But its nice to see from the responses that if a patient wants prayer, etc, I wouldn't be slain for doing so. ?

Except by my pagan co-worker.

I'M JUST KIDDING!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Cardiac.

Although I'll tell people I'm Catholic if they ask me, I don't feel it's my job to "witness" to them as in trying to convert them. I figure my witness is doing my job as best I can for them because whatsoever you do to the least of them you do for ME (I'm sure I mangled the quote but you know how bad we catholics are with bible quotes). I am not going to get into religious discussions with a patient and I'm not going to pray with a patient though I will certainly pray for a patient if they ask. Happily although I've been asked to pray FOR people nobody ever asked me to pray WITH them.

In the era when I grew up, holding hands and praying out loud, except for formulaic prayers like the Our Father, wasn't a very common practice in the Catholic church. I always thought of prayer as between the person and God so listening to another person pray seems a sort of like voyeurism to me. I realize a lot of people in the protestant denominations and lately evangelical catholics feel differently about this.

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Specializes in Extreme generalist.

I live in an extremely small town, and my husband is a pastor, so many of my patients have some idea of what my beliefs are even before I know their name. Occasionally I do get asked to pray with a patient, and I do so willingly, but I do not ever make the suggestion. I do sometimes have serious theological conversations with patients, but again only when they initiate it. And I never ever try to push my views on someone else.

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Specializes in ER.
Quote
This thread has gotten a little more attention than I would've thought.

I would like to reiterate that I don't believe in forcing any religion on anyone. But its nice to see from the responses that if a patient wants prayer, etc, I wouldn't be slain for doing so. ?

Except by my pagan co-worker.

I'M JUST KIDDING!!

SNORT! Now THAT was funny! ? Pagans generally have s good sense of humor (Ya gotta!) because there is so much incorrect information about us out there.

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

That's a good point! I'm amazed at how many self-described evangelicals and other religious people do NOT treat their bodies like a temple of the Holy Spirit, the way we are called to do. (And I am plenty guilty of it myself).

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Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.
nerdtonurse? said:
I've prayed with patients and their families, always when it's initiated by them, and I keep it generic. I'm Catholic in the rural south, and a lot of patients want to know a) who's my "people," b) what church do I go to, and c) how many "younguns" I have. I don't lie about where I go to church, but it can make me grit my teeth when people say, "oh, you're Catholic? I thought you were a Christian." And I did have one family member of a patient tell me I'd better not baptize their family member Catholic while I was bathing them. Seriously. Like that's what I'm thinking about while I'm packing a sacral decube the size of Arizona. I so, so wanted to tell them, "too late, I took him out to the parking lot and dunked him in a vat of holy water I keep in the back of the truck."

In all seriousness, we are both spirit and body, and sometimes the spirit can be in worse pain than the body. My goal is holistic healing, so that mind, body and spirit are all restored -- and the patient stays at home instead of coming back in 2 days.

I, too, live in the rural south and am Catholic. If I'm with patients in town, it's usually not a big deal if they figure out I'm Catholic (because yes, they love to ask you where you go to Church), but some of the more outer-lying patients I have... well, let's just say they have some interesting ideas about what constitutes a Catholic. I've had quite a few people say "you're just so nice and Christian. I wouldn't have guessed you're Catholic." Really? Guess what church Christ himself instituted? I don't really say that of course... haha.

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Specializes in psych, general, emerg, mash.

WHOA!! you got some mean bible thumpers there, honey! Religion has NO place in the workplace nor the patient. You are there, to care. It not good, I was going to use the word, INAPPROPRIATE, but overused!!

Dress code: no signs or buttons about outside beliefs or causes, unless its internal promotion. Your super should step in, and tell the muslim, or christian or WHATEVER staff, to mind there own business.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, Rehab.

As a nurse, you want to provide as holistic care as possible. If a pt asks you to pray with them, and you're comfortable doing that, then by all means - do it! It will help them and you develop a more therapeutic relationship. I've prayed with several patients and they always thank me afterwards.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, Rehab.
Arcticrainbows said:
All the replies are from those that are comfortable, even if you are not religious, but what if you are not comfortable?

A little background... I am not comfortable myself with what I do or do not believe. I am still trying to find my way and what works for me. Because of my uncertainty, I do not discuss religion.

If you're not comfortable, let the pt know that you'll find someone to pray with them. You'll be able to ask one of your co-workers to pray with your pt.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

I work home health. My latest client is extremely religious. He has the common sense not to preach to the nurses, though I made the mistake of asking about his website. He prays before meals, I sit quietly until he finishes.

The only really difficult thing is the fundy radio broadcasts he listens to, with awful hymns and comically bad preachers (one sounds like a very bad Christopher Walken impersonation, another sounds like the guy in my GPS).

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
nerdtonurse? said:
Poor St. John, I ask for help so often he probably wants to be put on the schedule....

As much as I talk to St. Jude (patron saint of lost causes ;)), he ought to be eligible for overtime pay!!:lol2:

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Specializes in PICU, ICU, Hospice, Mgmt, DON.

I have to say that St Anthony is my man...whenever I have lost something I say his prayer 3 times and I swear...I aways find what I have lost! It always works!:)

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