Religion's Place in Nursing

[CHIRN]

I often read Billy Graham's column and thought today's was particulary pertinent to our profession. I'm just curious as to your own personal thoughts and feelings on the matter. (Please, no screaming at one another...this is not a debate.)

Dear Dr. Graham,

I'd like to be a Christian, but I have a hard time believing that Jesus rose from the dead. You see, I'm an intensive care nurse, and I know that once a person dies, that's the end. Maybe you can help me get past these doubts. -- Mrs. K.W.

Dear Mrs. K.W.:

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the most important event in all history -- and yes, incredible as it may seem, it really did happen.

In fact, it might interest you to know that one of the Gospels was written by a medical doctor (Luke). Like you, he knew that death is final and irreversible -- and yet he also gave us one of the most extensive accounts of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Why? Because he had thoroughly investigated the evidence for Jesus' resurrection for himself and he knew only one conclusion was possible: Jesus had come back from the dead.

Why is the resurrection important? Why did God raise Jesus from the dead? One reason was to prove that Jesus was who He said He was: the divine Son of God, sent from heaven to save us from our sins. The Bible says that He "was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:4). The resurrection sets Jesus apart from every other person who has ever lived.

But the resurrection points to an even greater truth: Death has now been conquered! The grave is not the end, but heaven's doors are now open! Jesus is alive, and He wants to come into your life today. Why not discover this great truth for yourself by turning to Christ today?

Edited to remove the dead link that stretched things past the edge of the screen - hope it makes it easier to read :)! - Ratched

[ChrisA]

I think nursing has very little to do with religion in most places. It only seems to in the US because there are more religious people there. In Canada, I have never heard nurses discussing their religion at work other than in passing. In the US people seem to be much more vocal about religion and spirituality. I mean, look at the president. I can't imagine a political leader in Canada being so open about their personal religious beliefs.

You're so very right. And a lot of the public voice of Christianity here sounds like so much sales talk. I suppose it's not that strange that my distaste for the "no, but have you been born again" brow-beating only increased after I became a Christian. Personally, I think it has a lot to do with the fact that Americans, for all their individualism, largely define themselves by the groups they associate with. Alexis de Tocqueville noticed this back in the 1830's. Tied in which that is the urge to expand the influence and validity of your group, which will take your own self-esteem along with it. This dovetails nicely with the fierce capitalistic and Calvinist spirit of the country: "We know god favors us because we are successful". And, yes, America seems unique in the public obsession with religion. Hopefully it'll calm down a bit when the country is another two hundred years older.

[shel_wny]

Hmmm....329 replies....

Something is really wrong here.

The original post isn't even mine anymore!

Perhaps I used a title that was used in the past?

Vewy vewy swange...

Shel

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

I'm not entirely sure whether I'm an agnostic. I had a Christian fundamentalist upbringing, but I'm definitely not a fundamentalist any more (primarily, I just can't believe the Bible is 100% literal truth, and I don't think it really matters, anyway.) I haven't abandoned what I believe are the key tenets of Christianity, though I do have doubts.

A lot of my classmates are very religious and/or spiritual, as are some of my co-workers. Doesn't appear to have a lot to do with how good a nurse you are, but some do say it helps them cope.

I got into nursing because it seemed like useful work I could do well, and make an honest living doing (said that on my application), but I have been experiencing a spiritual awakening as I progress. Maybe it's hanging around all these darned Christians, or maybe--probably--it's seeing parts of life I have previously only scratched the surface of. So far in clinicals, I've asked one man if he wanted some education about Hospice (nervous almost the point of emesis, but we had a good talk) and held the hand of another man who was dying, but not as quickly as he would have prefered. At any rate, I now feel called to be a nurse, which is kind of weirding me out.

At this point, I don't feel called to go to any church, I'm skeptical of all organized religion (at least for me), and I still try to live my life in a taoist way (as a philosophical approach--I don't see it as a religion, but just a good way of living). I do pray often, which sounds odd but feels right.

The only religious truths I know for sure are that God is Love and the Kingdom of God is within you. Maybe the Beatles were right--bomp-a-da-da-da!

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

Hmm. Religion's place in nursing is something I had hoped to avoid while going through nursing school, but I found out it won't be avoided.

A little background: Raised many-varieties protestant with a family history of all 3 kinds of abuse. You can see where this is going. Married at 19 and promptly rejected any semblance of christianity. Spent some time on many varied faiths but purely in the research phase, and when my youngest was 3, gave christianity a try again, this time going to RCIA catholic classes because, quite simply, it's impossible for me to go through a protestant church service without snoring. Knocks me out every time. Recently I just tell people who ask that I'm a Heathen. It's the only label I'm willing to accept because it means, to me, that I haven't chosen to join any religious organization.

So on to nursing school..... The traditional aims of nursing, as in helping those in need, compassion, caring, being nonjudgemental, etc are all things I believe in strongly. But I worried, how on earth to deal with patients who need to talk about spiritual issues?

I think a large proportion of my teachers are christian. So two of them have been helpful with this particular question of mine. One gave me advice on how you can be in control of many things in your life, but sometimes it will kick you in the pants, set you in a hospital bed, and show you that you're not in control of anything- have something to fall back on, and believe in or you'll be very lonely. One led me back to basic communications class content and gave me a patient who was very talkative and very religious, and quite sick.

So I'm helping her with lunch, opening things, putting food in containers and cutting it so she can eat it, and she tells me a large chunk of her life story. While I'm doing her assessment, she talks briefly about how Jesus helps her through her troubles. All I had to do was, instead of being silent, or telling her what I don't believe in, was to repeat her statement in the form of a question. "So Jesus helps you?" It provided a springboard for her to talk more about it, and she sang to Jesus during the rest of the assessment. She just wanted permission, to express herself is all.

So far that's my only experience with a patient talking about religion; yet it was wonderful to find out that I don't have to take a discussion about religion personally. As with most things in nursing, it's NOT about ME. EVEN if the patient wants to talk about me and Jesus, they are still probably just in need of someone with whom they can express themselves, for comfort. I'm very comfortable with the idea of supporting that expression.

So this extends to the volunteer clinic that I work at occasionally. It's a christian organization; they pray before they start. I won't treat their effort disrespectfully so I participate. If they take prayer requests AND I know someone who does need prayer I may volunteer their circumstance; who am I to say it may or may not help, and how dare I withhold that from them if it were to be helpful? Again, it's not about me. They don't make me believe, and I can't look down my nose at them for believing.

(/getting off soapbox now)

-Indy

[Kyriaka]

Shel,

I think 2 differant posts were put together. Which is a shame because I think one seemed to be headed in a differant direction. More civil.

[leslie :-D]

Shel,

I think 2 differant posts were put together. Which is a shame because I think one seemed to be headed in a differant direction. More civil.

Yes, i believe you're right about 2 posts being combined...and i understand why it was done...there is another identical post that was 30+ pages titled religion and nursing, under general nursing polls. this original post here i thought was about spirituality but it is now identical to the other thread that was running. and trust me, it wouldn't have remained civil.

leslie

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

Hmm. Religion's place in nursing is something I had hoped to avoid while going through nursing school, but I found out it won't be avoided.

A little background: Raised many-varieties protestant with a family history of all 3 kinds of abuse. You can see where this is going. Married at 19 and promptly rejected any semblance of christianity. Spent some time on many varied faiths but purely in the research phase, and when my youngest was 3, gave christianity a try again, this time going to RCIA catholic classes because, quite simply, it's impossible for me to go through a protestant church service without snoring. Knocks me out every time. Recently I just tell people who ask that I'm a Heathen. It's the only label I'm willing to accept because it means, to me, that I haven't chosen to join any religious organization.

So on to nursing school..... The traditional aims of nursing, as in helping those in need, compassion, caring, being nonjudgemental, etc are all things I believe in strongly. But I worried, how on earth to deal with patients who need to talk about spiritual issues?

I think a large proportion of my teachers are christian. So two of them have been helpful with this particular question of mine. One gave me advice on how you can be in control of many things in your life, but sometimes it will kick you in the pants, set you in a hospital bed, and show you that you're not in control of anything- have something to fall back on, and believe in or you'll be very lonely. One led me back to basic communications class content and gave me a patient who was very talkative and very religious, and quite sick.

So I'm helping her with lunch, opening things, putting food in containers and cutting it so she can eat it, and she tells me a large chunk of her life story. While I'm doing her assessment, she talks briefly about how Jesus helps her through her troubles. All I had to do was, instead of being silent, or telling her what I don't believe in, was to repeat her statement in the form of a question. "So Jesus helps you?" It provided a springboard for her to talk more about it, and she sang to Jesus during the rest of the assessment. She just wanted permission, to express herself is all.

So far that's my only experience with a patient talking about religion; yet it was wonderful to find out that I don't have to take a discussion about religion personally. As with most things in nursing, it's NOT about ME. EVEN if the patient wants to talk about me and Jesus, they are still probably just in need of someone with whom they can express themselves, for comfort. I'm very comfortable with the idea of supporting that expression.

So this extends to the volunteer clinic that I work at occasionally. It's a christian organization; they pray before they start. I won't treat their effort disrespectfully so I participate. If they take prayer requests AND I know someone who does need prayer I may volunteer their circumstance; who am I to say it may or may not help, and how dare I withhold that from them if it were to be helpful? Again, it's not about me. They don't make me believe, and I can't look down my nose at them for believing.

(/getting off soapbox now)

-Indy

Wish I could figure out how to do a partial quote. Just wanted to say "Here, here!" to the not about me part. I very much admire your take on this difficult topic.

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

OK...I hadn't heard of this extra life to get another chance. So what you are saying is that people get lots of "chances" to accept Jesus? Not just this life? That contradicts what many say...

Oh..and it was your wording of, "you're going to seem again one day" that confused me. That doesn't really make sense, so I thought it was a typo.

Oh. I stand corrected. Sorry about that. I meand to state "You're going to see them again one day."

Okey dokey???

[Betty_SPN_KS, LPN]

Not sure we're getting anywhere with all the arguing. But people can express their views.

I am a struggling believer. So I must try to understand both sides (Christian v non-Christian). But I'm not getting bogged down by it, all the arguing, that is. Because, in the end, only God Himself can help me sort this out. I communicate with Him, and He knows where to find me. I know this won't make sense to anyone else. But I believe He understands. Deep down, I believe the claims Jesus made about Himself are true.

[leslie :-D]

Because, in the end, only God Himself can help me sort this out. I communicate with Him, and He knows where to find me. I know this won't make sense to anyone else. But I believe He understands.

amen sister.

[Jaaaman]

Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art,

It requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation,

as any painter's or sculptor's work;

for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble,

compared with having to do with the living body,

the temple of God's spirit?

It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.

Florence Nightingale

THE FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE PLEDGE

I solemnly pledge myself before God and presence of this assembly;

To pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully.

I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous

and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.

I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard

of my profession and will hold in confidence all personal matters

committed to my keeping and family affairs coming to my

knowledge in the practice of my calling.

With loyalty will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work,

and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care.

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

Oh. I stand corrected. Sorry about that. I meand to state "You're going to see them again one day."

Okey dokey???

Thanks for clarifying! Could happen...I never say never!