You think your job is done, but wait, do you remember to pray?

[chadvena]

I prayed Hail Mary directly, just because I remembered that it last words said "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death". I repeated it 3 times and ended up with Our Father. After that I prayed with my own words and left her although her hand said that she still needed a hand to hold on.

Two days after that, she passed away. I thank God because I had sufficient time to prayed for/ with her.

Some day in my clinical practice, I felt like I've done with all of my responsibility. I went around from one patient room to another room just for looked if there was anything I could do for them. And then I found an elderly, unconscious, pale, and connected to monitor, used simple mask for oxygen, and seemed so close with her death (if you have been accustomed with people near death and see the death you should notice it).

Other patients in her room accompanied by their families, but she laid there alone. I approached her, and stood beside her bed. I held her cold hand, and she squeezed my hand too. I felt her need to somebody's present during her fight against pain. Then, I started to pray. I'm Catholic. I prayed Hail Mary directly, just because I remembered that it last words said "pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death". I repeated it 3 times and ended up with Our Father. After that I prayed with my own words and left her although her hand said that she still needed a hand to hold on.

Two days after that, she passed away. I thank God because I had sufficient time to prayed for/ with her. Afterwards, every time I think I'm done with my job, I searched for lonely and unconscious patient then hold hand to pray together.

Well, Nurses, maybe God choose you to deliver a soul to death in peace. If you think your job is done, spend a little of your time to pray for them who no one care of. Whatever your religion, even whatever you have a religion or not, because nurse isn't take responsibility for patient's physical health, but also spiritual health.

Have a good day, Nurses!

[MidLifeRN2012]

I'm just here waiting to see how long the anti-religion zealots will take to attack the OP.....wait for it....wait for it..

[AspiringNurseMW]

Well this is in the Spirituality forum. I hope they see that before they comment. Although they probably won't.

[needlesmcgeeRN, ASN, RN]

I am not Christian, however I no problem praying with/for a patient. I find it comforting that you did this for her, and would also find it comforting if you did so for one of my family members (who are also not Christian).

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I'm not an anti-religious zealot; in fact, I'm a very committed Reformed Baptist whose goal in life it is to work with the VOMedical. I have prayed with and for patients at the bedside, and I always pray for the shift's patients and families during my commute home.

That said, I would be very uncomfortable if someone put their hands on me and started praying Hail Marys without my permission. I believe Mary died and her soul is now in heaven (not body -- yet) just like any other believer, and while I have great respect for her, I would never address her when praying. Someone who takes my hand and says them (or any prayer addressed to anyone but the one true God) is involving me in that prayer. It is very difficult for some people, especially in a vulnerable time like hospitalization, to confront a staff person for their behavior.

Again I think it can be appropriate and therapeutic for pts, and I know your heart was in the right place. And you could be right -- she may well have appreciated the Hail Marys. But we really shouldn't without permission; all nursing care should be focused on that pt's needs.

Sensing their wishes isn't sufficient permission. I know people who believed they were sensing permission for something by God Himself...but that alleged permission contradicts Scripture. So clearly, they did not sense what they believed they were sensing. Again, I don't know one way or the other what your pt wanted. My point is that senses/hunches *can* be wrong.

[ProgressiveActivist, BSN, RN]

I have been to Indonesia, where all education is faith based. I hope that others can express tolerance and respect for the cultural and religious beliefs of this student.

[brownbook]

I completely respect your religion. I'm an atheist. My patient was expressing his fears and worries and said something about asking God to be with him and with all the Dr's and nurses. I said something about I was sure God was watching out for all health care workers.

I just hope your were not praying out loud over the unconscious woman. The unconscious do hear, and I would be extremely annoyed if I were lying unconscious and heard a nurse praying over me! Well....maybe that would be good, get my adrenaline kicking in enough to wake me up!

[nars_wannabe]

I pray before I start my day (that I will be able to fulfill my duty as a nurse, for my pt's comfort and for the nurses to stop arguing before the start of the shift). I usually pray silently after injecting medications (by touching my pt's hand and closing my eyes).

[verene, MSN]

I typically say a short prayer before the start of my shift, it is a calming ritual for me to start my work and get into the mind set of being a compassionate, calm, and caring presence for others. I have silently stood or sat at the bedside of a patient or family and wished they find peace, but would never pray aloud or say a specific prayer for them. It is not my place to pray for them. Also, coming from a faith which is an extreme minority in my country any prayers I would say would like not be a familiar comfort to my patients, but something foreign and unwelcome. If a family or patient request spiritual assistance I am more than happy to call one of the lovely chaplains that work for our hospital to come sit with them.

I as a patient would feel very uncomfortable if a caregiver prayed aloud over me. Particularly if the prayers were from a different faith background than my own. The only time I have out-right prayed for a patient or family was when a family from my own faith background and with whom I had a preexisting relationship explicitly asked me to remember them in my prayers. I still did not pray over the patient at work; I said a prayer for him and his family once I went home.

[emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Shepard's prayer before every shift. (Alan Shepard that is).

[AnArtist]

We need all the prayer we can get.

One of the nurses where I work, prays quietly for the patients and staff every shift, she does so silently. I feel very encouraged knowing this.

I am a Baptist, personally I believe we should only pray to God, but if a nurse prayed to someone else for me I would take that as a sign that he or she cares very much and wants to help. But it could bother other people if they know you are doing it.

I always pray in the car before I go to work or clinical. Sometimes if I'm having to wait, such as if I'm holding pressure on a dc'd IV site of patient on blood thinners, I also pray silently.

[vanilla bean]

Shepard's prayer before every shift. (Alan Shepard that is).

I prefer shepard's pie.