This is a journal entry for my Faith Integration class. I wrote it after yesterday's clinical experience. I still have a lot of thoughts about yesterday- it wasn't my easiest day.
One of the things I love about nursing is that it is an opportunity to physically show Christ's love to others. I suppose my main assumption about nursing was that my patients would be able to have normal conversation with me. During clinicals I learned that this is not always the case. I noticed that I struggle with patients who have psych problems. How do I show love to someone who does not understand why I am doing what I am doing? How do I show love to someone who misinterprets my actions as intended to harm him/her?
These questions automatically made me think of Jesus. He loved me while I was unresponsive and hateful toward Him. He never got so caught up in the task of saving me that He forgot to show love to me. I need to fight this form of apathy. I need to remind myself that even if my patients do not show love to me, I still need to love them. Even if they are unresponsive or rude- I am still called to love them. I do not want to view my patients as items on a list of tasks. My goal is to love them through service; I do not want to get sidetracked and view the task at hand as my reason for being a nurse. I will get easily burned out if I do not remember why I am serving. It all comes back to Christ's example of love.
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die (or a nurse might be willing to work with a very pleasant patient). But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Christ sacrificed His life for sinners who hated Him. I may be called upon to help patients who strongly dislike me. His example is supreme and He is worthy of all praise for His amazing sacrifice. I can look to His example and know that He will help me to love patients with His love.)
One of the things I love about nursing is that it is an opportunity to physically show Christ's love to others. I suppose my main assumption about nursing was that my patients would be able to have normal conversation with me. During clinicals I learned that this is not always the case. I noticed that I struggle with patients who have psych problems. How do I show love to someone who does not understand why I am doing what I am doing? How do I show love to someone who misinterprets my actions as intended to harm him/her?
These questions automatically made me think of Jesus. He loved me while I was unresponsive and hateful toward Him. He never got so caught up in the task of saving me that He forgot to show love to me. I need to fight this form of apathy. I need to remind myself that even if my patients do not show love to me, I still need to love them. Even if they are unresponsive or rude- I am still called to love them. I do not want to view my patients as items on a list of tasks. My goal is to love them through service; I do not want to get sidetracked and view the task at hand as my reason for being a nurse. I will get easily burned out if I do not remember why I am serving. It all comes back to Christ's example of love.
"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die (or a nurse might be willing to work with a very pleasant patient). But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Christ sacrificed His life for sinners who hated Him. I may be called upon to help patients who strongly dislike me. His example is supreme and He is worthy of all praise for His amazing sacrifice. I can look to His example and know that He will help me to love patients with His love.)
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