I became a Christian while taking my prerequisites for nursing, thus when I graduated and started working as an RN, I was challenged to integrate my new faith into my new career. I knew the Lord had called me to be a nurse and had sustained me through trying personal times during nursing school; and I wanted to honor and glorify God through the work he had for me.
I immediately became connected to Nurses Christian Fellowship and grew as a Christian and as a professional nurse. Over time, I discovered the lack of resources for the new Christian who was a nurse or a Christian who was new to nursing. Also, what is truly the difference between a nurse who is a Christian and one who doesn’t profess faith in Jesus Christ?
This all lead to a desire to get down to the bare bones of Christian Nursing. If I taught a class, or led a workshop on the basic tenants of Christian Nursing, what would it include? Well, I created a bible study to answer the question.
What is amazing is when God is working in your spirit about something, he is also working in others. This is how we know it is from God, for he is putting the same passion and need in other people that he has placed in you. That is exactly what happened with the editor of JCN and leadership for NCF. When I spoke with them about my bible study, they agreed with the need for something on the basics of Christian Nursing, but thought a regular feature in the JCN would be a better place. I agreed, who am I to disagree with God.
So, that is the story of Christian Nursing 101. This regular column seeks to explore the basic tenants of Christian Nursing and be a resource for nurses new to the Christian faith, Christians new to nursing, or Christian nurses seeking ways to integrate their faith with their nursing practice.
I hope you will follow along with each issue of JCN and join the discussion. I welcome your input on what you think are the basic tenants of Christian Nursing.