Author: Carrie Dameron

Get Connected!

Leave a comment

When I was new grad RN fresh out of nursing school and working my first job,  I discovered a local NCF group. I was ecstatic to discover a place with nurses who had the same passion for nursing AND Jesus as myself. Amazingly, this was 20 years ago and the group is still in place.

The group has gone through much transformation through the years with change in leadership. At times I equate our participant list to a McDonald’s drive through, where nurses and/students come in get supported and refreshed and then go on their way. Our meeting times, days and even frequency has changed based upon need and availability. We have done bible studies, books, and devotions. There are many stories to tell regarding the group, the nurses that have come to our time of fellowship, as well as answered and unanswered prayers. I will say the “cornerstone” of the group has been two nurses who met at a nursing retreat, started the group and still keep it going. Carol and Kathy really get the blessing of being committed to the group no matter what!

If you are not connected in some way with other Christian nurses–Get Connected! You will be encouraged and have the blessing of encouraging others.

Get ideas of connecting with others in the article Get Connected! in July/September, 2012 issue of Journal of Christian Nursing

Innovations in Faith-Based Nursing–June 18-21, 2012

Leave a comment

Innovations in Faith Based Nursing Conference at Indiana Wesleyan Conference
June 18-21, 2012

This conference looks like it is going to be a great place to hear from wonderful Christian Nursing Experts!

http://www.indwes.edu/Nursing-Innovations/


Hope to see you there!

Scrubs of Excellence

Leave a comment

As the author of “Scrubs for Excellence,” I am the first to confess my short-comings with kindness, gentleness, and patience. And, even though I know the Lord has led me to be a nursing instructor, I struggle with contentment. Scripture reminds us the perfectness of Jesus Christ and the love and grace he provides for all of us as we grow in his likeness. This Easter weekend, I am reminded not to be too hard on my self; and like Peter who denied our Lord three times, to accept the reconciliation of love he provides and move on in grace (John 21:15-17)
Blessings for He has Risen!
Carrie

NCFI conference in Chile!

Leave a comment

NCFI Conference November 2012    Previously, I had posted about working with NCFI (Nurses Christian Fellowship International) in creating “The Art and Science of Spiritual Care.” This wonderful project is continuing with Amy, Swee Eng, Grace and myself. We will be teaching this track in November, 2012 in Santiago, Chile. I know I can speak for all of us in welcoming your prayers and support for the conference, the speakers, the participants and the work our Lord is doing around the world.

Being with hundreds of people from around the world in Manila who love Jesus and love patients was an amazing experience! It was a “bucket list” experience for myself andI am sure Chile will be the same.

Sign up and plan on attending and then be sure to come and say “Hi!”

Our Purpose in Christian Nursing

Leave a comment


Purpose in Christian Nursing



            One look at health care reveals an industry filled with chaos, clutter, and seemingly not very purposeful. The regulations seem to continually change, the staffing and workload is on a continuum and nurses are constantly trying to keep up with the newest diseases, newest treatments and newest technologies. The calm in this storm is Jesus. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it is true. God is in control and knows exactly what is happening and is actually working out His will for today and tomorrow. Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Exodus 15:18, says the Lord God will reign forever and ever. God does not change, respond as in crisis mode, nor suddenly have new and emerging ideas. Now I do need to stop and laugh, as children of God we may enjoy our new and innovative smart phones with apps; but God’s purpose hasn’t changed–it just becomes hi-tech.


            Changes have been fast and furious in the profession and practice of nursing. It is easy to get lost in the flurry and leave our purpose in Christian nursing behind.  Judith Allen Shelley and Arlene B. Miller wrote a wonderful text entitled “Called to Care: A Christian Theology of Nursing.” In the chapter entitled, “A Christian Worldview for Nursing,” they state, “The actual tasks of nursing may vary as needs, contexts and resources change, but Christian is always a faithful response to God’s gift of salvation. We love others because God first loved us. That love is lived out in compassionate action toward our neighbors.” (page 68, 2nd Edition, 2006). In other words, our purpose is to bring grace, truth, and love to our patients and to our colleagues.


            We discover a more specific purpose when God takes our passion (as we have discussed in a previous SBAR) and uses it for His purpose.  Here is an example of 3 Christian nurses with different purposes: A retired nurse providing nursing care for men at a homeless shelter in a recovery center; a nurse researching the implications of prayer in patient care; finally a nursing student who provides supervised childcare for disabled children so their parents can attend church service. All of these nurses are using their unique passion and talent to meld with God’s purpose in nursing. Just as our passion may not be specific the same is true for our purpose. We shouldn’t sit back and wait for a “divine plan” to be laid out before we feel we are being used by God. Instead, we are to continuously devote our careers to God’s purpose and will.


            Another thing I want to mention, is remember the nurses that I shared with you? One was a student, while another one was retired. This brings up two key points: if you are a student don’t think God is waiting for you to become a nurse before he can use you; or if you are retired, don’t assume God is done with you. Oh, no! God uses all of us all the time in furthering His kingdom. Our job description may change, but God’s purpose is constant.


            I am excited to hear about your purpose in nursing, so please tell your story!

SBAR: Start the New Year with Truth!

Leave a comment

    I recently submitted an article for a Norwegian Christian nursing journal entitled Our Faithful Journey in Nursing. To prepare for this article, I spent some time researching Postmodernism in both our culture and in nursing, and its impact on our faith. The final analysis Christians need to really get Truth solidified into our hearts and mind.  Also, what has added to this is I am doing a bible study with my friend and prayer partner regarding Spiritual Warfare, and one of the weapons, both offensively and defensively is truth. All of this to say, I suggested to my fellow Norway nurses and to you, to start the 2012 year with a commitment to memorize the Nicene Creed. This faith statement has such rich truth, but also historical significance for the Christian faith. There are links below with more information on the Nicene Creed. Follow me on Twitter for weekly phrase updates with Scripture

 

Ibelieve in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of all things seen and unseen.

 

       And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; God of God,1 Light of Light, true God of true God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made.

 

       Who, for us all for our salvation, came down from Heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, in accordance with the Scriptures; and ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.

 

       And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father; 2 who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets.

 

     And I believe in one holy universal3 and apostolic Church. 4  I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.           

 

                                       Amen.

Nicene Creed with scripture references

Nicene Creed info on Wikipedia

Influence Your Practice: Pray!

Leave a comment

    Prayer is such an important part of our personal and our professional life! We know that, yet all of us struggle to pray more. We do so many things to assist us in our prayer life: memorize scripture, listen to sermons, attend bible studies, read books, join prayer ministries… YET, we still lack a life and a nursing practice pulsating with prayer.  Let’s
follow the sports logo of Nike:

For help, read the article and choose one of the suggestions: to pray for yourself, your workplace, colleagues, and/or patient to implement prayer into your nursing practice.

Journal of Christian Nursing “Christian Nursing 101”

Our Calling, Loving God in Nursing Part I.

Leave a comment

    In the article, we explored loving God with all heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind  (Luke 10:27). All our heart is found when we make God that center of not only our personal lives, but our professional lives, as well. All our soul, can be found when all our decisons are in an obedient response to God’s leading in nursing. Loving God with our mind, is really back-to-basics of submitting all our thought patterns to the Lord, as well as bathing our education and practice in truth. Finally, loving God with all of our strength, is when we give all our talents, gifts, etc to be used for the body of nursing in Christ. 
    There is much overlap, yet it is important for us to explore places we may fall short on in expressing the love of God in nursing. Which one is more challenging for you as a Christian nurse? 
    For me personally, my challenge is being obedient to God in where he is taking me. I am type A, planner, etc type and I always want to come up with the plan and then ask God to bless it. I have been working on letting God come up with the plan and me following. 
    Share with me, your struggle so that we can all grow in faith and love.

Journal of Christian Nursing–online

What is your model of caring?

Leave a comment

            Many of us think of caring as an important part of nursing, yet hospital staff are telling me that nurses are no longer as caring as they used to be. I had one staff person share with me that she was in the room and the patient was crying in pain and distress. The nurse came in, turned off the call light and began hanging a piggyback antibiotic. She did ask the patient why she called, but never looked at the patient and hung the medication. The nurse did say she would be back with pain medicine, but never once looked at the patient, touched the patient or acknowledge her beyond “words to the IV pole.”


           As Christians, we should be the most caring of all people, because of the example and teachings of Jesus Christ. Yet, we all know Christians that aren’t even civil to one another, let alone caring. So then, what can be our model of caring in Christian nursing or how can we live out the example of Jesus? When I reflect on my model of caring in nursing, I think of empathy. I really try to imagine what is going on with the person, almost like the old adage, “Don’t judge someone until you have walked a mile in their moccasins (shoes).”  Imagine how hard it is to be diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis or losing your loved one in a car wreck, loss of a child, etc. All of the diseases, illnesses, and traumas that we face as nurses, stop me in my tracks, wrenches my heart, and spurs me to strive to be an excellent, caring nurse. What is in your model of caring in nursing?

Fruitful in Nursing: VINE

Leave a comment

            In the article for Christian Nursing 101, I discuss the necessary components of a fruitful nursing practice using the acronym VINE: Vitality of Joy, Intimately connected with the Lord through unceasing prayer, Nutrients found in the bible and Christian nursing resources and Emulating the living Savior. Is there one of these four components that speaks to your heart more than the others?


            For me it is “Emulating the living Savior.” I have to share with you an experience to explain. One of the hospitals I work at has a wonderful spiritual care department, with many caring, gentle chaplains who work very hard to meet the spiritual needs of the patients, families, and staff. There is a specific gentleman who radiates peace, gentleness, and caring. He doesn’t even say anything. When he enters a patient’s room, I feel his calm demeanor. One day, I realized I wanted to radiate this same qualities.  As an energetic, med-surg nurse who feels like most of the time I seemingly run on a hamster wheel with tendencies to be klutzy and loud; the thought of being meek and gentle is a hope of mine—found through Christ Jesus. How about you, what components of the VINE do you pray for?