Nursing has a way of interfacing with people's lives that excites me. Many of my patients are not only physically worn down, but emotionally and spiritually worn down as well. It honestly surprises me how much people will open up to a complete stranger, but as their nurse I become a safe person to talk to. Some days this isn't much. I hear a lot of stories about grandkids, life achievements, past hospital stays and the wonderful or horrible experiences they were. But some days the conversations go deeper. I am thrilled when I have the chance to pray for someone right before sending them off to an operation or risky procedure. I am completely overwhelmed and grasping for words when I am the only one left in the room as the physician walks out having just told my patient he has cancer or heart failure.
I am a cardiac nurse. Because of that, I focus a lot of my attention on my patient's physical heart. I care about their cardiac output, because that gives insight into how effective their heart is in taking care of the body. I listen to their heart, listening to each distinct beat, making sure I don't hear something that could indicate signs of damage. I ask them questions- have they had any chest pain? I listen and I observe.
But in addition to the physical, I want to be a nurse who focuses my attention on their spiritual heart as well. I pay attention to their 'output' because it indicates the condition of their heart, for "out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks." I listen to their heart, as they open up and share their fears or regrets, their past or future hopes, listening for signs of a heart that has been damaged by hurt, abandonment, a life of running from God. If they open up, I ask them questions. Can I hear the pain coming from their heart? I listen and observe. I share.
There are thousands of nurses out there who have no hope to offer. But for those of us who do, what an opportunity. May we be bold!
No comments:
Post a Comment