Good News
Goal for the day: learn the ventilator settings and accurately interpret my patient's arterial blood gas panel.
Goal for the day: perform a new skill (maybe even suction!).
Goal for the day: research the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome.
I usually write it on a sticky note and stick it to the inside of my clinical folder. As a goal-oriented person, I almost always enter the clinical setting with a handwritten goal.
But going into clinical this particular day, I had only one goal in mind. I wanted to share Jesus with my patient.
That goal made me more nervous and excited than any other. Over the past few weeks, I have been inspired to live my life completely centered around the gospel. When I realized that God puts a patient in my path every time I go to clinical, I realized that each clinical day is an opportunity to share the gospel.
I am so thankful for the Christian education that I have received in the college of nursing which has taught me the importance of giving spiritual care to patients. However, it is easy for me to lose sight of the spiritual aspect of care when I get so caught up in getting the information I need to complete my paperwork. I want to do skills, learn medications, read X-rays, interpret labs...and soon the eight hour shift is over without even thinking about how my patient might need Jesus more than anything else.
So on this day, I focused single-minded on one goal. I prayed that God would give me an opportunity to share Jesus with my patient, and I asked Him to give me the eyes to see it and the boldness to do it.
About one hour before my shift was over that evening, God opened my eyes to the open door. It wasn't flashing lights. My patient did ask me why I was a Christian or anything like that. In fact, he was unable to communicate verbally, but I knew he was entirely capable of understanding. He was just resting in his bed, and my eyes caught his as I passed by the door. I was not busy, so I stepped inside.
I stood by the bed, and he turned his head toward me, staring as if he wanted me to say something. I thanked him and told him that I really enjoyed working with him that day. I then told him that I had something really important to say. "I don't know this for sure, but I imagine that you may feel like you have been getting a lot of bad news lately. Well, I have some really good news, and I would like to share it with you."
As his eyes stayed locked into mine, I proceeded to tell him how awesome and powerful God is, and how we have a way to him through His son, Jesus. "I want you to know that God cares about you and has not forgotten you. In fact, He is very near, especially in our pain and hurt." I reminded him of how much Jesus loves him and encouraged him to trust Christ.
"When I need help and strength, I find a lot of comfort in praying, so I would like to pray with you." I placed my hand on top of his and whispered a simple prayer. I admitted that I did not know why there was suffering in the world, but I also acknowledged God as the holder of life and committed my patient into His hands. I prayed for him to have strength and hope and to remember how much he was loved by the Lord.
When I looked up, his eyes were still looking right into mine, only I saw no fear or anxiety. Maybe I even saw a glimmer of hope. I watched his mouth as he tried to say something to me. I had been unsuccessful at reading his lips all day, but I am almost positive I understood him this one time.
"Thank you."
In a world full of bad news - sudden deaths, tragic accidents, school shootings, millions of hungry children, lost jobs, failed attempts, broken relationships - we hold the good news close to our hearts and on the tips of our tongues. I am coming to believe that God places people in our paths every day with whom we can share the hope that we have. Pick up any newspaper, turn on any television, or talk to any person and the topic of "bad news" will probably arise, which gives us an open door into the perfect opportunity.
"We sure have been getting a lot of bad news lately, but can I tell you some really good news?..."
Goal for the day: perform a new skill (maybe even suction!).
Goal for the day: research the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome.
I usually write it on a sticky note and stick it to the inside of my clinical folder. As a goal-oriented person, I almost always enter the clinical setting with a handwritten goal.
But going into clinical this particular day, I had only one goal in mind. I wanted to share Jesus with my patient.
That goal made me more nervous and excited than any other. Over the past few weeks, I have been inspired to live my life completely centered around the gospel. When I realized that God puts a patient in my path every time I go to clinical, I realized that each clinical day is an opportunity to share the gospel.
I am so thankful for the Christian education that I have received in the college of nursing which has taught me the importance of giving spiritual care to patients. However, it is easy for me to lose sight of the spiritual aspect of care when I get so caught up in getting the information I need to complete my paperwork. I want to do skills, learn medications, read X-rays, interpret labs...and soon the eight hour shift is over without even thinking about how my patient might need Jesus more than anything else.
So on this day, I focused single-minded on one goal. I prayed that God would give me an opportunity to share Jesus with my patient, and I asked Him to give me the eyes to see it and the boldness to do it.
About one hour before my shift was over that evening, God opened my eyes to the open door. It wasn't flashing lights. My patient did ask me why I was a Christian or anything like that. In fact, he was unable to communicate verbally, but I knew he was entirely capable of understanding. He was just resting in his bed, and my eyes caught his as I passed by the door. I was not busy, so I stepped inside.
I stood by the bed, and he turned his head toward me, staring as if he wanted me to say something. I thanked him and told him that I really enjoyed working with him that day. I then told him that I had something really important to say. "I don't know this for sure, but I imagine that you may feel like you have been getting a lot of bad news lately. Well, I have some really good news, and I would like to share it with you."
As his eyes stayed locked into mine, I proceeded to tell him how awesome and powerful God is, and how we have a way to him through His son, Jesus. "I want you to know that God cares about you and has not forgotten you. In fact, He is very near, especially in our pain and hurt." I reminded him of how much Jesus loves him and encouraged him to trust Christ.
"When I need help and strength, I find a lot of comfort in praying, so I would like to pray with you." I placed my hand on top of his and whispered a simple prayer. I admitted that I did not know why there was suffering in the world, but I also acknowledged God as the holder of life and committed my patient into His hands. I prayed for him to have strength and hope and to remember how much he was loved by the Lord.
When I looked up, his eyes were still looking right into mine, only I saw no fear or anxiety. Maybe I even saw a glimmer of hope. I watched his mouth as he tried to say something to me. I had been unsuccessful at reading his lips all day, but I am almost positive I understood him this one time.
"Thank you."
In a world full of bad news - sudden deaths, tragic accidents, school shootings, millions of hungry children, lost jobs, failed attempts, broken relationships - we hold the good news close to our hearts and on the tips of our tongues. I am coming to believe that God places people in our paths every day with whom we can share the hope that we have. Pick up any newspaper, turn on any television, or talk to any person and the topic of "bad news" will probably arise, which gives us an open door into the perfect opportunity.
"We sure have been getting a lot of bad news lately, but can I tell you some really good news?..."
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