Shalom Exploration Paper

Shelly, J., & Miller, A. (2006). Called to care a Christian worldview for nursing (2nd ed.).

Van Gogh once said “your profession is what you’re put here on earth to do, with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling”. That is what nursing is to me. A passion that started early in life. During my senior year in high school, I completed the nursing assistant course over a holiday break in order to begin working as a certified nursing assistant at a local hospital and nursing home. I continued serving others, in this capacity, while I pursued higher education earning my Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Clarkson College. After graduation, I began my career as a Registered Nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital. Over the last nine years at Sacred Heart, my experience grew as a staff nurse on a Cardiology Step-down Unit,

Compassion is one of the fundamental characteristics implemented into patient care by health care providers. Compassion signifies “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering” (Compassion, n.d.). Nurses and other health care providers provide selfless service, tireless dedication, compassion, and often neglect their personal needs, which

This theory highlights meaning and transcendence in our lived experiences (Parse, 2014). In the idea behind meaning, individuals are encouraged to state their personal understanding of living and being and individual. Humans construct meaning through lived experiences. Likewise, nurse practitioners share responsibility along with patient in constructing meaning through their health care journeys. In the same way, results from these health experiences helps patients to transcend and go beyond the limits of their condition to understand more about themselves and realize the value of wellness. Lastly, the bible also encourages humans to come together as one. John 4:12 reminds us that if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. This is the essence of collaboration, and for this reason, the American health care system should continue to strive for

When most people think of nursing, they think of the types of nurses that preoccupy themselves with the physical care of their patients, but nursing is so much more than that. Nursing is a career where you will find yourself taking care of the patient’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. It is a career concerned with whole-healing. With this definition, it is clear that a Christian perspective on healing can directly correlate with the mission of a nurse. Nursing, in the view of a Christian, is shalom based. Shalom is a goal that can be reached through the patient finding peace in all aspects of their life—physical, emotion, and spiritual.

others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.” My precept is that it lies at the heart of all

Nursing has always been a natural choice for me. From the time I was a little girl I received satisfaction and enjoyment from providing care for my great-grandmother, ensuring my elderly neighbor wasn’t lonely, various forms of problem solving and all things science related. Compassion, care and critical thinking are merely

Nursing had never been in my passion when I was younger because the image of a nurse in a white uniform holding a tray full of loaded syringes, frightened me. To me the nurses were ruthless individuals who made the children cry with injections. However a nice, gentle, and sympathetic nurse who took care of me when I was hospitalized with a foot fracture, changed my opinions about the nurses. I realized that nursing is a profession which provides care for the ailing and needy people. My qualities that are with me right up until today were instilled by my Indian origin and Christian faith. These qualities add to my perspective and philosophy of nursing. My passion for

Nursing is a health care service mandated by society; the practice of nursing stems from the beliefs and ideals of the department of nursing (Nursing Management Faculty, 2013). My healthcare organization’s mission statement: A commitment to creating caring healing environments with authenticity and intentionality for all we reach and touch through practice excellence,

The pervasive influence of scientific empiricism and Darwinism, “inevitably resulted in the establishment of the idea that the final reality is impersonal matter or energy being shaped into its present form by impersonal chance” (Schaeffer, 1981, p. 18). This change in worldview caused the removal of one of the basic foundations of nursing, the Bible. Throughout the Gospels we see that the ultimate purpose for physical healing was to restore people to a vital relationship with God and the community” (Shelly and Miller, 2006, p.24). Being able to demonstrate the value of this goal for today’s nurse is another important reason for me to understand nursing theory and history and how it applies to my philosophy of nursing.

While it may seem that Jesuit Pedagogy value is a traditionally catholic faith approach, it is merely the wording that disguises the universality of the value. Saint Ignatius and a community of university students founded the Society of Jesus known as Jesuits. In his search to become closer to God, he created a retreat filled with prayers, fasting, education and community, which we might now consider a movement. On the surface this probably does not seem to incorporate what a nurse might endure, but I find that it does. It is using large foreign words to describe the ability to teach and learn from one another, which a nurse will encounter many mutual teaching moments often involving critical information. The nurse can help build and bridge society/community of healthcare workers the patient can feel they can trust also becoming that patient’s advocate.

Devotion to provide excellent care become the essential objective of every healing hospital. Everyone on the team knows why they are here and what they are aiming for. Paramount to this success toward love is to embraces the whole aspect of care including everything and everyone that can contribute to the final objective which is healing. A person may be healthy but not healed because pieces in the puzzle are missing , that is why It promoting an attitude that meets not only the patient's bodily needs but also their emotional and transcendent needs is primordial. The relationship between the healthcare and the patient is far more important than medicines and all the technology available. God calls us to fellowship and compassion. When awe provide compassionate care we are followers of Jesus, when we live our houses children and comfort to be a missionary we are healing a broken world. Everyone sees the world in a different way because we have different background and things can change from one minute to the other , but God never change he is a rock in time of distress he can heal us and make us whole if only we let him. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalm

Nursing is a universal career which breaches countries, cultures, and age. Nursing involves not only head knowledge but also heart knowledge for every nurse to be the best she can be. During this course the word shalom has not only been introduced to my vocabulary but I have come to know and love the word. As I continue to develop my thoughts about nursing the more I see that shalom needs to be a part of my nursing philosophy. Giving shalom is part of how I love my patients and grow to become the best nurse I can.

A healing hospital is a healing community providing radical loving care (Journal of Sacred Work, 2009) in a safe environment that focuses on human interaction, interpersonal caring and enhancing the wellbeing of patients, caregivers, and all other members of the healing community. While a healing hospital is, of course, dedicated to providing excellent medical care to its patients (Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, 2012), it is also dedicated to integrating work design and technology (Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, 2012), and ultimately to the overall wellness of every healing community member. Using physical healing, education and supportive human interaction, this care model seeks healing on physical, mental, emotional and spiritual levels for everyone involved in the process (Zarren, n.d., pp. 1-2). The success of this model requires the cooperation of every

Nurses that listen to their patients, not only notice that they are physically hurt, but they can also notice their emotional wounds. The empathy of knowing that the patient is emotionally hurt is part of the spirituality connection. Therefore, they might need comfort. O’Brien (2001) states that, “ No other profession provides the opportunity to touch and be touched by the human spirit as does the practice of nursing. It is this intimacy that calls us to reverence: reverence for God as our creator and Lord…” (pg.110). Nurses have the privilege to connect with people in ways that no other profession may be able to provide. Since nurses are patients advocate, our duty is to connect them with their spiritual beliefs and