In today’s day and age, making a patient feel cared about is as much of a necessity as knowing how to start an IV. Each individual patient wants to feel important and like they matter to the nurse; they want to feel like the nurse cares about their individual case at that moment in time. The simple act of the nurse giving each patient his or her undivided attention will go far in how cared for the patient feels. Being aware of the distinction between caring and Christian caring will, especially for a Christian, only further aid in the efforts of creating that essential nurse-patient relationship.
Part of the process of caring for a patient is the nurse always making time to physically care for the him or her – this is the first essential step in caring. The patient should never feel like they are being a burden on the nursing staff. This seems like it would be commonplace in that particular environment, but it is not uncommon for nurses to “experience compassion fatigue, burnout, and emotional distress” (McPhail & Hemsey, 2015). With one nurse having to care for multiple patients and attempting to make each patient feel individually cared for, it is easy for tasks to become routine and dull. With a nurse giving his or her all to every patient that they are responsible for can take a toll; anyone can take care of a patient physically but looking holistically at the patient is how true care is delivered. Caring emotionally and spiritually is what separates Christian caring from simply caring. This is where the profession of being a nurse has to be more of a calling for an individual from God than simply a job to be done.
On multiple occasions throughout the Bible, we as a people have been called to serve others in the capacity that we can. Christian nursing requires not only a knowledge about the profession but also leading a life that maintains a close relationship with God. By following what the Bible says about loving one another and caring for one another, Christian caring can truly be displayed. To the patients of these nurses, these qualities come across as feeling cared about and valued which leads to a deeper level of trust and connection between the nurse and patient. These caring attributes come directly from the heart; they cannot be taught or learned. Another aspect of Christian caring comes from not only paying attention to but also respecting different cultures that may be faced. One topic that any patient is going to feel strongly about is his or her religion/spirituality; whether they believe in and/or worship something or not, the same care has to be administered. “Whatever differences in appearance, beliefs, or other customs exist, everyone desires equitable care, respect, and recognition” (Bydalek et al., 2019). Showing this level of respect for what a patient believes in exemplifies the love that God always wants Christians to show to other people. This extent of respect conveys that the nurse cares about the patient’s entirety, even if it differs from his or her own.
