While Christ was here upon earth, He "went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him." Acts 10:38. He came to this world "to seek and to save that which was lost," and to live a perfect life, one completely in accord with His Father's will. When He began His. ministry He declared, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He bath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised." These were the aims and objectives of His life.
Christ organized the church to carry on His work of ministry. Among the gifts and powers bestowed upon the church was the gift of healing. (1 Cor. 12:28.) This gift was exercised to a great extent by the apostles and other followers of Christ, and still exists as a gift in the church today. One natural outcome of this gift has been the establishment of medical institutions by the church, and the consecration of devoted workers to the care of the sick.
In modern times the care of the sick has become highly organized and scientific. In step with these modern developments, the medical institutions of the church have incorporated new, scientific methods of treatment. The church medical institution sees in this new knowledge an unfolding of the wisdom of God and an opportunity to make its service of still greater value to the world.
The church medical institution recognizes, to a greater degree than the secular hospital, that in the care of the sick there are three aspects—the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. "Mind and body are so closely related that when one is sick, the other also is sick." (Harmer, Bertha, R. N., Textbook of the Principles and Practice of Nursing, p. 13, Macmillan, New York, 1939.) There is a close relationship between sin and illness, and many times recovery is delayed or made impossible, by the depressing influence of a burden of sin on the heart.
The Christian nurse is a co-worker with Christ. Christ uses her hands to do His work.
She feels the truth of Ambroise Pare's words, "I dressed his wounds; God healed him." If this is the viewpoint to be given to the student, not only must the basic sciences be emphasized in the curriculum, but also the study of religion, especially the life of Christ and the effect of His life on the world.
The subject of nursing arts is the most important in the school of nursing curriculum.
All other subjects are important only as they contribute to laying the foundation for good nursing care. In order for the teaching of nursing arts to be effective, these sciences must be closely integrated, and in order that such teaching may be complete and supreme in its application, the spiritual aspects must also be integrated.
In sickness the patient is beset with worries and perplexities. His illness has multiplied his problems, and for a time is making him feel helpless and dependent. The enforced cessation of his ordinary activities causes him to think of his past life, and in the crisis of his illness his mistakes and sins take on a greater importance. Many are tempted to doubt God's care and love for them. The nurse who realizes this, and who is prepared to meet this need, can perform a service which none other can do. The nurse who can quote comforting passages of Scripture and can pray with her patient, can often do as much for him as medications or treatment can do, if not more.
Spiritual consolation and prayer are especially important in these three procedures, or points of contact, which the nurse makes with the patient: care for the dying, preparation for surgery, and bedtime care.
The greatest crisis in a person's life is that of facing death. The afterlife of the person depends entirely on the life he has lived and on the state of his mind and heart before death. The kindness, gentleness, and thoughtfulness of the nurse should be at their highest level when caring for a dying patient. The patient who has a living faith and confidence in God can face death in peace. If the patient professes Christianity, his religious preferences and requests should be complied with. Many patients profess no religion at all, and for them the nurse is the only one who can give spiritual help. Blessed is the nurse who can pray and lead these patients to a knowledge of the love of God, to an assurance of God's willingness to forgive sins, and a confidence of His acceptance of all those who earnestly seek Him.
Combating Fear of Surgery
Along with the fear of death, the prospect of surgery also gives the patient a feeling of apprehension and fear. The dread of the anesthetic and of the pain which will follow and the knowledge of the risks involved are a source of anxiety and concern. If, in addition to the physical preparation, the nurse can relieve the apprehension of the patient, much is accomplished toward assuring the success of the operation, for fear and anxiety lower the vital forces and increase the risk of surgery. When the surgical preparation is completed and the patient is made comfortable for the night, a prayer offered by the nurse will give peace and confidence and tend to assure a good night's rest. While the patient hears the nurse ask God for His blessing on him and his loved ones, for His blessing of healing, for His presence by his bedside during the night, and for Him to guide the hands of the surgeon during the operation, then his fears diminish and he relaxes, filled with hope and faith.
To the average patient, there is another service which may be the means of hastening his recovery. Many patients dread the night because of their inability to sleep. Fear, anxiety, or worries fill their minds. During the day the nurses, doctors, and others keep them busy, but the night, with its quiet, removes barriers, and their minds are centered on their problems. The object of bedtime care is to make the patient mentally and physically comfortable, and to remove all hindrances to sleep. When the physical needs have been cared for, a short, quiet -prayer, asking God's blessing on the patient in giving him a good night's sleep, will often make unnecessary the use of capsules and pills. Patients appreciate this service and they realize its value to them. To illustrate this.
I wish to give a few incidents from my own experience and observation.
While I was a student, I went to see a patient one night who was having difficulty in sleeping. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. He had had a bad dream which perplexed and bothered him. He asked me, "Now what can I go back to sleep on?" I thought of a verse in the Psalms, and repeated it to him: "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep; for Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." Ps. 4:8. In reply he said, "That's it." After making him comfortable in bed, I offered a short prayer, and he had no more difficulty.
At another time I was asked to give bedtime care to a patient who was very nervous and fatigued, and had trouble with her sleeping.
After giving her care, I asked her if she would like me to have prayer with her, to which she gladly assented. She was gone the next day, and I wondered how she was getting along. Some mouths later, she saw me and told me that that prayer started her on her way to health.
One of our students, while affiliating, had an interesting experience. One evening, as she was about to give a sedative to a patient, the woman said, "I believe that if you would pray with me, I would not need that sedative." The nurse prayed for her, and she slept all night without the use of the drug.
Most patients of the Mountain Sanitarium look forward to the nurse's prayer at night.
Sometimes during the summer months the ambulatory patients stay out on the porch or lawn until quite late. By that time the evening-care nurses have gone off duty. When such a patient comes back to his room, quite often the night supervisor goes in to see him. Then he usually asks for his nurse and admits that what he really wants is the evening prayer.
I have been very thankful that I received my nursing education in a Christian school. As I teach, I aim to direct my students to spiritual attitudes and a true insight into their work.
"Words of cheer and encouragement spoken when the soul is sick and the pulse of courage is low,—these are regarded by the Saviour as if spoken to Himself. As hearts are cheered, the heavenly angels look on in pleased recognition."—Ministry of Healing, p. 159.
"Those who are fighting the battle of life at great odds may be strengthened and encouraged by little attentions that cost only a loving effort. To such the strong, helpful grasp of the hand by a true friend is worth more than gold or silver. Words of kindness are as welcome as the smile of angels."—Id., p. 158.
