Journal of Christian Nursing

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In the Light

We want to bring things into the light with this blog—concerns, questions, controversy, capture what’s on your mind, and hopefully enlighten a few passersby.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

#nursesunite on Miss Colorado
I'm curious what you think about Miss Colorado's monologue about being a nurse monologuehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF_TBmKzwls). Some are wondering why say "I'm just a nurse" -- it sounds like we can't impact patient care. Others are applauding the expression of caring, a demonstration of a REAL impact of good nursing. What do you think? Did Miss Colorado hurt or help nursing's image?

Friday, May 8, 2015

National Nurses Week: FOCUS ON Ethics
This is the year of ethics in nursing, with release of the updated Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretative Statements by the American Nurses Association. Naturally, National Nurses Week 2015 is focusing on ethics.
 
Lippincott's NursingCenter.com is offering free resources to help nurses focus on and build their confidence and ability to practice ethically.
 
Don't miss NursingCenter's Nursing Ethics Blog Series, addressing everyday topics important to you. I blogged about informed consent--legal and ethical aspects, how nurses can improve informed consent, and patient consent for nursing interventions. Take a few moments to explore this critical topic and gain confidence in your practice.
 
Be sure to check out the other free resources and discounted CE on NursingCenter.com.
 
Happy Nurses Week!
 

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Help STOP Pertussis!
It saddens me to learn more and more people are opting out of being vaccinated for easily preventable diseases. There may be times when vaccination is not advisable, but often people do not vaccinate their children or themselves because of inaccurate information.
 
Yet, as with almost all health concerns, nurses are in the best position to make a difference. We are the most trusted profession by the public and we interface with people in sickness and in health--at the hospital, clinic, school, church, neighborhood, everywhere. We can teach about vaccinations and vaccine safety. 
 
Do your part as a nurse. Keep current on vaccine information by checking with the Centers for Disease Control Pink Book and other sources. Look up vaccine reactions on the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System so you can tell others what kinds of problems people are having (or not having). Educate, educate, educate, about vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), vaccination schedules, and localized vaccine reactions to expect. Have Vaccine Information Sstatements prepared by the CDC to hand out where appropriate. Educate as much as you can everywhere you can.
 
Have a bit of extra time? Volunteer time for vaccination programs, support insurance coverage for all vaccinations by writing your congressman or senator, support a national registry to track immunization status, write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Be creative and come up with your own ideas to counter decreasing vaccination rates.
 
It's good news that so many horrible diseases can be prevented in our modern world through effective vaccination. Help be a part of stopping pertussis and other VPDs.
 
Onward,
 
Kathy 

Monday, May 12, 2014

Do Nurses Christian Fellowship groups make a difference?
A man I know at the gym recently said to me "Oh, you're one of those" and elaborated about how Christians talk a lot but don't do much to help people. I beg to differ with him.
 
Today on the front page of the Wichita Eagle newspaper is an amazing story. Ukraine native experiences what she already knew: Americans are good (see http://bit.ly/1nFsBWw) tells the story of a Ukrainian woman in the nursing program at Newman University, Wichita, Kansas who went to a Newman NCF meeting to ask for prayer for her sister who was 32 weeks pregnant. It's a heart wrenching story about the fighting in Ukraine and how this nursing student brought her twin sister to Wichita to keep her and her baby safe. 
 
As the Newman NCF group heard about the needs of this family, they immediately sprang into action. Until that day, no one knew about this desperate situation. First, students and faculty surrounded their fellow nursing student, laid their hands on her, and prayed for her pregnant sister, the developing baby, and the husband back in Ukraine waiting to be called up to fight the Russians.
 
Second, when the NCF group heard the woman had no prenatal care they worked to arrange for free prenatal care and maternal services at a local hospital. The local Pregnancy Crisis Center, also a Christian ministry, was instrumental in helping to arrange the care.
 
Third, the NCF group realized the family had nothing. So they planned a baby shower and provided thousands of dollars of support and baby items for the expectant mother. Now they continue to pray for the family--especially for the safety of the Ukrainian father, and offer support to the nursing student and her pregnant sister whose baby is due May 29.
 
I am grateful for Nurses Christian Fellowship and the way NCF groups serve the needs they discover around them. NCF groups are active at over 100 schools of nursing in the U.S. and more spring up every semester. Pray for these future nurses who are learning to put their Christian faith into practice through the art of nursing, and the dedicated faculty advisors who lead them.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Blessed Nurses Day!! FREE journal articles this week!!!
In honor of National Nurses Day, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins has made all of the current issues of their nursing journals FREE this week. Take advantage of hundreds of informative and helpful articles for your specialty area of practice.
 
Go to your favorite journal today, or browse all of LWW's nursing journals accessible through http://journals.lww.com/  
Search for your specialty area of nursing practice under "Journals by Specialty."
 
May God continue to help you be His compassionate excellent nurse today.
 
Kathy