InstantForum.NET v4.1.4The Christian Way Forumshttp://www.christianway.org/forums/contact@christianway.orgTue, 06 Jan 2009 06:37:03 GMT20http://www.christianway.org/forums/Topic14300-13-1.aspxI am an RN with 20 years experience. I am glad to hear of a new student with compassion. It is a tough field and has changed a lot since I started. I am pretty burned-out right now. Go to the Benevolent Association web-site. There is a lot of information there and links. I did not have any trouble with Christian Scientists sharing this information with me. One thing that I liked about their by-laws was a great emphasis on compassion and nurturing which I think we have lost some of in this highly technological field. Best wishes with your career in nursing and being willing to present such a topic to a group.Sat, 26 Apr 2008 10:45:24 GMTRosebud3http://www.christianway.org/forums/Topic14300-13-1.aspxHi Amber,<br><br>I have a good friend I went to college with who is currently a Christian Science Nurse. We are still really good friends even though I have left Christian Science. She is a very caring individual and may be willing to speak with you. Let me talk to her about your situation and I will get back with you. It may be better to go this route than pick some CS Nurse at random.<br><br>Frogs25Tue, 19 Feb 2008 07:54:39 GMTfrogs25http://www.christianway.org/forums/Topic14300-13-1.aspxI've been out of CS for about 30 years (Thank you, Lord!), so my thoughts may be limited in scope.</P><P>I think you c an say that CS'ists come in various degrees and types. There's a spectrum. Some are very old-school: you might call them "Fundamentalist (Eddy) Christian Scientists," and they will have nothing to do with "<EM>materia medica</EM>" as they derisively call it (save optomotry, dentistry, and obstetrics). Others are less restrictive, and feel that CS prayer/treatment can be ethically bombined with medicine. And still others use medical services routinely, and still, for some reason, consider themselves "CS." </P><P>And then there's an unknown number who espouse a devout CS identy, but sneak off to medical care on the sly!</P><P>Obviously, as Linda mentioned, you want to get some idea of where a person claiming to be a CS is when you care for him.Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:26:21 GMTfollowingHimhttp://www.christianway.org/forums/Topic14300-13-1.aspxNurses need to realize that most CSists know very little about how their bodies work (what is normal, what is not). Patients who have been CS all their lives may not recognize how dangerous their cancer is. They may not recognize an allergic reaction for what it is. They don't know what is and is not serious, so they may be fearful about something unimportant while completely missing something that is life-threatening.<P>Find out how much experience the CS patient has with medical care (do this tactfully, since the CSist may already be struggling with feelings of guilt and failure for even getting medical care). Some patients may have almost no experience with medicine, so you may need to spell things out, making sure they understand what part they are to play in their recovery. Make sure the patient understands basics such as how to take medicines and how to fill prescriptions. <P>Ask yourself this: If you had no experience with doctors and understood very little about your condition and its treatment, what would you NEED to know in order to help the doctors and nurses treat you?<P>Also, recognize that CSists tend to live in denial. Even if you explain their situation to them, they may not be able to absorb what you are saying as they instinctively "know the truth" that their medical condition is not real.Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:48:29 GMTLindahttp://www.christianway.org/forums/Topic14300-13-1.aspxAmber,<br><br>I've been hoping that one of the CSists would jump in and provide a response to your question. As you would be working with active CSists rather than former CSists such as me, their answer might be more relevant and appropriate.<br><br>You might consider contacting a CS Nurse ([url]http://www.tfccs.com/healingresources/christian-science-nurses.jhtml[/url]). They are generally quite professional and would likely have some good information for you from a nursing perspective.<br><br>Just about any of the former CSists could provide you any number of horror stories regarding the conflicts of CS and medical care. As a nurse, you would have to deal with the conflict of your own professional beliefs and compassion for the beliefs of your patients.<br><br>CSists come to believe through their study of CS that medical care is evil and acceptance of such care as a indication of their personal failure. It's so deep in many cases that acceptance of medical care is at least emotionally the same as denying the existence and power of God.<br><br>Rather than inflict my own biases on this discussion, I think I'll stop for now in the hopes that others will offer relevant comments.<br><br>Do Go Be Man<br><><Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:22:14 GMTDo_Go_Be_Man