Nurses as Christ to Others

“Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’

“Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

Nursing is an amazing profession. When I watch a nurse do his or her job well, I immediately am drawn into this passage. Spending time at Marian Manor has really opened my eyes to the beauty that is found in nurses who treat their patients as if they were Christ. It is clear to see which nurses have compassion, love, and charity, and which do not. While I believe that you cannot pursue nursing as a profession if you don't have a desire to help others, it appears to me that some nurses may have let that desire fade away, while most live that life of service every day.

Thinking of my own life, it is sometimes easier to be charitable to others, and to help others, than it is to be charitable to our own family members and those who are most familiar to us. I guess the same could be said for the nurse/patient relationship. When some residents have spent months, or even years, in the nursing home, perhaps it becomes more difficult to remember that person is Christ too. Yet, I see some nurses that no matter how demanding the patient, no matter how repetitive the requests, they are able to respond with loving compassion. I see too, those who respond with short, impersonal, almost dismissive responses.

I've seen nurses who behave in one way when visitors are present, and another way when the patient appears to be alone. The sad reality is that the patients know it, too. They are able to sense the sincerity in the caregivers. When a nurse with a compassionate heart is taking care of a patient, the love is felt by all. There truly is something that you can almost touch and feel when you witness a servant's heart in action.

It isn't just in the nurses that this passage comes to life. It is also in the presence of those who visit with the sick. It is made real in the men and women who carefully bathe each patient. It's lived in the moments when patients who have soiled themselves and their beds are cleansed and comforted. It is made real at times when strangers visit patients' rooms, with the simple desire to let each person know that they are loved. It is made real when men and women take the time to pray with the patients, lifting their prayers to God on high. It is made real in the people who sit at a patient's side, feeding them, and giving them to drink. God is truly present in these moments. Truly, those who are caring for others are being Christ to their patients, and at times, their patients are being Christ to them.