As a nurse, I often think of ways to inspire and motivate myself. Nursing is a tiring job, it saps out energy from you. And while you're too busy making sure your patients receive their medicines on time, or your pediatric patients get to have their diapers changed or their tantrums managed well, you realize you're missing out on your social life. Granted that our job is draining, albeit noble, to some nurses whose workplaces are less friendly, soon begin to ask why on earth had they chosen to become a nurse.
Do you know I remind myself of this Bible text whenever I go on duty? It's found in Hebrews 13:2, it says "Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." Come to think of it, how awesome is that? I'd like to always do good and cause no harm to my patients because whether they are angels in all sense of the word, or not, I am a nurse, and I am someone they NEED.
With this in mind, I conclude that nurses are a form of heroes. In fact, when I was in college, the nurses refer to us student nurses as "angels," because of the things we do to ease up the workload. In the same way as professional nurses, we are heroes or angels to both the doctors and the patients. We make everything so much easier.
And while we make things easier for them, which is rewarding by the way, we can't ignore the fact that we also are humans whose immune systems get compromised and eventually get sick too. So here's an inspiring verse from 2 Chronicles 15:7, to keep you striving to become healthier and stronger; "But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded." Positive reinforcement, guys, "your work shall be rewarded..." Isn't that something to look forward to? Also in Hebrews 6:10, it says "God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them."
"Our labor in the Lord is not in vain," (1 Corinthians 15:58). Keep that in mind and you'll stay focused in doing the job effectively and efficiently so that others will be blessed, and their hearts will be praising God! Remember Proverbs 31:13 "...works with willing hands," this is a quality we all should possess as nurses, because we're not talking about computers or money here, this is LIFE we deal with every single day, lives of our patients and their families who love and care for them. This is crucial. Believe that we are nurses for a reason. Believe that "It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure," (Psalm 18:32). And the senses that we use in our assessment? Proverbs 20:12 says "The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them." We are blessed to have clinical eyes to recognize any anomalies, or to acknowledge a patient's way to recovery. We are privileged that we are nurses. Motivate yourself into thinking that "we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do," (Ephesians 2:10).
And to fulfill the commandment found in John 15:12 which says "Love each other as I have loved you," we nurses should commit to our work and bear in mind "that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus," (Philippians 1:6). So no matter how difficult nursing can be, always put yourselves in your patients' shoes, and be the nurse you would want yourself to have in case you get sick and become a patient. Proverbs 3:27 says "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act." Make plans to alleviate your patients' pain, talk to them, assure them of the best that you can do to help them feel better. Be the nurse that they will thank God for. We are God's extended hand, and always remember to "not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up," (Galatians 6:9).
And to all nurses and health care practitioners out there, as well as the patients they take care of, here is my prayer: "Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well," (3 John 1:2).
