Feedback on Summer
Thank you for printing, "Parish Nursing and Home Care: A Blended Role?" by Quenstedt-Moe. I am an advocate for church-based care of the dying, similar to hospice, but not the same. I feel end-of-life care-giving will be the forerunner to the blended role described in the article. Perhaps in the next twenty years, church-based health care will become the norm-much like it was years ago.
Sybil D. Smith
Lyman, SC
I like the fact that JCN includes people of color as authors and also illustrates articles with a variety of ethnic groups. JCN includes Christians of all denominations. I appreciate reading stories of nurses who are walking the walk. It is a tremendous encouragement to those of us involved in day-to-day nursing.
Roberta Paige
Portsmouth, VA
In "A Prayer for Sarah," Deller demonstrated such cultural sensitivity without compromising her beliefs. Perhaps this is the closest Sarah will ever come to a true witness of Christ's love.
Tompkins's "Wrestling with the Spirit's Nudging" is a convicting article with direct application to all aspects of nursing. This is the kind of article I need to post on my mirror and read each morning.
Pat Kissell
Salina, KS
This issue adds to our understanding of what spiritual care can mean in everyday practice. I enjoyed Campinha-Bacote's "Cultural Desire" article. The identification of "cultural desire" (the motivation of a nurse to want-to become culturally competent) as a spiritual element is significant. For the Christian nurse, the relationship identified between "cultural desire" and "cultural humility" reminds me of the biblical teaching to consider others (Rom 12:3). I hope the author will further explicate her model of cultural competence within the Christian perspective.
In "Caring for Strangers," Grypma and Jamison encourage us to put greater value on the religious heritage of nursing while letting go of "the damaging traditions of its religious past." This is insightful. Forceful tactics of imposing the nurse's beliefs on vulnerable patients are not appropriate approaches for nurses. However, I think it would be more accurate to equate the offensive practice of proselytizing with aggressive evangelism rather than with saving souls.
This may be semantic issue, but it is my understanding that saving souls is the essence of the gospel. In my nursing practice, I hope that showing Christ's love through my actions and attitudes might win me the opportunity to respectfully share my faith with patients, while not forcing it on them. Perhaps it would be more helpful to identify that the offensiveness of cultural imposition lies in the manner of delivery of the message rather than in the message itself.
Fran McHolm
North Canton, OH
Winter 03
Through the article, "I'm Glad I Have AIDS" by Carolyn Curtis, the Lord taught me that my gratitude to him has been conditional, based on what I can do for him.
I was impressed with the articles regarding Alzheimer's and encouraged others to read them.
Yoko Yoshioko
Switzerland
Rethinking JCN
I allowed my JCN subscription to expire a while back, thinking you were slanting toward parish nursing more than I liked. But a glance online reveals a refreshingly varied summer '03 issue. In her editorial, Judith Shelly captures the essence of my workplace ("communication barriers [horizontal ellipsis] impossible working conditions and constant obstacles"), and me ("inadequate and defeated"). We Christian nurses need to remind each other that, as Judy says, shalom surrounds us in the midst of life's challenges, not in spite of them. We need to hear that often, and JCN is uniquely in place to say it. Thanks.
Sue C. Wheeler
Lansing, MI
NCF Summer Conference
The summer conference at Cedar Campus in Cedarville, Michigan, provided a vacation with purpose. I chose the elective "Writing for Publication." The sessions were filled with study, laughter and insight. The best part was Judith Shelly's personal application to each of our writing endeavors.
Laughter-Skip McDonald whooped out a story about inserting a Foley-shop talk only a nurse appreciates.
Insight-Caught a glimpse into the thinking tools of writing. From three sessions, I have a thesis statement. I'm becoming a writer. Exciting.
Interested in my type of vacation? Check it out at: http://www.intervarsity.org/ncf.
Frankie Bright Warner
Cheyenne, WY
LOOKING AHEAD
The next few issues will include articles on these topics:
* Global Health
* The Changing Face of Missions
* Outcomes of Christian Nursing
* Responsible Documentation
* The Future of Nursing
* Post-Modernism and Nursing's Future
COMMENT ON A STORY
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Madison, WI 53707-7895
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