Self Care of the Parish Nurse

I believe the importance of self care especially as a PN (parish nurse) can’t be underestimated. As nurses, we tend to have the type of personality that jump into a challenge before we have stopped to take into account what the costs of that involvement can be. We sometimes rely so much on our “intellect” and not on the Lord that using our own strength soon takes its toll.
Four years ago the Lord used an exacerbation of a chronic illness to help me to realize that. Looking back, I know that He used that to prepare me for His ministry of parish nursing. “We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share God's comfort” (2Corinthians 1:7). I was not only doing things on my own strength but also feeling that I had to do it “all”. I was not utilizing people God put into my life whom He had also gifted in ministry.
I have come to value the value of rest and quiet time alone with the Lord. Daily devotional time in the Word of God is so imperative to refuel your soul. Christian and classical music is also vital to me. The times when I feel overwhelmed with life, music can bring me to that place of praise and worship and being thankful in all situations “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts” (Colossians 3:15-16).
“Are any among you suffering? They should keep on praying about it. And those who have reason to be thankful should continually sing praises to the Lord”. (James 5:13).
I read Judith Shelley’s book Spiritual Care this summer while on vacation. This book emphasized spiritual care of the caregiver as well as those we care for. She underlined the magnitude of taking sabbaticals. Entering into Sabbath rest doesn’t have to be a four month excursion but even a few hours away by a lake with God can renew your soul “A Sabbath rest remains, therefore, for God's people. For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His.” (Hebrews 4:9-10). While I must confess I haven’t yet embarked on that manner of sabbatical, I do have it on my “to do” list. The tyranny of the urgent tends to take over some days when that couple of hours doing housework can be better served alone in that “quiet place” with the Lord.
Kim