As A Nurse, Could You Take Care Of This Person With Unconditional Love?

The moment the gentleman pictured here was taken to the hospital after a failed terrorist catastrophe, I thought:  nurses are taking care of him.

How did they do it?

Naturally, this would be a great interview, but since breech of confidentiality is such a big deal, we may never hear this part of the story.

This man is trained to hate. That much I can pretty much bet on.

What happens if someone had the opportunity to match his hate with his love? Yes, 5% of nurses are men.

Is it worth putting out the energy to love such a person?

I wrote about this on my Daily Prayer Blog this morning, and these are the words that I wrote: "This is my vow as a nurse: to serve no matter who the person, no matter what they did or did not do, even if they are injured after blowing up a plane in a terrorist attack! They are in my care, and I must love them."

So is this true? For me, yes it is. Loving him is better than matching his hate with my hate.

Is it better to become what you are trying to destroy?

I am a nurse who loves my patients. This is easier than most other things I do.

It is why I became a nurse.

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Wisdom Of The Free Mind

Comments

[MiMi]

And that is the reason you ARE a nurse. No matter what our experiences have led us to become, there is still the human in there that craves love; as a nurse you can change lives in more ways than one. If not, at least you haven't "matched" the hatred.

Hats off to you, Nurse Kate.

[D.D. Delaney]

It may well be easier to treat a terrorist with unconditional love than an ordinary person because the terrorist, pretty much by definition, is suffering more than most from the trauma of his/her own hate. Therefore, I imagine, in witnessing that suffering, such emotions as pity, compassion, empathy, etc., spring more easily to the mind and heart.

[Kate Loving Shenk]

Judging from the comments I received from other nurses and people, I don't think anyone would be happy to take care of this person.

But someone did.

I wonder what they thought? How did they do it?

[khulud]

you made me cry great lady .. god bless you ..the great thing about america is the emotions people have as humans ..

[khulud]

honestly speaking .. since am not an angel .. i would be so stressed to take care of a person whom if his plan went well 'god forbids' i would be taking care of the hateress victims..i am muslim and i assure you i felt sick when i heard the news..

[Kim]

Love is not an emotion, love is a decision. It doesn't mean you have to approve of, agree with or like the person. You can be angry at, disgusted by or repulsed by someone. You need not feel loving, but you can make the decision to love.

Sometimes, that is what we nurses do best.

[kate loving shenk]

Hi Kim--Nurses are called to be non-judgemental in their care. Few heed this call!

[Iva Gutowski]

I completely understand where you're coming from and agree with you 100%. I am a jail nurse. I take care of inmates in a local county jail. Some of my patients are serial killers, rapists, and child molesters. Of course I do not agree with or like what they've done to get arrested, nor do I necessarily "like" them as a person, but I love everyone. God made us to love one another and that's what I try to do. I truly care about these inmates and try to encourage them to better themselves while providing the best nursing care I possibly can to them. Like you said, if I sink to their level, that would make me just like them. Thanks for your blog. I enjoyed reading it. I have a similar medical blog: http://ivathecitizenjournalist.blogspot.com/

[Carolyn]

I too am sometimes required to care for individuals that may have criminal charges pending...THAT IS NOT MY CONCERN. You must remove yourself from the legal and emotional situation and place yourself into the realm for which you are trained and needed. Inside every individual there is a person (look into their eyes), when they are in the healthcare setting...they are scared, that's when a little compassion goes a long way; but assure them that your compassion does not accompany weakness but pure strength in your nursing abilities!
Love, compassion and strength teaches and leads by example.

[Kate Loving Shenk]

Carolyn, My point exactly! Thank you!!