Living Counter-Culturally for Christ in Nursing & Midwifery

As I write this I am uncomfortably awaiting the arrival of my second son in 2 days’ time and regard with fondness – and rose-tinted glasses – those days when at the end of an exhausting shift I could flop into bed, snuggle down and sleep soundly until the alarm woke me next morning / afternoon / evening!

When Christian Nurses & Midwives was launched I was working for the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) as their Staff Worker for student nurses and midwives (Christian Student Nurses & Midwives, or CSNM). Since then I have worked in a central London church as their women’s worker; got married; seen a little of missionary work in Latin America; been privileged to study theology for a couple of years at Oak Hill Theological College alongside my husband, and have spent the last three years getting to grips with being a mother to a lively little boy.

During this time I think the question that has been looming ever larger in my mind is what does it really mean to say 'Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men', (Colossians 3:23). What difference does the gospel really make to the way we live and think, to our priorities and values on a day to day basis?

When I took up the post of Staff worker for CSNM I inherited the organisation of a conference entitled Counter-Cultural Living. I don’t think I realised then the enormity of this phrase, or the astute diagnostics behind its selection as a conference theme; In particular in my three years as a women’s worker I saw on a daily basis the way in which the gospel had become something we added to our lives instead of the thing that transforms every bit of our lives.

It is all too easy to begin with the situation we find ourselves in and then ask how does the gospel apply? How do I act as a Christian faced with these set of circumstances?  But in truth Jesus says to us seek first his [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Instead of saying “I am Christian in a place where I cannot talk to my patients about Jesus, so how then should I conduct myself?” we should be saying “Can I be a Christian in a place where I cannot talk to my patients about Jesus?” This will inevitably mean making the kind of sacrifices that we’re unused to making (for example are there jobs that Christians ought not to be doing?), and trusting God in a way we’re unused to trusting Him (how will people in those places come to faith without us there to witness to them?).

CNM has tried to support and encourage its members in this task of counter-cultural living within the workplace. I pray that it has been of help to its members over the past ten years, but sadly we have always struggled to increase our membership and so our impact on the profession has been minimal. Given the current anti-Christian enviroment, the need for CNM has never been greater because it has never been harder to be a distinctively Christian nurse or midwife.

One thing I think CNM can do is to encourage our churches to help us more specifically in this task of approaching our work Christianly and then to be ready to support us when we face serious trouble at work as a result. This will help CNM members lead the way in restoring the gospel to the heart of healthcare and should encourage other Christian nurses and midwives to join the vision of CNM and count the cost of discipleship.

CNM E-News Edition 2

The second edition of CNM's E-Newsletter is now available to download here

Elderly Care: Do we care?

A report by Age UK on Monday suggests that despite claims by Government that they are increasing funding for elderly care, the level of demand has outstripped funding as more and more people are living longer but with increasing levels of dependency. The report suggests that in the last half decade the actual funding has stagnated, while in the same time a quarter of a million more people need care.  Age UK estimate that the spending on elderly will be £7.3 billion this year, but needs to be nearer £7.8 billion.

Furthermore, local councils appear to be treating care of the elderly as a lower priority, diverting funding away to other services, while increasing charges for care, such that many face poverty just paying for essential help with washing, dressing and shopping.  An increasing number from a generation who grew up in the post-war austerity of this country, and helped rebuild it, as their parents had helped fight for its freedom, are being left destitute and unsupported. This is in the face of a seemingly never ending barrage of reports criticising the poor quality of nursing and social care for the elderly in this country, and by attempts to cap and reduce benefits for the disabled, dwindling pensions, collapsing social support from families, increased life expectancy (but not health expectancy), etc. etc.  It is not a great time to grow old in Britain it would seem.

No wonder some now look upon assisted suicide and euthanasia as the only viable alternative.  Some, I fear would see that as not only more compassionate but also cheaper and frankly less of an inconvenience.

It can be hard work looking after older people with health needs or disabilities.  I know, because I was a district nurse and a senior staff nurse in an acute medical unit for elderly men for several years.  But no more so than caring for any other group, such as children – and I should also know as I have been a parent for even longer!  But just as we find joys and delights in parenting alongside the testing and trying bits, so caring for our elders brings positives alongside difficulties.  I learnt so much from my grandmother and mother in their last few years of life about that quiet generation who grew up before and during the last world war, and their willingness to just get things done, however hard things got.  I learnt from elderly patients from this and other nations about what it was like to live through the great moments of our world’s history in the 20^th century, and about the joys and sorrows that await all of us as we age.  My life is richer for knowing them all.

So why are we, as a society, underfunding and institutionalising our elders?  I could ask a similar question about the appalling struggles facing those with disabilities, especially children, whose parents have to fight doggedly for every single service and area of support (again, something I know only too well from the experiences of close friends and family).  Maybe we are afraid of growing old or facing disability in a youth obsessed culture? Maybe we are so self-absorbed that we would rather not deal with problems that seem millions of miles away, and maybe we are happier with the bread and circuses of reality TV and celebrity scandals, than face the realities of what is happening to the vulnerable?

Or maybe we do care, but our governments just think we don’t. (Do the elderly and disabled vote in large enough numbers to sway the parties I wonder?) Whichever way the truth lies, we need to seriously rethink where our priorities lie before we find ourselves abandoned in our dotage!

this post originally appeared in the blog of the Christian Medical Fellowship