Sally Manahan NP, CNS, RN

 Understand that in life there is meaning and purpose for patients, families and health care providers.  Identify how, “The Power of Nursing” can be beneficial to a nursing program and the nursing profession at large.  Discuss the importance of developing and belonging to authentic communities.

“Stories take the facts of life and infuse them with meaning.” - Dr. Rachel Remen, Founder and Director of the Ishi (Institute of studies of health and illness) Institute

 “Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives.” - Brown, (2010)  “ If you do not transform your pain you will transmit it.” -Richard Rohr, Founder of the Center of Contemplation and Action

 Individually determined & interpreted  Often finds expression & meaning in the ordinary & mundane aspects of life  Not consciously thought about  Applies to every individual irrespective of religious affiliation; all human beings have the a spiritual dimension.

 F aith and Belief –meaning, purpose  I mportance for you  C ommunity  A ddress them in your plan of care

“Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.” –Brown, (2010)

“It’s in our wounds that create our vulnerabilities and its within those vulnerabilities that connect us to our patients. And that creates empathy. And that creates compassion.”  369Jw 369Jw

“We see why compassion is not typically our first response to suffering. The word compassion is derived from the Latin words pati and cum, meaning, “to suffer with.” I don’t believe that compassion is our default response. I think our first response to pain-our or someone else’s is to self protect. We protect ourselves by looking for someone to blame. Or sometimes we shield ourselves by turning to judgment or by immediately going into fix it mode.” –B. Brown (2010)

“When we allow our most vulnerable and powerful selves to be deeply seen and known. And when we honor the spiritual connection that grows from that offering with trust, respect, kindness and affection.” -B. Brown (2010)

“The innate human desire to be part of something larger than us… Because true belonging only happens when we are present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self- acceptance.” –Brown (2010)

 If we want to fully experience love and belonging we must believe we are worthy of love and belonging.  When we can let go of what other people think and own our story we gain access to our worthiness.  When we distance ourselves from parts of our lives that don’t fit with who we are and hustle for worthiness.

 It is through relationships that we feel seen, heard and felt.  Your mind is relational.

 An Aspen Forest is created by the shoots of an extensive root system.  The individual trees aren’t individuals, but stems of this massive single clone.  This clone is called The Pando.  The clone provides the necessary nutrients to each of its shoots. Although the shoots appear as individual trees; in reality they are all interconnected with the main organism- THE PANDO.

 Lateral Violence : Deliberate and harmful behavior exhibited in the workplace.  93% of nurses have reported witnessing lateral violence in the workplace.  These victimized nurses are documented cases of having a decreased sense of overall well being, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, anxiety and onset of cardiovascular disease.

 Rachel Remen created, “The Healer’s Art” course  She interviewed 500 clinicians; 40% were clinically depressed, spoke of leaving the profession and many had lost meaning and focus.  Medicine is in crisis, and in crisis we need to find something stronger than our science to hold on to, something more satisfying and sustaining to us as people in this work.

 “Meaning is a human need. It strengthens us, not by numbing our pain or distracting us from our problems, or even by comforting us. It heals us by reminding us of our integrity, who we are, and what we stand for. It offers us a place from which to meet the challenges of life.” -R. Remen, (2001)  “Service is not a relationship between an expert and a problem; it is a human relationship, a work of the heart and soul.” Restoring a sense of service to the practice of medicine will lead us to reexamine the process by which we become physicians.” -R. Remen, (2001)

 Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection. Center City, Minnesota: Hazelden.  Christie, W. & Jones, S. (2014). Lateral Violence in Nursing and the Theory of the Nurse as Wounded Healer. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 19(1).  Koch, K. (2014). Leading like Francis. Building God’s House. Hyde Park, NY: New York City Press.  O’Brien, M.E. (2008). Spirituality in Nursing. (3 rd Ed.) Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.  Puchalski, C. & Romer, A. L. (2000). Taking Spiritual History Allows Clinicians to Understand Patients More Fully. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 3(1)  Rabow, M.W., Wrubel, J. & Remen, R.N. (2007). Authentic Community as an Educational Strategy for Advancing Professionalism: A National Evaluation of the Healer’s Art Course. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 22(10),  Remen, R. (2001). Recapturing the Soul of Medicine. West J Med, 174, 4-5.