I quickly learned that becoming a nurse was much more involved than just taking classes with medical themes. My instructors had the intention of transforming me into a more evolved individual. This new personage was intended to be mature and to exude the qualities of willingness, sacrifice, and selflessness.
To accomplish this goal, we attended a class called, Vocational Aspects, which was taught by the Director of the nursing school. I guarantee that no one slept through any of those lectures. We wanted to pay attention, because this woman was convincing us that we were special, indestructible and that we were answering a vocational call to glory.
I enjoyed and learned a lot in this class. I also felt somewhat as though I was being "brain washed" and I definitely know, that I was not prepared for entering into a work experience in the "real world." Yes, the real world should have handled things like I was taught in nursing school but greed would not allow that. I have never seen in a work situation, enough staffing to properly give patient care the way we were taught to do it. That has made me an angry and bitter person at times.
I did attend a school which taught its' nursing students to provide for the total patient. We were instructed in Vocational Aspects not only to be concerned for the physical needs of our patient during their illness, but to also care for their mental, emotional and spiritual needs as well. Since it was our duty to assist with administering to our patient's spiritual needs, we studied various religions and their beliefs. The focus in this article is to present information on the beliefs of these three religions, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism as related to their rituals and rites associated with death and dying.
