More than anything else, they love witnessing Christian Science healing. Often they have had interesting careers in other fields but have found their greatest joy in the closeness they feel to God when they are caring for others and supporting healing. Classroom work with experienced instructors and training under a mentor's supervision provide an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the metaphysical basis of Christian Science nursing and to discover how this spiritual understanding naturally undergirds every nursing activity and skill they will learn. By devoting themselves to thoroughly understanding what it means to fulfill the standard set by Mary Baker Eddy in her Church Manual By-Law for the Christian Science nurse (Article VIII, Section 31), they know they will become more spiritually confident and effective in their ministry.

To feel cherished and to grow! Class sizes allow for individual attention from the instructor and lots of opportunities to participate. Class assignments and in-depth concordance work help bring focus and inspiration to your tasks and open up a new way of seeing what you're doing when you nurse. You'll practice your skills in the classroom before you begin caring for patients. You'll learn from the example of your instructor and others, and see that part of nursing includes loving and nurturing one another as you learn. Often lifelong friendships develop between students and the instructors, friendships that support their ministries in many ways.

 

One of the most important things you'll learn is how nursing cherishes and protects the individual practice of Christian Science. You'll see more clearly your role in maintaining a pure, uplifting environment conducive to Christ-healing. You'll also learn the ethics of nursing, mealtime assistance and food preparation to meet special needs, mobility and personal care assistance, and reading aloud. And in later courses, the student is taught bandaging and care for wounds, nursing supervision, and mother and infant care, among others. Mrs. Eddy states, "All education should contribute to moral and physical strength and freedom." (Miscellaneous Writings, p.240:11) Through your study and application of the Bible and Mrs. Eddy's writings in your nursing ministry, you'll naturally find increasing freedom and strength, and you'll develop your innate ability to nurse.

The choice is yours. A number of facilities offer all the employee benefits of being on their nursing staff. This includes having opportunities to nurse in the home under the supervision of an instructor. Nursing cases in the home are essential to your Journal-listing as a nurse, and special efforts are made to see that students are prepared for a wide variety of nursing situations. Of course, it is possible to learn Christian Science nursing with a Journal-listed nurse entirely separate from any facility. Visiting Nurse Services and individual nurses may offer such training.

If you are a member of The Mother Church, an introductory course offered by most facilities is a way you can explore nursing without becoming an employee. Some facilities require Primary Class instruction at the outset, while others require it for subsequent training. A listing of facilities offering courses worldwide can be found on the Nurse Education page. 

Yes. Some facilities offer refresher courses or workshops on various related topics. Feel free to contact any facility and inquire about their offerings. These courses and workshops not only provide an opportunity to improve any skills that may not often be used, but also foster sharing that helps bring a spirit of freshness, progress, and joy to each nurse's individual ministry.

(The above information courtesy of Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association)

For AOCSN and Christian Science nursing questions, send e-mail to Barbara Rigall; for technical questions e-mail Mark Mohlenbrock. This web site was last modified on June 15, 2005.