The hospital that I work for is offering a small incentive to employees that receive the covid-19 vaccine. I received the vaccine in January of this year, so I was asking one of the other nurses on the unit if I needed to do anything at all to receive the incentive. She informed me that I did not because I received the vaccine at the hospital, it is the nurses who received the vaccine somewhere else who need to upload there vaccine record into the hospitals health at work system.
By my asking this question she must have felt that she had reason to express her anger regarding persons in our community that refuse to take the vaccine. Before I tell you what she said, I should tell you that what she said comes from a person who feels overwhelmed. In our facility there are over 200 hundred patients with covid pneumonia, with about 50% of those persons on ventilators. It is a horrible horrible situation to say the least.
She said two things expressed in anger: 1) If you refuse the vaccine do not come to the hospital. 2) It is selfish and unchristian to not get vaccinated.
I answered her first statement but did not answer her second because after answering the first I perceived that her ears were closed. I explained to her that we have always cared for people who are what we call non-compliant. It was then that she said that not getting vaccinated is selfish and unchristian.
Is it selfish and unchristian? It is selfish because beds and ventilators are being occupied in such a way that it is difficult for anyone to get a space in the hospital, no matter their illness. I do not know if it is unchristian but I do know that it is very American and very southern United States. American’s are a rebellious people and untrusting of government. This has played a large role in the rollout of the covid-19 vaccine and the populations expectance of it, especially in the southern United States. Southerners are even more untrusting of government than those in the northern United States. I do agree that it is selfish but I also think that there is a great deal of ignorance involved, exacerbated by a rebellious spirit and being untrusting of government.
The Christian nurse is called to be two things which go against our human nature but are Christ like. The Christian nurse is to be compassionate. Compassion is having concern for the sufferings of others and there are many in our hospital who are suffering. The Christian nurse is to be gracious. Grace is to give others a blessing that they do not deserve.
