The Heart of a Nurse-Amanda R

I had the privilege of hosting a table for our women’s Bible study class, where I got to know Amanda. She has profoundly impacted my heart since the first day we met. Her natural ability to love others was evident in how she cared for her son, Noah. Over the years, I witnessed her faith growing. As a nurse, she shared her experiences with us, and we prayed, shed tears, and shared laughter on her journey. Her dedication to her job as a nurse was both honorable and inspiring. There were times when she prayed with us when her heart was heavy. It was clear that she felt called to the healthcare world. Her love and passion for her patients always prevailed, even on challenging days. I knew she was a representation of nurses who rely on their faith in God for strength and endurance in their calling.

Amanda has been a nurse for six years this month. She started as a licensed vocational nurse in 2018 and her first job was working on a med-surgery floor for 2 years. She went back to school for her RN in June of 2020 but after having an emergency c-section with her oldest son Jonah, she took a semester off to recover. After her journey, she continued her education classes that following January to graduate in December 2021. She is currently a PACU (post-anesthesia care unit) nurse. 

“Being a nurse means caring for those who need to be healed. Comforting someone with positive words after getting bad news from the doctor. Holding a crying mom’s shoulder and reassuring her that her kid is okay after waking up from surgery. Empathizing with a patient who has an overwhelming sense of anxiety; breathing with them and trying to calm them down.”

“Being a nurse means putting others before yourself time after time on your very best days and even on your very worst days. You do it because you know God has chosen you to do this job.”

“Being kind to others goes a long way. You don’t know what someone is going through on a daily basis and your kind heart and smile may be the difference they need.”

FAITH

“I see God working almost every day.  I was a patient at a clinic for my recurrent sinus infections to get a steroid shot like many times before. This time was different because, within 5 minutes of my injection, I was having an anaphylactic reaction to the medication. Skin turning red, burning like it was on fire, throat closing, head feeling all sorts of pressure. If you can imagine what being in a pressure cooker feels like, this was it. The care team reacted quickly and was able to stop the progression of my allergic reaction. I was sent to the hospital due to suddenly losing all the strength in my legs to walk. It felt like my legs were being burned with hot needles with no explanation at all. I prayed and pleaded to God to help me. I didn’t know why this was happening to me. After a week in the hospital the only diagnosis they could give me was “steroid myopathy”. I still don’t know why it happened but I know God was using me. God doesn’t test you, He challenges you. He challenged my faith that day and that was the fire that sparked my faith to burn brighter than it ever has. I completed 4 months of physical therapy just to say I am a walking testimony of God’s relentless mercy. I will never stop sharing my story of how good He is to those who choose to follow Him.” 

ENCOURAGEMENT