Blessing of the Hands Ceremony In Honor of Nurses
Equipment – Rolling Carts:
A simple cart on wheels draped with white linen- 2 Small pitchers (creamers or small tea pots) filled with an Essential Oil or Reiki blessed water
- Eye dropper with each pitcher
- 1 Candle – battery operated
- Small papers with Nurses prayers- to hand out
Blessing of the Hands Process:
- What – Rolling Carts fully equipped
- Who- Each cart is ushered by 2 people – 1 of which is a nurse leader. One person invites and rounds up all nurses, staff, physicians, RTs, pharmacists, visitors, etc while the other starts the blessings
- Where – Carts are deployed to all the units and departments in the organization
- When – Schedules cover around the clock for 1 or 2 days through the Nurse Week celebrations
- How – The ceremony is quick, quiet and reverent.
- Nurses/participants are asked to extend their hands over the cart
- Drops of the oil or water are dropped onto each hand
- Participants can rub their hands together during prayer, keep hands extended over cart, place hands on heart, etc
- Prayer is read out loud – one or both of the following prayers
- Prayers are handed out to nurses. Participants can read along with the prayers
Blessing of the Hands
Blessed be these hands that have touched life.
Blessed be these hands that have felt suffering.
Blessed be these hands that have embraced with compassion.
Blessed be these hands that have been clinched with anger or withdrawn in fear.
Blessed be these hands that have drawn blood and administered medicine.
Blessed be these hands that have cleaned beds and disposed of wastes.
Blessed be these hands that have anointed the sick and offered blessings.
Blessed be these hands that grow stiff with age.
Blessed be these hands that have comforted the dying and held the dead.
Blessed be these hands. We hold the future of these hands.
John Hopkins Hospital 1989
Nurses’ Hands
May you be blessed with a spirit of gentleness and a heart that is tender.
May you be blessed with a spirit of strength shining within you.
May you be blessed with a spirit of compassion and a fervent caring.
May you be blessed with a spirit of courage, daring to be who you are.
May you be blessed with a spirit of openness, understanding and respect.
May the earth hold you.
May the wind lift you ever up.
May the fire draw and warm you.
May the water soothe your soul.
May you walk in the oneness of purpose, extending grace and dignity with your whole being.
Home Health Care Management, Inc 2013
May You Experience Being Honored in this years’
Nurse Week Celebrations
by Honoring Nurses
There are far to many times, when nurses do not realize the impact on patients, families and co workers. A mere touch, kind word and a smile can bring comfort that can not be measured and frequently the nurse is unaware of their power to bring peace to those they care for.
Nice. Thank you. pat