Thank you BA friends and supporters – we can tell that you care about us. And we can tell that you are reading our blogs because of the great questions coming in.
When we announced that we would be hiring 18 Christian Science nurses over the next 24 months, you had serious questions. So I thought you might like to see some of those questions, along with our answers. I think you will see why the BA’s recruitment work can be a blessing for the entire Movement.
Do you really need 18 additional Christian Science nurses at the BA?
Yes. Currently we are not able to fully meet the demand for the healing support of Christian Science nursing in our region, and we have a waiting list for those wanting to be admitted to the BA. We work with those on the waiting list to find another CS facility for admission, a private duty CS nurse, or sometimes our own Visiting Christian Science Nursing Service can provide support in the home through daily visits until we are able to admit them as an inpatient.
With so many facilities recruiting, is it realistic to think that the BA can find 18 Christian Science nurses?
We absolutely believe it is possible. We think it will be a combination of those who are currently Journal-listed and those who will be entering the Christian Science Nursing Arts training program here at the BA. And we are hiring over the next 18 months which gives us time to recruit through a consistent marketing campaign and by word–of–mouth. We are so grateful for the Annual Meeting focus on the Christian Science nurse, which we expect will bring more attention to this healing ministry, and we hope members will realize the great need for more CS nurses in our movement.
Are there many Christian Scientists wanting to enter the CS nursing ministry?
Yes. We talk with many individuals who are considering this step. Often we find there is a need to correct misinformation about Christian Science nursing. So we try to make it clear what is really involved in this healing ministry, and what a Christian Science nursing career can look like. Robyn Filbert shares what it means to be a Christian Science nurse.
Are there Christian Science nurses willing to move to Boston to work at the BA?
This question usually refers to the high cost of living in the Boston area and the snowy winters. Here are two general answers:
- We have recently upgraded our compensation package to include highly competitive salaries for Christian Science nurses, and we provide some relocation costs. We also have information packages to help with leasing or buying homes in the area.
As far as the cold, we introduce new staff to down coats, warm boots, and Yaktrax. There are so many joys of living in Boston, and we have been sharing this via a series of videos. In our latest video Monty Haas shows us the famed Emerald Necklace and how close it is to the BA—one of the many reasons to enjoy Boston. - In talking with our staff, so many of them have felt “called” to serve at the BA — either as Christian Science nurses or in support of Christian Science nursing and healing. And because they have responded to this call, there have been countless examples of our staff demonstrating an abundant sense of home and supply during their move to Boston and the BA.
Many facilities are currently recruiting for Christian Science nurses, not only the BA. This is a demonstration that our entire Field needs to make—not just the BA. All Christian Science nursing organizations should be able to hire trained Christian Science nurses to fill positions at their facilities or visiting services. 
And they should be able to recruit future Christian Science nurses for training. Everyone should be able to easily find a qualified Christian Science nurse in their area—either listed in the Christian Science Journal directory or in their own church.
The BA’s recruitment efforts can bless everyone across the US and the world. We are bringing this to your attention for your support and engagement. Here is how you can help:
- Prayerfully support our Leader’s Church Manual By-Law, Article 8, Sec. 31, “Christian Science Nurse”.
- Consider Christian Science nursing as a career for yourself—check out information about the BA’s Christian Science Nursing Arts training school.
- Share the joys and blessings of Christian Science nursing with those who show “signs of readiness” for this ministry.
- Introduce Christian Science nursing to your Sunday School students—Ask a CS nurse to speak with your Sunday School.
We are deeply grateful for your prayers and engagement in support of Christian Science nursing—we know that it will bless the world…and the BA!
There are plenty of non Journal listed CS nurses around looking for work but most facilities will not hire them as they require Journal listed nurses for Medicaid/medicare validation/payments(so here is the federal government driving our movement) . I and others I know have enquired at the BA recently and other facilities and been turned away for work due to not being Journal listed, so, our experience had been we are not wanted nor valued, frankly. It’s extremely frustrating and it seems insincere to me. Also, the tuition to continue on with the CS nurses’ training now is just too high for many of us to deal with, including the living expenses needed to continue with training. In the past CS facilities worked with a nurse in training to get him through the entire training program in a practical manner, like having us work our tuition off while working on the floor. The answers to all of these “shortage in the field” questions seem obvious, as do some of the financial problems many of the facilities are having. Did you really need to pay a consultant to tell you you needed to hire more nurses because you have a waiting list?! I worked a lot of hard long hours to make a substantial contribution to the BA several years ago during the economic downturn and I am deeply disappointed that money seems poorly spent and nurses in the field needing and desiring work and further training are turned away from the BA.
Thank you for your comments on Medicare, Journal-listing, training costs, and CS nurse recruitment. I’d like to clear up a few misconceptions.
The requirement for hiring Journal-listed Christian Science nurses is based in our Accreditation Standards and not Medicare/Medicaid. If we were not a Medicare provider, we would still require Journal-listing for certain positions. It is true that when hiring temporary CS nurses we are looking for Journal-listed CS nurses. It is the only standard that we have for recruiting those who are representing themselves as Christian Science nurses.
The BA hires a number of non-Journal listed CS nurses and they are primarily in our Training School. Tuition for BA staff is subsidized through the BA and grants from the Albert Baker Fund. Even the tuition for those not working at the BA is heavily subsided by the BA through donations.
I hope this is helpful.