Atheist at Catholic hospital

[kaydensmom01]

I was so excited to get a job at the largest healthcare system in my state. They have an excellent reputation, all of my peers enjoy working there, and I was offered great pay and great benefits. I knew it was a Catholic hospital, and even though I am an atheist I did not think that this was going to be an issue as I respect all religious beliefs and will aid my patients in any way possible with their spirituality. I thought the fact that I am a compassionate person would be enough but am second guessing this after the orientation today.

I really enjoyed the orientation and otherwise would have had a perfect perception of the system. I am not sure if I am being overly sensitive or not so please give me your opinions.

I was okay with the two prayers and one blessing that they performed as I discreetly declined to participate. The only issue I had was with the system stating that their system has all management titled "ministry leaders" and that they must provide healing through the power of Jesus. This makes me worried that in order to be promoted I would have to pretend to be Catholic? (Of course I would not be willing to do this and would just hide my lack of beliefs while I am here)

[mhy12784]

Pretty sure its illegal to use religion as a reason to promote/not promote.

Personally I wouldn't worry about it. If you JUST got hired (which it sounds like you did) it presumably would be a while before youre due for any promotions.

And by then I think youd have a better understanding of the situation, and could make a better judgement call.

Whats the worst case scenario, you go elsewhere in a few years and get the same promotion at a different hospital?

[heron, ASN, RN]

Rut-roh! If the expectation of ministry is explicitly spelled out in their handbook and policies, then you may be poop out of luck. If they make it clear in writing that all employees must be believing Christians - which they would have to be if they are ministering - then challenging that will take money, time and very talented lawyers. Be very sure that this is the hill you want to die on.

To be clear, I think they are dead wrong.

For one thing, unless they have only rich self-pay patients and very generous donors, then they take federal money. They can write anything they want into their handbook, but if they take public money, then they have to follow public laws against religious discrimination.

Another tactic is to decline to perform those spiritual duties on moral grounds. After all, Christian nurses who believe abortion is immoral are not required to participate in them. Deliberate deception - as in pretending to be catholic - is immoral, in my view. So is providing religious service in which you don't believe.

Let's not forget the personal damage caused by pretending to be something you're not.

So how badly do you want/need the job and how militant can you afford to be?

Your call.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

Do you have the education and nursing experience that would qualify you to be promoted into a leadership position? If not, I wonder why you are concerned about barriers to promotion when you are still on orientation as a staff nurse. It sounds like the hospital can help you become an experienced nurse, if you are a novice nurse, working towards becoming an expert nurse is where your focus should be.

[Red Kryptonite]

The only issue I had was with the system stating that their system has all management titled "ministry leaders" and that they must provide healing through the power of Jesus.

I'm Catholic and this doesn't sound Catholic to me. Frankly, it sounds Pentecostal, but I digress.....

We have a sacrament of Anointing the Sick, but only a priest can administer it and it's not a guarantee of physical healing. It's more about spiritual healing, drawing close to God in a time of need, submitting to His will, and uniting our suffering with Christ's to help it become purifying and redemptive.

Titling all managers "ministry leaders" sounds off too. There are laypeople who lead ministries in the Church, but not every job is a ministry, even in a Catholic hospital.

[malamud69, BSN, RN]

RUN!!!!

[heron, ASN, RN]

It's hard for non-Christians to keep up with all the different groups - she may have mis-identified the denomination.

I agree that the OP needs to become a competent nurse before she starts worrying about prospects for promotion. Plus, she seems to like the energy around there.

OP, the question for me is how much pressure to perform Christian ritual are you likely to feel at the bedside. It's hard to say from here, but there are sure to be patients who for prayers ... and who will be encouraged to complain if you refuse or come out as atheist. Risky business, so I think it's smart to be thinking about this now.

Did you get any flack for declining to join the staff prayer sessions? Did anyone notice or ask you about it? Anyone cop an attitude or give you the stink-eye - or suddenly stop talking to you? How has the organization dealt with unbelievers in the past?

On the other hand, they may surprise you ... when I came out as a lesbian on one job, the most devout Christian in the group said, "I love you for that!" and became an strong ally. Ya never know until you do it.

Accept the fact that if you become known to your co-workers as atheist, your life on that job will change.

[dudette10, MSN, RN]

A lot of Catholic healthcare systems use the terminology that you refer to. It's really no big deal in practice. Don't think too much into it.

[rumwynnieRN]

I'm Catholic, and prior to my present job, I worked at Baptist affiliated hospital. Yes they had things like "We believe in the power of Christ, and we strive to live his message," but other than the daily "prayer/huddle" thing (which depending on who was charge nurse, we got the "corporate gospel" aka the sheet of paper without the prayer or we skipped it all together), that was as religious as it got. I think we might've had some religious leaders, but besides that, a hospital is a hospital. You do what you were taught in nursing school (with the appropriate growth/changes), and no one says anything to you.

I would ignore it. I bet half the higher ups except maybe a handful are (practicing) Catholics anyway.

[wanderlust99]

I've worked in several Catholic hospitals and in general the only time it felt Catholic to me was during orientation, when someone would speak about the mission of the hospital and etc.. Other than maybe seeing some crosses on the walls or a priest making rounds, these hospitals typically don't feel Catholic to me. Same goes for Jewish hospitals.

This is my opinion but in general Catholics aren't the type to push their beliefs onto others, we are typically private about our beliefs and pretty laid back IMO, and certainly not the types to try to convert someone, especially in a hospital setting! I really wouldn't sweat it.

I do not know or have heard of a ministry leader.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I did PRN for a Catholic health network. The main thing I noticed was that there were crosses or pictures of the virgin Mary on the walls throughout the hospital. Otherwise, it was really no different than any other hospital, with the exception that we did not perform sterilization procedures to postpartum women, nor were we allowed to offer postpartum birth control options.

[heron, ASN, RN]

You guys are probably right. Having seen and heard about anti-gay witch-hunts, I tend to be very cautious.

I'd love to hear from the OP again to find out what conditions at the bedside are really like.

She seems to love the place, so if religion is a non-issue - which it should be - then she seems to be made in the shade.