Help re Jehovah's Witness and death

Nurses General Nursing

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Dear All

Im wondering if anyone can help me with some information I need. A am writting an assignment on addressing needs of particular groups, I have chosen Jehovah's Witnesses.

I am wondering if this group has particular needs when a relative dies in a healthcare setting?

Also do they believe in cremation? or burial only?

any assistance would be greatly apprecaited as IM using this as a way of educating my self and my peers.

thankyou

Nicki

Australia

:nurse:

There really isn't anything different you would do for the death of a JW. As far as the blood issue goes there is a website that will give you the breakdown of the different treatments that contain blood fractions etc.. I think it is http://www.noblood.org. It is important to remember that while virtually all JW's will refuse a blood transfusion as it is against their faith (anyone claiming to be a JW who does not refuse a transfusion of blood is going directly against the faith), there are certain treatments that contain fractions that are up the individuals conscience. So you may see some who accept certain fractional treatments and others who won't. Bloodless surgery methods have come a long way and unless you are in a genuine emergent situation you hopefully will have quite a few options anyway and not just blood transfusion. In any case the important thing to do is ask if they have a medical directive and go through the different treatments with each individual to find out if they are acceptable to that person.

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Specializes in HIV care, med/surge agency.

JEHOVAS WITNESSES WILL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS. I am not religious but have had JW pathients. They need to have the important role religion plays in their life aknowledged. They need to be treated with resoect. JWs enjoy explaing their religion to you so encourage them to do so. I always said I don't want to join your religion I just want to provide good care and respect your religious beliefs. We discussed diet, getting enough irion so you do not become anemic. This way there is less need for a blood transfusion in case of an accident or surgery.They don't drink excesivly or take illicit drugs so I always pointed out this was a great advantage.(do they drink alcohol at all?) JWs are great pathiens.

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JEHOVAS WITNESSES WILL BE HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS. I am not religious but have had JW pathients. They need to have the important role religion plays in their life aknowledged. They need to be treated with resoect. JWs enjoy explaing their religion to you so encourage them to do so. I always said I don't want to join your religion I just want to provide good care and respect your religious beliefs. We discussed diet, getting enough irion so you do not become anemic. This way there is less need for a blood transfusion in case of an accident or surgery.They don't drink excesivly or take illicit drugs so I always pointed out this was a great advantage.(do they drink alcohol at all?) JWs are great pathiens.

This was a really nice thread I am happy to see so much interest in my faith. I am a pre-nursing student and also one of Jehovah's witnesses, and you are correct we are very happy to discuss our beliefs.

As far as funeral arrangements death and burial there are no special requirements. We do not except blood/blood products, but we do except some organ donations if done without blood and that is becoming more and more possible with bloodless surgery, new bloodless products. There are many things in Place thru the society to help hospitals deal with this.

thanks again for taking the time to ask questions

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http://www.watchtower.org is the official website for more info.
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Specializes in Looking for a career in NICU.

What happens if there is a child in the hospital whose life can be saved by a blood transfusion and the parents refuse it? Are there steps the ethics committee can take to make sure that child survives or do they just let it go?

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Specializes in ICU.

Like the others said I dont beleive there are burial issues to deal with, its more about the blood transfusions, organ donation ect. If you do a search on google you should be able to find tonnes of info. When I was in school a JW came and talked to our class, and it was quite informative. Blood transfusions are an absolute no, and it has to do with what the bible says, try and find out that info if you can. As far as organ donation, as long as it is bloodless it is up to the individual. Another topic that would be interesting to do for an ethical debate is transfusing in an emergent situation for the child of a JW family, and the family's right to say no. There have been cases where the court has said the child has to have the transfusion and other cases where what the parents say goes. Im sure you will come up with some intersting material.

Cher

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Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care, Urgent Care.

regarding bsntobe2009 vbmenu_register("postmenu_1906230", true); question.

that is a good question but it's not just a jehovah's witness matter. the american people and our courts on several occasions have spoken loud and clear when it comes to a parent's right to make healthcare deicisons for their child. we want the hospitals, doctors and lawyers to stay out of the decisions that are the right of the parent to make. it has always fallen under the right to privacy laws. on some occasions their have been hospitals and doctors who overstep the boundaries and want to force a child to receive a certain medical treatment and as a result there have been some court cases that have swung the way of the hospital but still those decisions are few and far between. mostly the courts side with the parents as well they should.

nwlatino76

:wakeneo:

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Specializes in Looking for a career in NICU.
regarding bsntobe2009 vbmenu_register("postmenu_1906230", true); question.

that is a good question but it's not just a jehovah's witness matter. the american people and our courts on several occasions have spoken loud and clear when it comes to a parent's right to make healthcare deicisons for their child. we want the hospitals, doctors and lawyers to stay out of the decisions that are the right of the parent to make. it has always fallen under the right to privacy laws. on some occasions their have been hospitals and doctors who overstep the boundaries and want to force a child to receive a certain medical treatment and as a result there have been some court cases that have swung the way of the hospital but still those decisions are few and far between. mostly the courts side with the parents as well they should.

nwlatino76

:wakeneo:

i can understand there being alot of controvery surrounding certain medical procedures, but blood transfusions...i can't imagine, regardless of religious beliefs, letting a child die over someone so easily fixed.

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Specializes in IMC, ICU, Telemetry.

I took care of a JW just a few weeks ago. s/p heart transplant. We couldn't check H/H and he wouldn't have received a blood transfusion should complications have occured. I did some reading afterward about this as I was confused why a JW would accept a transplant, but not blood. I can't say I'm any more clear on the difference, but know that transplantation is not an absolute contraindication with JWs. This pt's congregation was fully supportive of the procedure.

http://www.wfial.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=artJws.article_2

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1336728

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Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
There really isn't anything different you would do for the death of a JW. As far as the blood issue goes there is a website that will give you the breakdown of the different treatments that contain blood fractions etc.. I think it is http://www.noblood.org. It is important to remember that while virtually all JW's will refuse a blood transfusion as it is against their faith (anyone claiming to be a JW who does not refuse a transfusion of blood is going directly against the faith), there are certain treatments that contain fractions that are up the individuals conscience. So you may see some who accept certain fractional treatments and others who won't. Bloodless surgery methods have come a long way and unless you are in a genuine emergent situation you hopefully will have quite a few options anyway and not just blood transfusion. In any case the important thing to do is ask if they have a medical directive and go through the different treatments with each individual to find out if they are acceptable to that person.

From what I understand it is a Biblical standpoint but also because of all the transmittable (is that a word?) diseases. Bloodless surgeries as you said, and also, when there is blood loss, maybe the problem is volume versus blood cells, so IV fluids will do the trick. And there is some .. gee my brain won't work today - artifical blood? that can be used - I think it is available now...

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My Mother-in-law is JW and we have discussed this topic in great detail.

While JW is opposed to blood transfusions (giving or receiving) they will have a CABG even though it is basically auto-transfusion. I don't understand that the blood being kept in the lab if someone gives their own blood prior to surgery is not acceptable but if it is across the operating room being oxygenated by the perfusionist during a CABG it is ok.

She also says no hollow organ transplants but others are ok. So no heart, lung transplants but tissue (bone, skin) is ok. I am not sure if this is just her idea or a true JW belief.

Most JW prefer to be buried since they will rise again at some point according to their belief.

The only other consideration I can think of is that if you call in a minister to comfort the family, they only want a JW minister. So I always ask who they would like me to call for them.

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.
My Mother-in-law is JW and we have discussed this topic in great detail.

While JW is opposed to blood transfusions (giving or receiving) they will have a CABG even though it is basically auto-transfusion. I don't understand that the blood being kept in the lab if someone gives their own blood prior to surgery is not acceptable but if it is across the operating room being oxygenated by the perfusionist during a CABG it is ok.

She also says no hollow organ transplants but others are ok. So no heart, lung transplants but tissue (bone, skin) is ok. I am not sure if this is just her idea or a true JW belief.

Most JW prefer to be buried since they will rise again at some point according to their belief.

The only other consideration I can think of is that if you call in a minister to comfort the family, they only want a JW minister. So I always ask who they would like me to call for them.

That's just your MIL's personal choice; organs, hollow or not, are a conscience matter.

And it is not true about the body needing to be intact at burial. Whatever the individual chooses is fine.

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