religion in the workplace

Nurses General Nursing

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There was a ghost story thread about posessed people dying and taunting the nurses after begging them not to let them die. It inspired the question: How many of you are religious, and do you ever offer to pray for or with a patient whose frightened of dying?

elrondaragorn said:
Blessed are those who are persecuted. They problably got fired because anti-religious people have distorted the first amendment into freedom FROM religion, rather than freedom OF RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION. if it were my paycheck I'd have taken my employer to court

Excuse me, who is "anti-religious" and when did they "distort" the First Amendment? Last time I checked, the First Amendment applies to every American citizen, not just the religious ones. Freedom of religious expression includes the right to not express any religion at at all. Look it up.

BTW, the word "atheism" literally means "no religion", not "anti-religion". "Theism" is the root word for religion, "a" is the prefex meaning "no" or "absences of".

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
roxandzoe said:
BTW, the word "atheism" literally means "no religion", not "anti-religion". "Theism" is the root word for religion, "a" is the prefex meaning "no" or "absences of".

This is an important distinction.

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Tell them the truth, that's the only honorable thing to do. Tell them you will call someone of their faith to pray with them if they want, but it would be wrong to decieve someone into thinking your joining with them in the same prayer when you're not, and if they find out they were decieved then it will do more harm than good. Never decieve a patient

sweetbeet said:
Great thread.....

So do you tell the patient you will get a member of clergy and actually explain that you are not Christian out of respect for their beliefs? (I'm a believer in Buddhism). I believe a prayer is a prayer is a prayer no matter what religion, it's all good. But at the same time I don't want to offend the patient and upset them as some do hold their religious beliefs very highly.

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I deliberately used the term "anti-religious" so as not to confuse it with the term "athiesm." Antireligious is someone hostile to religion. Not all Athiests are hostile to religion, and not all people go to church because of faith. Some of the most anti-religious people go to church. The constitution garrantees that everyone may express their beliefs as they choose so long as they don't infringe on other's rights to do so. There are however people who like to manipulate the courts in order to infringe on everyone else's beliefs but their own, and that is what I was talking about in using the term "anti-religious."

roxandzoe said:
Excuse me, who is "anti-religious" and when did they "distort" the First Amendment? Last time I checked, the First Amendment applies to every American citizen, not just the religious ones. Freedom of religious expression includes the right to not express any religion at at all. Look it up.

BTW, the word "atheism" literally means "no religion", not "anti-religion". "Theism" is the root word for religion, "a" is the prefex meaning "no" or "absences of".

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multicollinarity said:
Just respond, "Have you all lost him again?!"

Sorry. I couldn't resist.

LOL! Would you come work with me?

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Let me get this straight-if someone was standing over you praying that Pluto would come and take you to the underworld with him, you wouldn't have a problem with that?

laughing weasel said:
I would be flattered if someone cared enough to pray for/with me no matter what they they were praying to. I would ask before praying aloud to a patient. This would be out of respect for their beliefs. I have never been shy about discussing my beliefs but I feel that we should be there to provide whatever support and care we can for our pt. mentally,physically and yes even spiritually. we have to be very careful not to impose our preferences or beliefs on them but that doesnt mean we shouldnt be there for them. it is a fine line and if you are not comfortable with it that is ok also just try to be as respectful as you can.
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Specializes in ER/Trauma.
multicollinarity said:
This is an important distinction.

... and I for one, personally consider it "spurious".

"Atheism" by definition rests on the premise that the "outlook is dependent on the non-conformity to theistic standards". In other words, the 'definition' of "atheism" is tied to the "definition" of 'theism'.

You can't be an "A"theist .... if you didn't know or were not a "theist" in the first place!

That was why it became necessary to introduce terms such as "positive atheism" (which I think doesn't solve the dilema).

I think we need to come up with a term for "a freethinking, non-conformist who rejects the notion of a supernatural being."

cheers,

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
Roy Fokker said:
... and I for one, personally consider it "spurious".

"Atheism" by definition rests on the premise that the "outlook is dependent on the non-conformity to theistic standards". In other words, the 'definition' of "atheism" is tied to the "definition" of 'theism'.

You can't be an "A"theist .... if you didn't know or were not a "theist" in the first place!

That was why it became necessary to introduce terms such as "positive atheism" (which I think doesn't solve the dilema).

I think we need to come up with a term for "a freethinking, non-conformist who rejects the notion of a supernatural being."

cheers,

Roy,

I was just pointing out the difference between hating something and fighting against it v. not containing a belief. I do think that is an important distinction.

As far as a name...people have been trying that for ages. Freethinkers...Brights...followers of The Flying Spaghetti Monster...etc.

And may you be touched by His noodly appendage, dear Roy.;)

Of course, we are getting OT.

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I certainly do not want to see Religion in the work place. Today it seems as though "Religion" is the root of all evil. If called upon to praywith a patient, i will do so; but surely I WOULD NOTLIKE TO SEE PRAYERS BEFORE AND AFTER WORK

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coral0033 said:
I certainly do not want to see Religion in the work place. Today it seems as though "Religion" is the root of all evil. If called upon to praywith a patient, i will do so; but surely I WOULD NOTLIKE TO SEE PRAYERS BEFORE AND AFTER WORK

I do agree that I don't want to have group prayer, etc. before and after work. That is pretty personal for me. But as far as with a patient. Anything to help put them at ease.

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Specializes in ICU;CCU;Telemetry;L&D;Hospice;ER/Trauma;.

I don't think a patient who is scared, or hurting, or facing a big surgery gives a tinker's darn whether you are a Buddhist, a monk, an animist, or someone who worships chicken feathers and crystals....I think they care about having a HUMAN BEING at their bedside that is connecting and engaging in their crisis.....it isn't about religion....that's just what usually divides us....it's about loving another human being ....which is what unites us.

Pretty simple.

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Thank you for articulating exactly what I was thinking. Well said!!

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