Blood transfusions??? just say no...

[macgirl]

I would like to become a nurse, but I don't believe in blood transfusions, getting them or giving them. That said I would never tell anyone not to get one, or say anything against the doctors order, I believe it is a personnal choice but I don't want to have to give them. I'm in nursing school now. Do you or anyone you know have this issue and if so how do they deal with it and what areas or floors can they work on? I know oncology and ortho are poor choices. I was hoping for a job where It wouldn't come up often and if it did I could get the supervisor or another nurse to do that. while I did all other care.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I'd be OK with you guys not hanging cells if you stated that you will not do this, in bold, on your resume and applications. That way you would be honest and up front and let the employer decide if they want to hire you over someone else who will do that procedure. It's like saying I will not be able to work nights. If the job requires you to work nights, then, you would understand that you don't qualify for that job...

[ShannonRN2010, BSN, RN]

I find it funny that alllll these nurses can not seem to read that the OP doesn't have a problem doing everything but take the 1 minute it take to spike and start the blood! The OP stated she was willing to do all the before and after care! READ READ READ what she actually said BEFORE y'all get all intolerant!

[MunoRN, RN]

Finding someone to hang the blood isn't the problem, the problem lies with a Nurse's ability to separate their religious beliefs from the patient's, which isn't solved by having someone else hang the blood. If administering blood was against JW doctrine, that might be different, but it's not.

I have an acquaintance who told me she thought about being a Nurse but then decided it against because it would be too hard given her religious beliefs. These beliefs included the idea that many illnesses, including HIV/AIDS, are God's punishment for sinning and therefore should not be treated. If she could just arrange to have others give anti-retrovirals to her patients with HIV/AIDS would that take care of any ethical conflicts she has with basic core values of Nursing?

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

I find it funny that alllll these nurses can not seem to read that the OP doesn't have a problem doing everything but take the 1 minute it take to spike and start the blood! The OP stated she was willing to do all the before and after care! READ READ READ what she actually said BEFORE y'all get all intolerant!

Hi Shannon. I read EVERY post thoroughly b4 posting, just to ensure I've read what they said.

Nobody on here - that I have read so far - or myself, has a problem with someone not doing one thing. But it is getting so invariably that many people with religious concerns will not do many (not just one) duty in nursing, and this concerns me - a lot. I have JWs in my family, so I have no problems with what people believe.

I remember reading Flo Nightingale's biography (or autobiography) years ago, and she came across this problem (can't remember the exact story). Since she did the hiring for nurses, she refused to hire people who wouldn't do certain duties, as she wanted nurses who cared holistically and professionally for patients, especially for soldiers who were away from their families. A bit of trivia perhaps, but this is where 'modern' nursing is supposed to have started, with this philosophy.

I wonder if you have been coordinating when half way thru a shift, one person says they can't do such-and-such. Then another staff member says they can't do something due to believing whatever. It's highly annoying and very frustrating having to change people around to different duties, and it can result in serious mistakes, and miscommunication re duties being done, when they haven't. And it ****** me off when I'm waaaay busy.

If these people are so gung how re their beliefs (as another poster just said), why don't they tell the employer up front? Answer: they know they will probably be discriminated against. Many JWs I have known have gone to job interviews and have not told the employer re their concerns with blood (for jobs that have this concern, not general jobs where it's no-one's business). If they were so proud and fiercely determined in what they believe, they would be up front and honest, but many from what I have experienced, keep it a secret.

As I said, I have no problem with doing one duty for a person, but it's never 'just one thing'. I have worked with staunch Catholics who will not even LOOK at a woman who has had an abortion - they will not care for them in any way - they won't even take them down to theatre, as (one woman told me) they are 'sinners' and she didn't want it rubbing off on her. As I said, if we all refused to care for these sinners - and refused to perform every duty re their care - where would the hospitals and patients be? It's just got so it's ridiculous that people who do not believe in these types of things, go into a position - and put themselves in a position - where they will be in contact with these patients. I mean, it's not a very responsible or mature thing to do, is it?

If everyone is so religious, perhaps they should read the story (though I'm no expert on the bible), about how I believe Jesus dined with/or helped a prostitute and chose to be around sinners, rather than the high and mighty, and rich nobles of the era, who thought he was just crazy.

Judge not, less though be judged. So we as nurses I believe should put aside our jugements, and just get on with the business of caring for people.

Also, when you look after someone, how do you know they have NEVER had blood, or an abortion or whatever. We are all supposed to be 'sinners' so we are all supposed to be in the same boat - helping each other get OUT of sin, aren't we? Though refusing to hang/start whatever one bag of blood is hardly judging someone, would you refuse to hang the bag if you KNEW that person was a rapist/murderer etc who hadn't been caught? The truth is, we do not know what 'sins' people have committed, so we should save judgement for the big man in the sky - or whatever God/being/philosophy you believe in.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Can anyone imagine a teacher who refuses to teach certain topics because they don't fall in line with his/her belief system?

"Yes, I want this teaching position, but just so you know....I will not be able to present the teaching module on (fill in the blank) because that goes against my beliefs. No doubt I will be able to ask another teacher to step in and instruct my class on those days."

[chicookie, BSN, RN]

If these people are so gung how re their beliefs (as another poster just said), why don't they tell the employer up front?

Just throwing my two cents again. I've always told my employers at every single interview I've had of my beliefs not because of the blood issue but because I would prefer a certain night and day off (key word is prefer not set in stone). And only one manager has asked me about the blood issue and when I told her the exact thing I posted not too long ago, she said that it demonstrated that not only was I a team player but willing to deal with something that made me uncomfortable.

Every single interview I have gotten the job. That is not to sound braggy or anything but like I've stated before this REALLY isn't that big of deal.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

I would be in favor of nurses having restrictions placed on their licenses if there are procedures within their scope of practice that they refuse to do.

What about a person who changes his or her mind about procedures?

When I first became a tech, I didn't think I could ever perform any duties associated with abortion care. It was for belief-system reasons. However, after talking it over with my college ministry peers, I realized I *could* participate in this aspect of care - the problem was with ME, not the patients.

So, I would have originally had restrictions placed; however, since I've changed my mind, how would I prove that to my state licensing board?

Also, I don't think it's any of the BON's damn business. It is between my employer and me based on what duties I am expected to perform.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I think when you go to work, you go to work. Its not about your religion, gender, sexual orientation, color or whatever.

That said, use common sense. You don't want to give blood, work somewhere where blood isn't transfused: clinics, community health, case management, IT, etc. You don't like peds, don't apply for jobs in peds. You don't like geriatrics, don't apply at LTC.

Its not for the employer to make accomodations, its for the NURSE or employee to not apply for a job they can't do.

I don't discuss religion, politics, sex, etc at work - its my business and has nothing to do with the job I was hired to do.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

That said, use common sense. You don't want to give blood, work somewhere where blood isn't transfused: clinics, community health, case management, IT, etc. You don't like peds, don't apply for jobs in peds. You don't like geriatrics, don't apply at LTC.

I agree 100%. I think a nurse who won't spike blood would be fine on my floor (adult medicine) but wouldn't have such an easy time on our oncology floor, for example. I sometimes go a few months without giving any kind of blood products, but the heme/onc folks usually don't go a shift without hanging them!

I have a question - is albumin considered in this family of blood products? I've always wondered what the JW faith has to say about it.

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

What about a person who changes his or her mind about procedures?

When I first became a tech, I didn't think I could ever perform any duties associated with abortion care. It was for belief-system reasons. However, after talking it over with my college ministry peers, I realized I *could* participate in this aspect of care - the problem was with ME, not the patients.

So, I would have originally had restrictions placed; however, since I've changed my mind, how would I prove that to my state licensing board?

Also, I don't think it's any of the BON's damn business. It is between my employer and me based on what duties I am expected to perform.

I never mentioned abortions or listing preference for patient populations. My suggestion was to list tasks or skills that fall specifically within the scope of RN practice that an RN refuses to do. Administering blood is definitely one of those skills. Providing care for people getting abortions is not.

People kind of want to have it both ways. "It's no one's damn business but my own....but every manager and co-worker I work with has to be aware that, no matter what my patient's needs may be, I will NOT perform "

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

I had an additional thought on this issue. I would be in favor of nurses having restrictions placed on their licenses if there are procedures within their scope of practice that they refuse to do.

For instance when an employer does a license check with the state board, they would see a restriction noting the RN may not administer blood. Or do IM injections, or give PO meds, trach care, or whatever it is the nurse does not want to do. It would be similar to other license restrictions.

Then the employer could decide if they want to accommodate the nurse.

Not only is this impractical (what happens if beliefs change, the nurse practice act changes, etc) out is also probably illegal. Of a nurse gets a mark ob their license for not giving blood, it's almost assured they are jehovah witness. I'd a person refused to participate in abortions, they are likely catholic or christian. So while you might think "oh, the employer can decide whether to accommodate that" what you are actually suggesting is that employers be allowed to legally discrete against a person due to religion. This, of course, is illegal.

[ICU_nurse]

I know oncology and ortho are poor choices. I was hoping for a job where It wouldn't come up often and if it did I could get the supervisor or another nurse to do that. while I did all other care.

I find your question really interesting. I like how you already realise that certain areas of nursing are going to be "poor choices" as you put them. Good on you for taking it seriously and trying to plan early. What sticks with me though is if a transfusion did come up, you would simply trade a colleague for one of their jobs that shift. Coming from a current practicing nurse, honestly sometimes it's just not that easy, and that's something that you need to be aware of. The only reason I say this is not to be mean, simply to encourage you to look for a career path where this won't be an issue at all for you (as people have suggested, Aged Care, Community Nursing, Wound Care, Mental Health... its not as limiting as you may think).

Because you never know, one day you may be faced with a situation where you are the only RN, and a patient requires a blood transfusion NOW. It's a night shift. You don't want to give it, but the patient needs it. What happens? Do you make the patient wait until the day shift? Try and get the after hours manager to come and give it? Just refuse flat out? Don't put that stress on yourself! There are areas of nursing where you will not be faced with such a dilemma.

Good luck with your studies, and your future career path, wherever it takes you

Parko