Blood transfusions??? just say no...

Jenni811, RN · Jun 12, 2011

Yes, they do.
If someone needs blood, they aren't staying with us.
They are shipped across campus to the medical hospital.
Giving blood isn't likely around here and I have never seen it done.
Just trying to think if this gal has options.

I've jsut seen it done because i work at a very large hospital, and we have a psychiatric/medical unit. Only they can't take serious Detox, that would be my floor. D/t the possibility of DT's.

Jenni811, RN · Jun 12, 2011

Yes I certainly would care for a woman who had an abortion but wouldn't allow myself to be involved in sending her up for the abortion, or the OR. So I guess I can't work in OR, Same Day or Short Stay surgery. Now that they have the morning after pill, I guess I can't work in an ED or Urgi-Care center either. You have to make your own moral decisions and then find a niche of nursing that fits them. Sounds like that's just what the OP is trying to do.
I certainly don't agree with some posts that said you have to set aside your own beliefs to provide the care your patient wants or needs.

Sorry, i care for patients enough to set my own beliefs aside and care for them in the choice they make.

blueheaven · Jun 12, 2011

Do you believe that I should have the right to push my religious beliefs on you? Refusing to give blood/blood products to another person who is not of your same faith is the same thing. Please do not get me wrong... I absolutely would fight for your right to refuse blood/blood products for yourself and/or others of a similar belief. As healthcare providers we all should advocate for our patient's health... not advocate for or against a religious view.

We talk a lot of trash in nursing about being "culturally sensitive" this is one of those times where sensitivity is needed. She is not pushing her beliefs on anyone. She is practicing her faith. She asked a simple question and is deserving of a respectable answer. As OP have stated, catholics or other denominations of christians do not believe in abortion or the morning after pill, does this mean that they HAVE to work where this may be a common occurance or in a women's health clinic....NO.

You can work in a clinic setting, home health, etc. and not have to worry about giving transfusions.

Trauma Columnist · Jun 12, 2011

Its important that we are sensitive also here at AN. Please debate the topic, not the poster. Thanks.

SnowStar4 · Jun 12, 2011

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CapeCodMermaid, RN · Jun 12, 2011

Would you refuse to give someone contraception because it interfered with your beliefs? I don't believe in giving Methadone as a substitute for Heroin since it's just trading one addiction for another, but that's MY problem, not the patient's. Frankly I think 90% of people, especially in long term care, are over medicated but I don't let my personal beliefs interfere with the care I give to those under my care.

If you won't participate in a blood transfusion, you have no business working in a hospital. There are plenty of other places to be a nurse.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Jun 12, 2011

We talk a lot of trash in nursing about being "culturally sensitive" this is one of those times where sensitivity is needed. She is not pushing her beliefs on anyone. She is practicing her faith. She asked a simple question and is deserving of a respectable answer. As OP have stated, catholics or other denominations of christians do not believe in abortion or the morning after pill, does this mean that they HAVE to work where this may be a common occurance or in a women's health clinic....NO.
You can work in a clinic setting, home health, etc. and not have to worry about giving transfusions.

Not working in a place where the likelihood of being assigned to do something that you're not comfortable with is most certainly an option. I did not say that she should be required to work where she would be required to administer blood to a patient in contravention to her beliefs. However, if she chooses to work on a unit/floor where this happens regularly, she needs to either work something out with the other nursing staff to allow her to not have to take patients that need blood or find another way to work around the problem in a way that doesn't increase another nurse's workload. Many other options have also been presented that could be workable for the OP to do.

There is a very, very fine line between practicing one's faith and pushing it on another, directly or indirectly. Personally, I think it's great that she posed the issue for us to ponder and give our advice. Only she can determine what she will do, and I think that she's gotten some excellent advice from a lot of different viewpoints, including some people who have had to work through this same issue for themselves!

praise2u, CNA · Jun 13, 2011

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.

There are so many areas of nursing a person can pursue. Do not let not wanting to give blood stop you from being a nurse, just find a field that does not give blood transfusions. If need be you can ask another nurse to give it for you and you monitor the patient.

blueheaven · Jun 13, 2011

Please disregard earlier posting. Nuff said.

bagladyrn, RN · Jun 13, 2011

This would seem to be an area where some sacrifice is is necessary on the part of the OP in order to uphold her religious beliefs.

Choosing as others have said to work in an area where blood transfusions are rare to nonexistent seems a good compromise. I would expect that the OP should not apply for positions in which blood transfusions may be emergent and the time it would take to find another nurse, bring them up to speed on the situation and take on their tasks could seriously comromise the patient. Areas such as ER, OR and OB would seem to be contraindicated for these reasons.

OP, you need to define for yourself exactly at what point you are no longer willing to participate and make this clear to your employer. Is it just spiking and hanging the blood? Are you willing to go and get it from the blood bank? Check the ID numbers with another nurse? Once it is running are you willing to change the rate of drip? Vital signs during the transfusions? This needs to be clear because all of it impacts how much time and work it is going to add to your coworker.

MunoRN, RN · Jun 14, 2011

According to the Watchtower, only receiving blood transfusions is forbidden, administering them is not and even sites scripture to support this. This is a hugely important distinction because it's the difference between refusing to do something because it's against your religion, and refusing to do it because the patient doesn't share your religious beliefs and therefore isn't making the decision you would make.

As a Nurse, I don't believe it is appropriate to alter your care because you disagree with the patient's religious based decisions if what the patient needs done is not against your religion's doctrine, and again, administering blood is not against JW doctrine.

Getting someone else to administer the blood is not the problem, even if you were guaranteed to never have to administer blood, there is still the much larger problem of a nurse's ability to separate their religious beliefs from the patient's when there is no conflict with your religious doctrine.

Trauma53 · Jun 29, 2011

Hello, I was just recently in your same position. I started out my nursing career as a trauma nurse and loved the action! but I did not feel right giving blood and it was up to me to make a decision. I either put my God's laws first and my beliefs, or the hospitals requirements. I left the hospital on good terms and now I do home health and I love it! Home health pays better and the stress from management is not on me all the time. I appreciate every nurse that works in a hospital, and to the good ones thank you. I do not give blood and I get a break when I travel to my next patient's home. You also get to spend more quality time with your patient and the time spent is on the individual, not six patients and their families. So do not give up, and then you can eventually become a NP! Then you will not have to give blood and only have to write scripts. I also hear the money is decent.:)