Caring for Jehovah's witnesses

Nurses Safety

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I am pursuing my BSN. As part of my current class I am researching the difficulties of caring for patients with the Jehovah's witness' beliefs. If anyone has an experience that he/she can share with me about your personal feelings in caring for a Jehovah's witness, I would greatly appreciate it. I am new to the discussion board and look forward to hearing from you.

Specializes in psych..
By "blood" they definitely mean meat/ pusle diet, which is Jewish practice. I don't think that was important in this exerpt, though, but the lesson behind the story: Do your job the way you were taught. Allow them their choice, but don't jeopardize your own faith. It's about religious tolerance, I think?

I wonder, is the line between religious tolerance and protecting the interest of children contridictory?,because even law enforcement have to intervene in some cases.? I am thinking of a dad, that was not feeding his children to help the church several years back. Or parents from one denomination that dont believe in medical care. What is our responsiblity as nurses , to advocate the scientific method? to teach where there is a knowledge deficit? I am inclined to believe it may be to remain silent under the current basis of nursing. I am glad at least , JW accept medical care in general., and as some have pointed out..even donate to some hospitals. I guess medicine has progressed...in the past blood letting was a medical intervention for some diseases.

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Specializes in CNA, EMT.

I meant that this is the interpretation of the passage to a JW employee exclusively. This parable tells a JW that (in context) if they are a nurse, give people blood.

My attitude a JW patient, well, I abhor the practice, plain and simple. Before pulling the religious freedom card, I could care less if you are a JW. I have complete disgust anybody of refusing to give a child a blood transfusion. Originally wasn't going to comment on it, only because their is nothing I can say that would change that. It's like scientology and psychiatry/"detoxing"... Children don't have the ability to choose their religion. What if a child gets a transfusion because it is an emergent situation and he's a complete John Doe? Then afterwards, the parents are found and are outraged. Will the child grow up and think he is damned? Or will he grow up and be thankful his parents weren't there to prevent him from living?

I'd better shut up before I go on rant and anger someone.

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Specializes in psych..
I meant that this is the interpretation of the passage to a JW employee exclusively. This parable tells a JW that (in context) if they are a nurse, give people blood.

My attitude a JW patient, well, I abhor the practice, plain and simple. Before pulling the religious freedom card, I could care less if you are a JW. I have complete disgust anybody of refusing to give a child a blood transfusion. Originally wasn't going to comment on it, only because their is nothing I can say that would change that. It's like scientology and psychiatry/"detoxing"... Children don't have the ability to choose their religion. What if a child gets a transfusion because it is an emergent situation and he's a complete John Doe? Then afterwards, the parents are found and are outraged. Will the child grow up and think he is damned? Or will he grow up and be thankful his parents weren't there to prevent him from living?

I'd better shut up before I go on rant and anger someone.

My philosophy on parenting goes opposite most parents, or of our society. I think parenting, like driving, should be a privilege not a right. Like, Driving parenting should require a parenting license, showing proof you had a parenting class, at least something comparable to a cpr class..at minimum. I pay taxes for childrens services, and i dont mind, I just consider myself a sort of surrugate parent, with say ast o what happens to children of whatever philospophy their parents happen to be. One word describes reproduction in our society..ANARCHY.

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Specializes in Dialysis, Nephrology & Cosmetic Surgery.

He wasn't a vegetarian (Ch 10:3) so the only reason he would refuse to eat the food (and risk offending a tyrant king) was because it was polluted in some way.

"Gods servants who were the kings court officials. They would serve the kings delacacies but wouldn't eat them themselves because they contained blood"....My king James says Daniel would not eat "MEAT", he prefered a "pulse" diet..i take that as vegetarian...but I guess we dont want to get into theology here.But King James does not mention BLOOD..it mentions MEAT.. you come to your own conclusions.
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Specializes in psych..
He wasn't a vegetarian (Ch 10:3) so the only reason he would refuse to eat the food (and risk offending a tyrant king) was because it was polluted in some way.

If one was to look at the Bible as a prophetic book, one could make some arguments in that favor. What kind of food pollution may have Daniel have seen..Fat pollution? as in Cholesterol? Maybe he had problems with Pork pollution ..as in Trichina worms, from uncooked pork. Modern science is now, advising to reduce intake of red meats. I think Daniel might have said that was a step in the right direction. The picture depicted in the Bible, where the Lion and the Lamb existing side by side, to me points to a future where, all predators will become vegetarians. I think its ironic that some non christian organizations are promoting vegeterianism more than many Christians.. My guess, that it was polluted by a lifestyle of the Royalties way of eating. In America...some americans still eat meat like Royalty. The outcome from eating Daniles diet was better health.. I think that the message that was being taught.

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I know a JW and they don't receive any blood products, but it's the first time I've ever heard of them getting any form of blood. What is Autotransfusion?

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really???StacieRN..why be upset with were our taxes go??I don't recall a box next to my paycheck asking where I would like my taxes to go to but if it benefits a patient who cares how long it takes to get better...I prefer it over many other things.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

autotransfusion is when you have your own blood put in reserve for an upcoming surgery, then IF you need blood, you get your own.

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This is probably gonna get some heated comments, but here goes. I have taken care of numerous JW, and it truly represents a challenge for health care workers. The Jehovahs, I have cared for tho, truly need PRBC's, not albumin, hespan, etc. Typically they have been GIB's, This last lady, nearly died H & H 5 and 17 BP's low, truly attempting to continue to perfuse her brain and her kidneys, of course she developed ATN and had to be treated for this as well. She ended up with a colectomy 2/2 her GIB, trached, you know the works. Her family steadfastly refused blood, and while I respect that right, It puts those of us who are not JW's and are nurses/doctors in a horrible position. You are constantly chasing your tail, and making little headway. I think she ended up in a acute-care vent facility. The other guy did die, He actually had a CV surgeon perform a MVR, and triple vessel cabg. He just bled out, during the code, the CCP drew the code blood femorally, and it was like water. No RBC's, just plasma. This is going to sound a bit prejudiced, but it is not meant that way at all. I really think that JW's should be treated by JW's, docs, nurses, etc. There should be a facility that treats only witnesses. That way it would be completely understood, and you all could still get the care you may need, the way you want it. If you can refuse to hang blood, based on your beliefs, shouldn't those of us who aren't JW's reserve the right to not be put into the position of caring for someone who wants care, and wants to be a full code, yet we can't do the one thing that could help save you? Ethically, it can really back us in a corner of wanting to do the right thing (medically), yet unable to because of religious beliefs.

Please if anyone has an answer or input please divulge. And for those that are JW's, truly no offense, this is just my dillemma, and my :twocents:

I completely understand what you're saying, and I don't know if this will help at all, but as a JW myself, I can say that I would be extremely grateful to a medical professional such as yourself who did all they could to treat me without blood, even to the point of death. Without getting into a religious discussion, I will just tell you that I am confident in the benefits of obeying God's commands, and I have a bright hope for the future regardless of what happens to me right now. On the other hand, if someone were to go against my wishes and give me the transfusion, I would be plagued (sp?) by feelings of guilt and disgust. For someone who doesn't share our beliefs, I can understand the frustration you must go through with some patients, but it means a great deal to us when you do all you can to respect our beliefs, even if it means letting us die for them.

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That is why there is a patients bill of rights and we are to listen to our patients and respect their wishes (in these cases), even though we may not agree but it is not about what we think - it is about them.

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Not quite the same but important non the less, as a patient's beliefs were respected.......I had a Jewish patient who was very strict....(some I was told are not). Knowing Jews do not eat pork I felt it was my duty to informed him that the heparin was pork derived. He was so thankful I let him know.

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Re: Caring for Jehovah's witnesses

Hey, heard there are laws or principles about Nurses' rights to refuse to give treatments against their spiritual beliefs. Has anyone encountered these? Please share.

I realize it has been quite some time since this post was started, but here goes...

When I interviewed for my first nursing position in the hospital I currently work for, my nurse manager showed me a list of all duties and expectations for RN's an asked if I had a problem with performing any of them. One of them was blood transfusions. I explained my personal feeling as one of JW's, but let her know I was willing to do all other aspects of caring for the patients except hanging the blood itself. I do not expect anyone to do my job for me, but there is workload of others that I can pick up in exchange for the 2 seconds it takes to hang a bag of blood. I do not work in an area where blood is often given (maybe 4 times in the past 7 years). I do not feel it would be fair to impose my beliefs on others or work in an area of nursing that would frequently administer blood products and expect others to do my job for me (would be kind of like being pro-life and working in an abortion clinic). However; there is a form that should be filled out IN ADVANCE OF ACCEPTING A JOB POISITION if there are certain things you feel you can not do for moral, ethical, or religious reasons, and it would be up to your supervisor to excuse you or not (and put that written note in your permanent file). RN's are usually required to attend training class on administering blood products, and be "signed off" as competent before being able to actually perform a transfusion. If your supervisor has excused you in advance, and you are not signed off, then you can't legally be expected to administer blood when the situation arises.

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