Catholic hospitals-yes or no?

crb613, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2006

I have never worked in a Catholic hospital, but I went to a Catholic nursing college. I loved it! I am Baptist (did not seem to matter) & I really enjoyed the prayers we had before every class. The Nuns wore their habits, & the priest their robes...The school was run by the sisters, & they lived on the grounds. They had their own LTC, daycare, graveyard on the campus,raised their own beef, gardens, & owned 100's of acres. These ladies were very educated, & had served all over the world...I really loved talking to them. The atmosphere was very calming, the sisters were always very concerned w/my progress, & supported me 100%. I felt like I had stepped back in time...in a good way. It was a strict tough program, but I loved every minute of it.

Antikigirl, ASN, RN · Oct 17, 2006

I worked in one, and really didn't find a difference except for the fact that it was the largest hospital in three counties that must use it..and was a bee hive! I didn't like it at all, and never came to work there again (I was agency). The fact that it was Catholic had nothing to do with the fact it was too busy and not staffed...so I feel it is just fine on a religious standpoint!

Heck...most hospitals were founded here by nurses who were Nuns and came here to help and establish healthcare and religion. So I see it as a historical thing in my neck of the woods...and a very blessed thing at that...especially for the pioneers that came here expecting no help with injuries or illness. Brave nuns! Come to the NW wilderness to establish these things with nothing but their Bible and maybe a mule! I think it is awesome and quite a great story of the passion of religion and nursing!

Agnus · Oct 18, 2006

I'm concerned they might not provide domestic-partner health benefits for couples (whether same-sex or opposite-sex)....I know the NYSNA (NYState Nurses Ass'n) contract provides for domestic partnersip benefits, but I wonder if St. Vincent's Hospital in the West Village of Manhattan has some religious exemption???

ASK. If you are uncomfortable about this then call HR without identifying yourself and ask them.

Freedom42 · Oct 18, 2006

I was surprised to read a sign at a women's ob/gyn clinic recently noting that a local Catholic hospital's insurance policy would not cover services there. I presume it's because the clinic offers contraceptives and mentions abortion as an option (though it does not perform them). It seems extreme to restrict your employee's choice of health care if that's a benefit of the job.

hogan4736, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2006

... It seems extreme to restrict your employee's choice of health care if that's a benefit of the job.

Of course it's extreme...

It's also wrong...

"Judge not lest ye be judged"

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Oct 18, 2006

Of course it's extreme...
It's also wrong...
"Judge not lest ye be judged"

It's not an 'expected' job benefit if it is pointedly not offered as a job benefit.

And, it has NOTHING to do with judging others. It's about judging self and the morality of being culpable in an act that you morally disagree with. The 'sin' involved is NOT the actions of another, but the action of self by being complicit.

You're free to be whatever the law allows without being judged. You're not free to demand that others violate THEIR morality to support yours. Once we go down THAT road, the inevitable consequence is that someday YOUR morality will similarly by subject to the moral demands of others. It is a two way street.

Or to quote Justice Scalia recently to the President of the ACLU regarding the dangers of using the Supreme Cabal to legislate liberal morality: "Someday you are going to get a very conservative Supreme Cabal and you will regret that approach."

Be careful how you define the rules if you don't want to someday be forced to play by those same rules.

Besides, most Catholic hospitals, just like mine, have FSA accounts that allow you to put back money tax free for federally defined health expenses. The benefits of working for a Catholic hospital frequently far outweigh this one issue, an issue that can easily be financially covered by other means.

In fact, the value of my pension (defined benefit AND define contribution) plans alone more than compensates for such inconveniences. As does my higher base salary (4 dollars an hour more than the non-Catholic for profit in the same community) and a decent regard for ratios (6:1 med/surg, 5:1 tele, 2:1 CCU - in Texas, and not Calif.) and not having to 'float' - ever.

~faith,

Timothy.

hogan4736, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2006

They're making value judgements (you may call them business decisions) based on Vatican policy.

Of course if they explicitly outline the place as "forbidden" then the consumer can have no such expectation...That's obvious to all...

I guess I just object to a hospital telling me where to seek medical care based on religious convictions, when they are given certain STATE tax shield benefits based on their religion and non profit status.

My last hospital had contracts with certain local urgent care facilities, likely based on financial ties, not religious dogma...