? on jehovah witnesses......and blood

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in still to decide.

Hi, I have just joined the forum, I have been qualified 2 years now.

I was wondering if anyone can help me with some insight with the following.

I was working a nightshift with another SN that is a jehovah witness, there was a patient who had been admitted earlier that day with a low HB and needed 3 x RCC transfusion asap. The nurse whom I was working with told me that because of her beliefs she would not check or have anything to do with this duty:o. I had to arrange for the hospital co-ordinator at night to come down to the ward to assist me in setting up and checking the RCC. This caused a delay in the pt treatment as I had to wait till the co-ordinater was free to assist:-{

My question is was she right to put her beliefs and values before patient care. I know that there is issues in connection to JW not wishing transfusions for themselves etc., but surely as a nurse practitionare she should be putting the pt needs first?

I wanted to challenge this but being newly qualified at the time I was a bit unsure of my knowledge in this:uhoh3:. The nurse co-ordinater was also reluctant to do this due to political correctness, I have since researched this and have found nothing that forbids them performing this duty for others. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places for this information.

Thanks in advance for any insight anyone can give:up:

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

I don't think what the nurse did was right but that is the new selfishness today, not just in nursing but in society. Her beliefs and values trump everything else even when others do not share her beliefs. It is the same as those who refuse to care for those who have abortions. She should not work in an acute care where this issue will come up if she is unwilling to be selfless and perform the duties of the profession she has chosen.

By the way, most Witnesses do not practice this. I know many JW nurses who understand the distinction between their beliefs, others' beliefs and their job. Your co-worker is just taking it to the extreme. In fact, JWs encourage their members to respect others' beliefs, your co-worker is going against her own religion.

Specializes in CVICU, Burns, Trauma, BMT, Infection control.

Wow,I had not heard of nurses being able to refuse to do things that differ from their religious beliefs,notably a JW refusing to hang blood.

I've definitely taken care of Jehovah's Witnesses who refused to be transfused as is their right but it seems a little overboard on this. I mean in our effort to be PC when do we stop? I've taken care of people in the ICU who were being aggressively treated in the extremes of age with painful procedures that I don't agree with. It could certainly be described as torture even though that's not the intent. Are we going to be able to refuse to take care of people when we don't agree with their treatment?

I understand when people do not want to take care of people undergoing elective abortions as that is a very small part of nursing and can be easily avoided if desired but refusing to hang blood on a med/surg floor? Gosh she may be refusing her way out of her job as far as I'm concerned. Giving transfusions is an accepted medical treatment for anemia of that type. Did she let anyone know ahead of time that she would have a problem here?

Specializes in still to decide.

Thanx SharonH, those are my thoughts too. This sn no longer works in my ward but there are issues wherever she goes:-(

Wish I had the courage to challenge her at the time!

Scared,

It might have bothered her conscience to perform the task.

Specializes in still to decide.

bellekat...No she had not.

Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

She has the right to refuse. If a nurse did not believe in abortion, she would have the right to refuse to participate in one. JW's are very firm and inflexible in their religion. There should be a policy in your hospital that addresses this issue of refusal on religious grounds.

Specializes in CVICU.

By the way, most Witnesses do not practice this. I know many JW nurses who understand the distinction between their beliefs, others' beliefs and their job.

I worked with 2 different Jehova's in the ER. One was strict, the other not. Neither one had a problem ordering blood or blood products if that's what the order stated.

Specializes in DOU.

I learned that they would refuse transfusions for themselves, but not for non-Jehovah's Wittnesses.

I think she should be advised to seek counsel from her clergy person.

Specializes in PACU, ED.

I think the JW's refusal to help with blood administration reflects a lack of respect for her patient's beliefs. Would she also enforce her dietary beliefs on her patients? If blood administration is that objectionable to her she needs to work in an area that doesn't include that function.

Specializes in CVICU, Burns, Trauma, BMT, Infection control.
She has the right to refuse. If a nurse did not believe in abortion, she would have the right to refuse to participate in one. JW's are very firm and inflexible in their religion. There should be a policy in your hospital that addresses this issue of refusal on religious grounds.

Assisting in abortions can be easily avoided but deciding on the fly what bothers your conscience and whether you will assist in that that day is absurd. To delay at pt's what could be lifesaving procedure because it bothers your conscience(or whatever) is unconscionable.

If you will not perform certain frequent,necessary tasks then go into a part of nursing that does not use them,like psych.

Specializes in Medical Surgical.

I am not a JW and don't understand what their problem is with blood. I know the Scripture they quote but I don't read it that way at all. However, my duty to God is higher than my duty to nursing. I would not assist with something forbidden by my religion. Having said that, her obligation would be to inform the facility in writing of this when hired or when converting to be a JW and then the cards would be on the table.

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