Mormon Undergarment

[GardenDove]

I have a 94 year old gentleman tonight, pleasant, somewhat vague fellow. I was rearranging his many blankets when I noticed that he had some unusual nylon long underwear. I commented to him that I had never seen underwear such as those. He just smiled, he's got a somewhat foggy affect.So, it suddenly clicked and I went to check his chart and sure enough he is LDS. What's the rule about these undergarments? What happens if you need to remove them? I guess they mean that the wearer is a Temple Mormon. Any info on these garments and a health care worker's responsibility?

[daisybaby, LPN]

I've learned something new today

As previously mentioned, thank you for sharing and for educating us so that we may always remain respectful of the spiritual needs of our patients.

[gentle]

There is nothing secret about our garments, but we do consider them very sacred, and thus don't really write/talk about them in detail.

Terri

Terri,

Thank you for your honesty and kindness in sharing. Especially considering this is not a topic that is frequently discussed.

[Agnus]

I've learned something new today

As previously mentioned, thank you for sharing and for educating us so that we may always remain respectful of the spiritual needs of our patients.

Amen.

[West_Coast_Ken, BSN, RN]

there is nothing secret about our garments, but we do consider them very sacred, and thus don't really write/talk about them in detail.

there are marks on the garments signifying aspects of their temple ordinances and covenants they have made. three marks on the tops and one on the bottoms. the marks are the same for men and women.

as pointed out there are various styles of these garments. the 94 year old gentleman might have been use to the older one piece single style rather than the more comfortable and more popular two piece that were introduced a few years back. in the very early days of the church these garments went from ankles to wrists.

if you are curious about what they mean as well as the temple ordinances they represent all you have to do is a google search.

regards,

ken

[1Tulip]

Just a question here: Isn't it considered bad (a disgrace, or something) if non LDS (i.e. Gentiles) see let alone handle the sacred underware. Did I get the wrong information?

[West_Coast_Ken, BSN, RN]

Just a question here: Isn't it considered bad (a disgrace, or something) if non LDS (i.e. Gentiles) see let alone handle the sacred underware. Did I get the wrong information?

That is incorrect.

[meannana]

This is good info. Have had only one LDS pt. and her daughter is our Admin.

[1Tulip]

That is incorrect.

Thanks Ken...

Glad to here that these situations can be dealt with by using consideration, respect and good manners.

[BlueEyedRN]

Please do not do a google search of the temple ordinances or garments. The sites you will find are disrespectful and inappropriate. If you want to find out more about temples, go to LDS.org. These things are sacred to us so please respect that. It is totally fine to handle them, remove them, whatever is necessary. Just remember to keep them off the floor and with the patient's belongings like you would anything else. Thanks.

[West_Coast_Ken, BSN, RN]

please do not do a google search of the temple ordinances or garments. the sites you will find are disrespectful and inappropriate. if you want to find out more about temples, go to lds.org.

i disagree.

if you want actual information on the lds (mormon) church, their temple garments, ordinances, beliefs, etc, yes, go to an official lds site but also go to sites the church is not able to censor. there are many, good, scholarly books, articles and websites about their church and yes, there is some total garbage out there, too. just like anything else.

i don't accept platitudes such as "sacred, not secret" in lieu of actual details. gimme me a break, and gimme the truth! what’s so wrong with the whole truth right up front?

please note clearly: i have not slandered the mormon church, their members, nor their beliefs or doctrines (one way or the other). i simply suggest there is more than one source of information about things lds than "the official position." i hope i respect other beliefs as i want mine respected. i have lots of close family and friends in the lds (mormon) church and have studied them extensively. i suggest if you want to know more, you look in more than one source. kinda like "evidence based practice."

regards,

ken

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

Normally, I would agree, Ken but in this case....

As a nurse, if my care is to be culturally competent, I need to understand how my LDS patient views these items of spiritual care. Thus I need the LDS view not the "cultwatch" view.

This is not a debate on whether LDS is a valid belief. It is a discussion of what these items signify to the patient and how to appropriately care for the patient with these items, if there is no particular medical/nursing reason that they need to be removed.

There are a lot "spiritual" things that we may view as nonsense...but we cannot treat them as nonsense because it would be poor nursing care.

The American flag is "merely" a piece of cloth to many people in this world. Someone of another nationality could come into a room, see one hanging, decide it is an unessential item that has safety implications and throw it is the trash...and if there is a died in the wool "good ole boy " vietnam vet in the room, find themselves pinned to the floor and being soundly beaten to a pulp. Just for this "piece of cloth". because this "piece of cloth" has a lot more meaning to a group of "true believers".

As nurse we do not have to believe in the LDS - but we do need to accord the spiritual items that they hold dear with respect and understand how THEY view them, not our perceptions or derogatory beliefs of them.

[GardenDove]

I think we can be totally professional and respectful with pts regarding their beliefs, yet still do a google search on the side to find out about their religion from different points of view. Before I started this thread I did do one on these undergarments and came up with a basic synopsis of what they represent. I don't remember the source of the info, if it was Mormon or not, but it told me that one had to be initiated in a temple in order to wear them. It's similar to Jews who wear tassels or Catholics wearing a scapular, in my mind. It's a special sign of devotion to God.

I did wonder what my responsiblity was regarding a pt with these, since I posted that from work and my pt did have some. He was doing fine with his urinal, but what if he had been incontinent? I suppose I would have rinsed them out and put them in a pt belonging bag.