Atheists? How do you deal with religious people?

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I'm an atheist. I am uncomfortable around religious situations. I haven't started nursing school yet (14 weeks to go). I'm concerned with being confronted with people that would ask me to "Pray for them" and stuff. I don't know if this is a common occurrence among patients, etc. Aside from not wanting to be included in religious sentiments, I also am very uncomfortable with lying. I think I would find moral difficulty with saying "Okay" to someone that would ask me to pray for them.

I'd prefer to hear from atheists how they deal with situations like that. I'd rather not get into a religion discussion, if it can be avoided.

I was trying to search for old threads, but the links from the search engine are not going to the correct pages.

As an Atheist and someone that is pretty anti-religion (as evidenced in other threads :) ) I find that when situations come up where a patient or family wants to pray, and I can't find a way to excuse myself graciously, that I will and have sat there with them while they pray.

While it is extremely uncomfortable, annoying and all kinds of derisive thoughts are flowing in my head I'll sit there because the resident is probably needing the support, the situation is not about me and since I am an Atheist I lose nothing and violate nothing by sitting there with them.

When I worked as a CNA there was a LPN that was open about being atheist and she had patients request for her not to be their nurse because of her beliefs.

Wouldn't someone who's that forward about her beliefs create a hostile work environment?

Wouldn't someone who's that forward about her beliefs create a hostile work environment?

No more so than a preachy evangelical... ;)

I'll talk about it if someone asks. I even wear a necklace with the Atheist symbol on it. Never been a real problem. Some coworkers will try to push the envelope a little bit and think they can either convert me or get me to go to church with them.

I quickly disabuse them of that notion and we get back to work. ;)

ETA:

Of course, I always tell everyone that if they really have time to sit around talking religion that I must have mistakenly overstaffed and would any of them like to volunteer to be the one to go home. :D

While it is extremely uncomfortable, annoying and all kinds of derisive thoughts are flowing in my head I'll sit there because the resident is probably needing the support, the situation is not about me and since I am an Atheist I lose nothing and violate nothing by sitting there with them.

WHile I thank you for sitting there with them, and this doesn't directly have to do with the thread or your comments, I have to say that I find strident atheists to be just as irritating as born again proselytizers.

I am an atheist. So is my husband. However, we were watching something last night about Lakshmi, a baby born in India with a parasitic twin attached to her. People thought she was the reincarnation of the goddess, hence her name. Every time someone on the show made a comment about God's will, etc my husband had to butt in with snarky comments, "Yes, the same God who made her that way." Every. Fracking. Time.

I do NOT understand why he couldn't just let these poor, semi-starving people alone. What skin is it off his rear if they believe? Yes, Stanley, I know you can launch into a spiel about how religion is the scourge of humanity. But please, not every time the opportunity presents itself. He was preaching to the choir, as they say. Not quite pun intended.

I sat with one of my old ones today. She is frightened and anxious and confused, has been for the two and a half years I've known her, and clutches a tattered Bible to her like a life-line. I just held her gently as she wept frail old tears and told her not to worry because Jesus was watching out for her. Who the heck cares if I believe it? SHE does, and it comforts her.

Yes, Stanley, I know you can launch into a spiel about how religion is the scourge of humanity. But please, not every time the opportunity presents itself.

Which is why I realize the situation is not about me. ;) I hold it in WAY more than I let it out. :D I can't stop the derisive thoughts in my head though. I can only make so many concessions you know. ROFL

ETA:

Maybe I should change the Atheist Avatar and remove Epicurus' quote from my siggy? :D

Specializes in no specialty! (have to graduate first!).
When I worked as a CNA there was a LPN that was open about being atheist and she had patients request for her not to be their nurse because of her beliefs.

Wouldn't someone who's that forward about her beliefs create a hostile work environment?

You would think so. But it didn't. The patients that refused her services didn't make a big deal about it, they just made the request. And then they were happy. And it didn't seem to cause any problems with the other staff. She wasn't running around broadcasting her beliefs but when someone would ask her what she believed, she simply didn't lie about it. So no, in this situation there wasn't a hostile work environment. At that point in time anyways. But I can definitely see how the potential would be there.

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

You all can argue God, no God, praying and not praying all the day long. The fact is that when you get your licenses and start working, you are going to be so busy hanging IVs, stamping out all kinds of little fires, admitting and discharging patients, calling doctors to clarify orders, dealing with relatives and all kinds of other stuff that the issue of religion or prayer is going to be the lowest priority on your ToDo list--if it even comes up.

I deal with it by just politely ignoring it.

If someone asks me to pray for them, I respond with something like "I will keep you in my thoughts!"

If someone says something like "god bless you" to me, I just smile and say thank you.

It's really never been a big issue. Just stay professional, and respond to any religious comments just as you would anything else you might not agree with in such a setting...by being polite. You don't have to lie. I've never had a patient ask me, "Do you believe in god?" I have had questions asked like, "What church do you go to?" and I find something like "Oh, I don't attend church" to be an adequate response for most people.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.
You all can argue God, no God, praying and not praying all the day long. The fact is that when you get your licenses and start working, you are going to be so busy hanging IVs, stamping out all kinds of little fires, admitting and discharging patients, calling doctors to clarify orders, dealing with relatives and all kinds of other stuff that the issue of religion or prayer is going to be the lowest priority on your ToDo list--if it even comes up.

Yeah, I realize there will be many more things for me to deal with in clinicals. I'm not really interested in arguing the existence of god(s) - I realize pretty much everyone is decided on that, and a forum discussion won't change minds. I'm just looking for advice on how I can prepare myself in case the situation arises. It is something that I know I have a visible reaction to, and, I'd like to consider the concerns of the patient first, and not offend them by my reactions. So, for the rare occasion (if any) that present itself, I want to see how other people deal with it.

I wouldn't really have thought of getting a Chaplain, and some people have come up with acceptable ways to simply avoid the discussion by getting one. They've mentioned "keeping people in their thoughts". I'm not to sure I can relate to the alternate definition of "prayer", as I still feel it relies on asking something of someone/something. Simply staying in a room to observe a personal moment of silence when someone wants to pray (with my presence), granted probably mentally stewing, may be in the best interests of the patient. I think there were some other suggestions that I'm neglecting to mention.

I'm hoping the work environment doesn't become 'hostile', but I figure just not discussing my peronsal opinions could avoid that. Sadly, I talk a lot about anything and everything, so I think that gives me something about myself that I should work on.

I understand what you mean.

I too am pretty much an "open book" in my life and I enjoy discussing my views.

However, I have learned that it's easier to just keep discussion topics at work mostly work related. I usually work with more elderly people, and I know that some of them might take offense with my more liberal views and opinions.

On the rare occasion that a patient wants to talk about something religious or political, I try to acknowledge what they are saying to me without discussing my own thoughts on the matter. If it veers to something that truly makes me uncomfortable, I try to find a way to change the topic or excuse myself, such as saying "I will be right back, I need to *insert small task here*". Upon return, often the patient won't start back up on the topic. (Of course, this is assuming you aren't in the middle of something important with the patient!)

And, yes, the suggestion of getting a chaplain is a great one!

You'll find that all different kinds of people work in nursing. There's no reason that your personal views should be a hindrance to your success. :)

Wow very interesting question. I am a Christian but even I struggle with praying with others. I have never had to pray directly with a patient but when a patient has asked me to then I tell them I will, and I usually do later by myself. Whatever you do just don't lie to them, instead be honest. If they really need prayer then ask another nurse that would be comfortable praying with them. If you can't find another nurse then all you have to say is I am happy to get someone to pray with you, I will send the chaplain up to speak with you. Just don't ignore their request because faith is very important to people that are believers so just make sure you are sensitive to it.

I'm in the same boat as you, I'm not religious in the slightest and call myself an atheist. I find religious stuff to be my idea of really strange.

Don't let it slip that you are an atheist to your patients, some people may not think very kindly of you for it. I've heard on very rare occasions of people who think nursing is only for the religious and how can somebody that doesn't believe in god want to care for somebody and it's not even worth going down that road. Say that you're non-denominational, that you don't have to go to church to pray, that it's a private matter. If somebody prays for you, thank them, its their way of doing things.

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