Our hospital is introducing the Jean Watson method of nursing to us. They say it is required that we attend this seminar. Some nurses are having issues with it because it is "new age" and almost cult-like in nature. Has anyone heard of this?? Are you being required to do it? I think it's strange. I am doing some research online about it and I don't care for it. Also, on her website she is at the Mary Baker Eddy library when she is speaking in one video. Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of the Christian Science religion, which to my knowledge, doesn't approve of medical care!
I am a Christian, and I feel it should be ok to refuse to get this training about Jean Watson's "theory" if I don't believe in it.
Yes, they can. That's the definition of the word "mandatory." Anybody who doesn't comply, can be fired, with your employment record stating that you would have no chance of being rehired at that facility in the future. They might choose not to fire you, but they can do so if they choose. They might choose to do nothing ... or they might just give you bad performance evaluations and "ride you pretty hard" until you quit. They will have lots of options as to how they handle anyone's refusal to participate in mandatory education or to practice according the chosen philosphy/theory/practice model of the hospital.
I think you are blowing this waaaayyyy out of proportion. Nothing bad is going to happen to you if you sit through a class in which you disagree with the speaker. We've all had to attend some classes we didn't like at some point in our lives. That's just part of life ... and part of being an employee. (Personally, I hate Studer, but I didn't make a big deal about it when my boss asked me to read one of his books. I read it. I found a few things I agree with -- and several things I disagree with. But it didn't hurt me to read the book.)
You can go to the class and choose to buy in on not buy in to whatever is said there. But you will not be able to make an informed choice about the new practice model until you take a look at it with an open mind. Since your employer values this material enough to pay for you all to attend, you should go and learn about it so that you can make an informed decision as to whether or not you want to continue to work for that institution. Quitting your job or inviting them to fire you without ever hearing what they have to say will only hurt your career.
Wow, I can tell you are in management! Do you know there are some really strong nursing unions out there that would back me up? Also, I'm sure I could find a lawyer or somebody else of that nature to back me up if it came to that point.
I'm sure it won't come to that, though. Maybe I will go to the class and voice my honest opinions and we'll see how caring they will be.
I can understand if you think that this seminar would be boring, annoying, or a waste of time. But it seems that your concerns about it go beyond that... that you think it could be actually dangerous to you. Is that so? And if so, can you tell us more about what you're afraid of, i.e., what's the worst case scenario? Do you think you'll be hypnotized and reprogrammed? Possessed by evil spirits? Sent to a re-education camp for refusing to renounce your religion?
It seems like a contradiction to me - you say that you don't want to attend because you have a strong religious faith that is incompatible with this nursing theory. But if you have a strong religious faith, is it so easily threatened by the presence of candles, water, moody lighting, or somebody droning on and on about something silly? You've probably already encountered and survived all four of those dangers in church at one time or another....
Maybe it's just me, but I've been following this thread from the beginning and I just don't see what the big deal is. We've all had to sit through inservices and classes that didn't particularly interest us, or in which we didn't particularly agree with the point of the class or point of view of the instructor, but so what???? When you have a job, you have to do any number of things you don't particularly want to do to keep your employer happy -- that's how the world works. I don't see this as a particularly onerous or inappropriate expectation.
And, at every employer for whom I've ever worked, refusing to attend (or simply not managing to attend) a mandatory inservice was a problem. At best, it made you ineligible for a raise at performance eval time, and, at worse, you were risking a write-up and eventually/potentially, getting fired. As llg notes, that's what "mandatory" means.
Ever hear the expression "pick your fights"? I can't imagine why something like this would be worth making a fuss over (and attracting negative attention from your employer ...).
One of the nurses who went to this class a few days ago said she was actually scared when she walked into the room. The lights were very low, fake candles, bowls of some kind with water in them...and the speaker was always talking in a monotone voice.
I also wanted to comment on this.... maybe this woman did feel scared, but that doesn't mean anyone needs to consider her fears reasonable. It sounds to me like she scares easy.
Wow, I can tell you are in management! Do you know there are some really strong nursing unions out there that would back me up? Also, I'm sure I could find a lawyer or somebody else of that nature to back me up if it came to that point.
I'm sure it won't come to that, though. Maybe I will go to the class and voice my honest opinions and we'll see how caring they will be.
Honestly, I agree that you are blowing this way out of proportion. It's just one seminar. It looks like you're just trying to be difficult when there really isn't an issue. The fact that you previously said you might go because MEALS WILL BE PROVIDED shows that you really don't feel THAT strongly about your convictions that this is some sort of brainwashing attempt. Clearly you're not that worried if you're considering going just for food.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
QUOTE=Kimbalou;4420179]Thank you moogie, your post was great. One of the nurses who went to this class a few days ago said she was actually scared when she walked into the room. The lights were very low, fake candles, bowls of some kind with water in them...and the speaker was always talking in a monotone voice. It sounded like brainwashing to me! The nurse also said they used way too many words to describe Jean Watson's theory of caring. On one hand, it sounds way too strange to me...the way it is presented. On the other hand I would be getting paid to sit around and listen to this stuff, and they provide meals!
Are you afraid this is going to be like a Satanic ritual? Are you thinking this will crash headlong into your fundamentalist Christian beliefs? I am in no way disrespecting your religion when I ask that. There are many people who think Halloween is a satanic ritual, too.
The problem is that you are approaching it based on second-hand experiences and rumors. It's like the way people describe a roller-coaster ride--- one person shrieks ommmmgggggg!!!! It was so scary!! The other person shrugs it off. You need to seriously look at what you lose or gain by making such a big deal about this when you really have no firsthand experience to relate it to.
Wow, I can tell you are in management! Do you know there are some really strong nursing unions out there that would back me up? Also, I'm sure I could find a lawyer or somebody else of that nature to back me up if it came to that point.
I'm sure it won't come to that, though. Maybe I will go to the class and voice my honest opinions and we'll see how caring they will be.
Unions? Lawyers?? Why would you take this to such lengths? I am genuinely curious about the reason you would risk so much over this one issue.
Bit of advice, too. When you come across Ilg's posts, sit down and read through them very carefully. You will learn much.
Specializes in Psych/CD/Medical/Emp Hlth/Staff ED.
You're right, Watson is a complete Loon, but you can make a much more reasoned argument against something when you are as familiar with it as possible. Watson's theory is not a theory at all, it's a philosophy, and out of respect for science we should make sure we label it as such. If you're interested where Watson is coming from, look up Noetic science.
You're right, Watson is a complete Loon, but you can make a much more reasoned argument against something when you are as familiar with it as possible. Watson's theory is not a theory at all, it's a philosophy, and out of respect for science we should make sure we label it as such. If you're interested where Watson is coming from, look up Noetic science.
I agree it is more philosphy than science -- but there are philosophical theories -- and one of the major categories of theory are the philosophical ones. . In other words, just because it is a philosphy doesn't mean it isn't a theory. It's simply a philosphical theory rather than one derived from scientific methods. Scholars don't consider philosophical theories lesstimate than scientific ones: they are just differenct. In fact, all science is based on philosophy, making philosophy "higher" in some respects than science. That is one reason the highest academic degree in all fields, including the hard sciences is the PhD -- the "Doctor of Philosphy" degree.
I'm not a huge Watson fan ... but I wouldn't want the beginners here to think that philosophical theories are not legitimate or worthy of respect simply because they are philosphy.
You are correct, it is occultic and do whatever you can to stay away from this "nursing theory" and warn as many nurses as you can. This "caring science" is the promotion of humanism, new age mysticism, energy theories- and essentially that humans have access to an "inner divine" that through meditation and other occultic rituals can reach a state of realism in the conciousness, which will then emit "loving energy fields". I encourage all Christians to be aware of this new age occultism that has penetrated nursing, and is unethically and unknowingly being pushed upon nurses and patients in a vulnerable state!
I urge you to stand firm in your faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. Do not take part in this, seek guidance from God's Word- you will find that the Bible warns against such things.
Good Luck, I will pray for God to give you wisdom and courage to stand firm in your faith at your workplace!
You are correct, it is occultic and do whatever you can to stay away from this "nursing theory" and warn as many nurses as you can. This "caring science" is the promotion of humanism, new age mysticism, energy theories- and essentially that humans have access to an "inner divine" that through meditation and other occultic rituals can reach a state of realism in the conciousness, which will then emit "loving energy fields". I encourage all Christians to be aware of this new age occultism that has penetrated nursing, and is unethically and unknowingly being pushed upon nurses and patients in a vulnerable state!
I urge you to stand firm in your faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. Do not take part in this, seek guidance from God's Word- you will find that the Bible warns against such things.
Good Luck, I will pray for God to give you wisdom and courage to stand firm in your faith at your workplace!
It certainly is.
MA Nurse
676 Posts
Wow, I can tell you are in management! Do you know there are some really strong nursing unions out there that would back me up? Also, I'm sure I could find a lawyer or somebody else of that nature to back me up if it came to that point.
I'm sure it won't come to that, though. Maybe I will go to the class and voice my honest opinions and we'll see how caring they will be.