Muslim Nurses Administering Haram Medications

[CaribMuslimah, RN]

may the peace, mercy, and blessings of god be upon all the muslims. blessed ramadan!

an issue that is tugging away at my conscious is: medication ingredients

all praise due to god, i recently accepted a position and will be working in a few days, god willing. in seeking the reward in the hereafter, i don't want to trade one good deed (working as a nurse) and use it to (even unintentionally) commit an evil deed (giving medications with forbidden substances, regardless of the patient's religion).

how do you other muslim nurses out there deal with this? haraam is haraam is haraam! is there such a thing as refusing to administer medication? is there a way to obtain the ingredients in all medications? when in doubt, should i just make du'aa'?

[masry123]

I'm vegetarian. I don't kill animals for myself. But I'll administer heparin, I'll carry a tray with meatloaf into the room. You can't expect your patients to suffer or your coworkers to do more work to accomodate your beliefs. Don't know what the answer is for you, but you need to work it out without expecting the burden to fall on others.

This is totaly diffrent. We are talking about religious concepts, you are talking about a personal choise. BIG DIFFRENTs:confused:

[CaribMuslimah, RN]

i apologize if i misunderstood you, and thank you for your suggestions.

in that part in not to be judgemental. the commitment to nursing in that we are there for the patient, not for ourselves. i was actually quoting one of my instructors when i put the "leaving our personal opnions at the door". this is more than a personal opinion issue, it is a true conflict of faith verses practice. i was trying to say, and may have said poorly, exactly what you are saying. just like previous examples given about johovah's witnesses not being able to transfuse blood. the op is looking for a resolution to the conflict. the alternatives i gave were valid. it's great that the op feels supported by the facility. i'm sad the op does not feel supported by this community. i personally support the op in her search to find resolution to this conflict.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

CaribMuslimah, RN, don't leave the site. I am an atheist, or at least an agnostic and understand that you find a strong Christian influence on this board. So do I. But if all of us outliers leave what happens?

It's important that we all try to keep our minds open, but not so open that our brains fall out. Learning happens when we are listening, not answering.

[CaribMuslimah, RN]

for those of you so very insterested in my belief, i have transposed an excerpt from fatwa (islamic religious ruling based on scholarly opinions formed on the basis of the qur'an and authentic hadith that outline the sayings and actions of the prophet muhammad, peace be upon him):

from sheikh muhammad salih al- munajjid (in part) " ...hadeeth [states] 'allaah has sent down the disease and the cure, and has made for every disease the cure. so treat sickness, but do not use anything haraam.'..."

although that wasn't the point of the original question, perhaps it's helpful to know the reasons behind certain actions

[CaribMuslimah, RN]

christian influence, you call it? that may be what they call it by name, but what i see is just plain old ignorance.

i don't plan on leaving--not now anyway. this little bit doesn't trouble me *smile*

caribmuslimah, rn, don't leave the site. i am an atheist, or at least an agnostic and understand that you find a strong christian influence on this board. so do i. but if all of us outliers leave what happens?

it's important that we all try to keep our minds open, but not so open that our brains fall out. learning happens when we are listening, not answering.

[cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP]

To the OP:

Thank you for coming to this site and starting this post! Its thought provoking and worthy of discussion. Please don't leave the site because of a few people who are not receptive to your beliefs. I will start off by saying that I am not a Muslim (in fact I am a Christian) but I can empathize with your situation and admire the fact that you are not willing to compromise on your beliefs. After reading and rereading your posts it appears clear that you are well aware of how your religious and spiritual beliefs will affect your practice and your seeking an answer from those who are in a similar situation to you on how to balance your practice as a nurse and your beliefs which are essential to your being. As I stated, I am not a Muslim but I do know a few Muslim nurses and each of them has reacted differently to this dilemma. I know of a few that after some soul searching have decided to take a position that involves medication administration and in their mind because they are not receiving the medication they do not believe it is haram. I also know of other Muslim nurses who have decided to take positions that would not in any way compromise their beliefs (such as positions in administration, research or teaching.) To your original question: How to Muslim nurses deal with this dilemma? I think that its a highly individualized thing, which takes some soul searching and serious discussion with spiritual leaders. After you have come to the decision of what you are able to do as a nurse and what you are not willing to do because it compromises your spiritual beliefs, then it comes down to finding a position where you are accepted for who you are and what you bring to the table and not judged based upon your religious beliefs. I'm not sure if that helps but I hope so!

!Chris

[masry123]

So if I believe that the true cure contains haraam, then I can give you heparin or pork insulin because I'm looking out for the patient? I'm sure you'd throw an absolute fit if I forced my beliefs on you, why should you get to force your beliefs on me if I'm your patient?

Just because I'm not muslim doesn't mean I don't face situations where I have to put my beliefs aside for the patient. There's a lot of days at work where I'm doing things that I'd come back and haunt my family if they allowed done to me. Would you want a christian scientist as your nurse, refusing to give you any medical care because that's their belief? I'm ok with blood transfusions, should JW's be forced to undergo them because I think it's ok and I'm their nurse that day? Perhaps if you aren't able to put your beliefs aside for the good of the patient, then nursing is not for you. Because it is NOT about you or your beliefs, it's about the patient's beliefs.

This is not a bout you, REad the thread question please? It was directed to MUSLIM NURSES ONLY OR if you not but know a muslim nurse? IF you are not then keep your negative views to your self. CAN'T you READ? As soon as she mention islam every one wants to say something wether it is related or not. Respect respect please:typing

[SolaireSolstice, BSN, RN]

CaribMuslimah, RN, don't leave the site. I am an atheist, or at least an agnostic and understand that you find a strong Christian influence on this board. So do I. But if all of us outliers leave what happens?

It's important that we all try to keep our minds open, but not so open that our brains fall out. Learning happens when we are listening, not answering.

I too am athiest. It's strange to me sometimes what I find offensive. I know there is no offense meant, yet somehow I still feel marginalized. When a patient needs spiritual guidance, I'm the last person they can turn to, but I find someone (the chaplain usually, and they can find a person of the patient's faith who can guide them) who can give them that aspect of care I cannot. There is an entire (large) healthcare system in my area that I would not work for based on certain practices and agreements nurses who work for that system have to adhere to that I cannot reconcile. So I found alternatives that would allow me to practice as I feel comfortable and resolves that conflict. I can emphathize with CaribMuslimah, though my conflict seems trivial compared to hers. I still hope that other Muslims who are in our community (and I hope there are others) can speak up and give their views so we can all learn from them.

[masry123]

This article is germane to the discussion in a sideways way. The physician certainly asked the patient what he wanted.

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/aortic-stenosis/news-and-features.html

I have to say that I am surprised at the judgmental nature of many of these posts. The OP asked a simple question of others of her faith and many have taken the opportunity to express extremely negative opinions of her religious beliefs. I find the question fascinating.

We are taught, as nurses, to respect cultures and belief systems that differ from our own. Why can we not extend the same courtesy to our sisters and brothers in nursing?

Thank you very much and wellcome to our world. By the way I'm a muslim nurse. if the meds is for me or member of my family I'd find alternative, if it's for my PT I'll give it with a smile.

[CaribMuslimah, RN]

btw, men in nursing really do rock, lol

thank you so very much for the thought you put into your answer. you are right, i have to do some serious searching and i am indeed doing that. right now i am simply praying and reading up on different islamic jurisprudence because as i said before, until about next week most of the sheikhs will be unavailable because of prayer and other duties.

i love hands-on care; but i know my personal feelings regarding medication practices in general (not haram ingredients...but popping pills for every single thing). i don't know that i would be a good teacher, lol, because i'm either too lenient or too strict for most people. before i would go into any kind of administrator position, i believe patient care is essential (before, during, and after taking such a position) so for now i'll stay where i am, especially since they respect me.

call me extra sensitive, but that was very nice of you and i'm trying not to tear up. small acts of kindness, like simple respect and understanding, can go a long way.

thanks to you

to the op:

thank you for coming to this site and starting this post! its thought provoking and worthy of discussion. please don't leave the site because of a few people who are not receptive to your beliefs. i will start off by saying that i am not a muslim but i can empathize with your situation and admire the fact that you are not willing to compromise on your beliefs. after reading and rereading your posts it appears clear that you are well aware of how your religious and spiritual beliefs will affect your practice and your seeking an answer from those who are in a similar situation to you on how to balance your practice as a nurse and your beliefs which are essential to your being. as i stated, i am not a muslim but i do know a few muslim nurses and each of them has reacted differently to this dilemma. i know of a few that after some soul searching have decided to take a position that involves medication administration and in their mind because they are not receiving the medication they do not believe it is haram. i also know of other muslim nurses who have decided to take positions that would not in any way compromise their beliefs (such as positions in administration, research or teaching.) to your original question: how to muslim nurses deal with this dilemma? i think that its a highly individualized thing, which takes some soul searching and serious discussion with spiritual leaders. after you have come to the decision of what you are able to do as a nurse and what you are not willing to do because it compromises your spiritual beliefs then it comes down to finding a position where you are accepted for who you are and what you bring to the table and not judged based upon your religious beliefs. i'm not sure if that helps but i hope so!

!chris

[NurseStephRN]

salaam alaikum sister.

alhamdulillah i've been a nurse for almost 3 years now and the only conflicts i've had were a patient going through ETOH withdrawal for whom whiskey shots were prescribed by the MD tid (he didn't even drink it though... it'd just sit there on his tray until it was time for the next shot), giving patients jello (which contains gelatin that may come from pork), coated capsules (which sometimes contain gelatin that may come from pork and i've never had even my Jewish patients ask or have a concern about these), and wondering about alcohol-based hand cleansing foam. with the foam, i have concluded that it is not haram b/c it is not ETOH which you ingest and become intoxicated with. you are using it to clean your hands and ultimately prevent the transmission of illnesses to you or patients.

we don't use pork-based insulin at my hospital anymore, which was a concern to me when i first took the position there... if that were the case, i wouldn't administer the insulin.

the whiskey patient was while i was still under orientation, so i think i only administered it one time. in that case, i "justified" it by reminding myself that this man was sick, and if i didn't give it, he'd get even more sick. Allah knows best.

is there a specific concern you have as far as haram/halal meds to give?

[CaribMuslimah, RN]

thanks so much for your reply. that was my first reaction: to give it to the patient, because they aren't muslim. but after thinking about it and reading more fatwa, personally i would feel guilty doing such a thing.

if the patient ordered a ham sandwich for instance, i won't be giving it to them (everybody that wants to go crazy over that statement...do it silently. thanks) that's not me imposing anything on them, that's just me not giving them a ham sandwich.

thank you very much and wellcome to our world. by the way i'm a muslim nurse. if the meds is for me or member of my family i'd find alternative, if it's for my pt i'll give it with a smile.