Trump Admin Will Protect Health Workers Who Refuse Services On Religious Grounds

Updated:   Published

January 18, 2018

Health care workers who want to refuse to treat patients because of religious or moral beliefs will have a new defender in the Trump administration.

The top civil rights official at the Department of Health and Human Services is creating the Division of Conscience and Religious Freedom to protect doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to take part in procedures like abortion or treat certain people because of moral or religious objections...

... Louise Melling, deputy legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union, said those conscience objections could expand to allow health workers to refuse some services to gay, lesbian and transgender people...

Trump Administration Will Shield Health Workers Citing Religion To Refuse Care : Shots - Health News : NPR

Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
offlabel said:
Johns Hopkins I think was the only place that was doing that kind of procedure in the late 70's. They stopped because they were not seeing the psychological results they were hoping for as I remember. Somebody can check on that, but metrics like suicide and depression weren't helped by surgery, so they stopped.

I think they're up and running again.

She worked at a different hospital:

https://news.stanford.edu/news/2000/may3/sexchange-53.html

1 Votes
Specializes in Family practice, emergency.
offlabel said:
For example if a non-religious gyn NP were presented with a transgendered woman that insisted on a pap smear despite there not being a cervix in the interests of advancing the transgendered woman's sexual identity, would that NP be forced to perform a sham exam despite his or her objection on ethical and conscience grounds?

I work with trans women and this has never happened.

2 Votes
Specializes in Psych.

In my opinion, no health care provider should be able to refuse care on any grounds, unless there is some concern of a safety issue. As a member of the GLBT community, most of the comments are very offensive and ill informed. But, you have the right to your opinion. This is a great argument for a "slippery slope." It is preposterous that a transgender female would ask for a pap smear. Gender dysphoria by definition is about being uncomfortable/distressed with one's sex characteristics and body. This is a marginalized group who face significant health disparities. What about the trans kids who are bullied at school and commit suicide. The most recent case was a 12 year old child.

I went to a Catholic college for nursing, however, I will admit that I'm not religious anymore. I'd encourage you to look at the 7 principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Considering what I know about God, he'd be pretty against this kind of discrimination.

I just applied to a PACU position that will specifically work with transgender patients. I couldn't be more excited.

Seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching

1 Votes

From the article:

Quote
The government, he said, has "hounded religious hospitals and the men and women who staff them, forcing them to provide and refer for services that violate their consciences."

Hi. Devil's Advocate here. Forget about abortion and The Gays:

My religion finds moral fault with people who are morbidly obese, those who have problems with alcohol or any other drugs. Those who are said to require medication for an illness need not take them, and those who take medication show moral failing due to lack of trust in our God to save them. If your disease is not cured, you have not prayed hard enough (or given enough to our coffers.) Any divorcee or unwed mother is damned. My religion does not allow to work with patients of the opposite sex who are not my spouse. Females with menses are unclean and are not worthy of care (it is the price of Original Sinâ„¢.) My religion finds a moral failing with [insert medical condition here] because it is written that you led a life of immorality and the condition you have is punishment from God. It violates my conscience to provide care for any of these populations. Neither my employer nor the government can force me.

Pretty slippery if you ask me.

2 Votes
Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

I hope Trump will also pay your discrimination lawsuit...you suckers. We here to take care of people not question their choices. Do your job or quit and find something else.

1 Votes
Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

If you don't want to mar your pristine soul, don't go into any helping profession. I gave anesthesia for an 11 year old for a c-section and watched two babies with severe deformities die in the OR because Mom was on crack and didn't have the wherewithall to get any prenatal care. Abortion would have been a blessing in these cases. They all happened decades ago but they were definitely my take it home and never forget it experiences. It would be a lovely world if our jobs were free of moral pain but better to have a compass and suffer the pain than to just blame the patient and refuse to participate. My pet peeve cases were patients, who were more dead than alive, having to have feeding tubes inserted before being accepted into SNF. Do no harm? Everybody is making money and that's the way hospitals like it.

1 Votes

Oh my god this is horrible. I’m tired of these religious whack jobs oppressing those who don’t agree with them. Christianity is the most oppressive religion by far.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Just pointing out these laws were in place long before the Trump Presidency!

3 Votes

Transgender reassignment is not a life saving surgery. Nor is abortion in many cases. That being said, I would never refuse post op care to anyone.

1 Votes

Doesn’t really matter if it’s life saving, it’s what’s best for the baby or the mom. And it’s no organizations right to refuse any care or any coverage.

1 Votes
2 hours ago, HelpfulNatureHopeful said:

Doesn’t really matter if it’s life saving, it’s what’s best for the baby or the mom. And it’s no organizations right to refuse any care or any coverage.

It is unethical to require an individual who believes they are taking part in a murder to perform such a procedure. There are plenty of other staff who don't feel this way that can fill in. It's not like there are so many abortions that we need everyone to participate.

3 Votes

They just need to be re-educated. It’s just a clump of cells. Do they think contraception is murder too if they’re Catholics? So they won’t teach patients how to have safe sex?

No one cares about their silly views. Abortion is legal, people need to get over it. Besides with more abortions, we would have less impoverished people, and it would help with over population.

1 Votes
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