Catholic hospitals-yes or no?

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what would working in a catholic hospital be like? is there any reason to be concerned about the atmosphere in one? i have a job offer and have heard some negative things about catholic facilities.........

why should the fact the facility is owned and managed by any religious affiliation make any difference on the patient care you provide.

as a catholic, I have worked in many facilities including the Seventh day adventist organization for 7 years. There were no changes in patient care. The only overt change noted for the employees was that the cafeteria was vegetarian. As in any organization, mutual respect of the supervisors, management and staff should be a given. Whether their titles are Mr. Ms. or Father or Sister should make no difference in your professional behaviour.

Specializes in Critical Care.

I worked agency for 4.5 yrs. in a catholic hospital, it was the best hospital in the city. Unfortunately a large hospital just bought them so it is down hill now.

It does if the hospital is run by catholics, baptists, etc. It's their hospital and they can do what they want with it.

However, I happen to love where I work. So much so, that when I moved from here to out east and discovered that he!!hole called Boston, I couldn't wait to get back.

A lot of the higher-ups here know that I'm Wiccan and I have been asked some very intelligent and discussion-provoking questions by them. I am not treated any differently and neither are the patients. There is a big push here to respect our patients and their culture.

tvccrn

okay, there it is...

no harm meant, just responding to the first sentence in your post...

I work at a Catholic Hospital in California (Daughter's of Charity Health System) and I've found the experience rewarding and the atmosphere very supportive. I am Catholic and this is the hospital where I was born and all my kids were born, so I've got a lot of history here.

I am a second career nurse, but I did my clinical's at County Hospitals and local private hospitals as well. I've always felt that the Catholic Hospitals provided a superior level of care and compassion as compared to many other institutions. I am also a member of a large, private healthcare insurance group (through my wife's work) and the level of care provided by "K P" is not up to the standards of my current employer.

I would recommend giving the Catholic system a try and seeing if you are happy there. I have only good things to say about the experience.

I work at a Catholic Hospital in California (Daughter's of Charity Health System) and I've found the experience rewarding and the atmosphere very supportive. I am Catholic and this is the hospital where I was born and all my kids were born, so I've got a lot of history here.

I am a second career nurse, but I did my clinical's at County Hospitals and local private hospitals as well. I've always felt that the Catholic Hospitals provided a superior level of care and compassion as compared to many other institutions. I am also a member of a large, private healthcare insurance group (through my wife's work) and the level of care provided by "K P" is not up to the standards of my current employer.

I would recommend giving the Catholic system a try and seeing if you are happy there. I have only good things to say about the experience.

If you can't tell, I am a recovering Catholic. I believe the care received at ANY hospital is a function of the staff behind it...From housekeeping to the CEO...Please don't attach "superior levels of care and compassion" to any entity or person...

Just as the person makes the nurse, the people make the hospital...I worked at a Catholic hospital because they had the right package at the right time...I gave my all for each and every patient...Not because I was a good Catholic, but because I was a good nurse, PERIOD.

I work at a Catholic hospital. We do seem to have a higher percentage of self pay patients that come to us than the nonreligious hospital across the street. It's very top heavy administratively, but otherwise a pretty good place to work. I like it.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

Now, I HAVE had co-workers complain that the insurance won't cover BC, and I suspect that is both true, and their right to respect their religious beliefs.

But, if you ask me, popping a few bucks a month for your own BC is WORTH decent pay (one of the highest cola adjusted salaries in the nation), defined benefit AND contribution plans, educational reimbursement, and ratios on par with the California law - here in Texas.

As a note, paying for birth control is substantially more than "popping a few bucks a month".

Just curious, do these same insurance policies that decline to pay for BC....do they also decline to pay for viagra/cialis for those that are no longer trying for children?

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As a matter of note, our local Catholic hospital preached a good game about not doing sterilizations, but actually does provide them under the guise of "illness prevention". But they are quite selective in those that qualify for that special "illness prevention", reserving it for those that have several children (occasionally w/different fathers).

And I have to wonder why that situation makes the sterilization, oops, illness prevention more acceptable.

Yeah I work at a Catholic facility, and I'm not too knowledgeable about Catholic practices. One day everyone is walking around with these black smears on their forehead, and I'm wondering if something is on fire. Turns out the priest was gettin' everyone dirty =)

I like working where I do. They do cover my BCP's, but won't cover IUD's or Norplant. I think the daily prayers are soothing, and the powers that be make sure to focus on spirituality, and not exclude those patients who are not catholic. I guess it probably varies from place to place.

Ash Wednesday, one of the important holy days in the catholic calendar...not something to laugh at....

seems to me she wasn't laughing at anyone but herself...

relax

the church takes itself WAAAY to seriously at times

Specializes in Critical Care, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.

I tech for a Catholic Hospital now, and besides the daily devotional reading and the announcement for mass being held, I sometimes forget it is a Catholic Hospital all together. I never thought about the insurance benefits not covering birth control...I will have to ask about that the next time I work. I love working there! The atomosphere is amazing with some of the best nurses I have ever met...so if push comes to shove, I will just get hubby's insurance coverage.

seems to me she wasn't laughing at anyone but herself...

relax

the church takes itself WAAAY to seriously at times

your attitude is neither required nor acceptable, telling me to "relax" and then insulting my church isn't going to help anything!

Specializes in ER/Trauma.

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Let the focus remain on the topic - not the participants involved.

Thank you,

Roy

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