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My uncle was born on a Saturday, 1923, at Loma Linda hospital. My grandmother told me that she shouted for help in urgent need of attention from medical staff. None came. After hours in hard labor, he was born. Lack of oxygen to his brain because of the protracted labor. He was left with a mentality of a 3 year old. He died at the age of 60. My father, his older brother, was a doctor, and always carried deep resentment for a religion whose restrictions would cause nurses and doctors to ignore the cries of a patient's pain and panic. I would hope that some of their restrictions with regard to patient care have changed, but from what I have read, they haven't changed very much. Doesn't make sense for me that anyone with restrictions like that would choose any profession that might present a need to work on a Saturday.
I listened to my grandmother tell me about that day. Doubt you might, but it happened. She said that they were on campus, but not responding. Probably doing their worship. It may have been 90 years, but it was 60 years of dealing with the tragedy, providing care, and whatching what could have been a productive life, being basically thrown away. Look up your history of treatment. Don't continue to keep your head in the sand. So some nurses and doctors didn't go to Hell, while my grandmother and father entered their own special hell that day and days to come. Your god is an unjust god, if one believes as the SDAs do.
Sounds like you have some personal issues, I would highly recommend counseling. Try not to live in the past.
Keep in mind that at that time there were forced sterilizations, wives committed into psychiatric wards for not having sex with their husbands, different races had different wards, people could smoke in hospitals, etc.
Different world. Don't blame the religion.
So it is still going on. So.......my opinion and the facts still stand.
Everyone has 2 options:
1. Work on Saturdays.
2. Make you own arrangements to have your shift covered.
This applies to religious obligations, spending time with your kids, going to the baseball game, etc. If a nurse refused to do his/her job because he/she because he/she should not work on a given day of the week, he/she will not have a job for very long, and that person is putting their house, car, financial well being, etc. on the line.
What happened in 1923 was very unfortunate (I would say tragic), and it sounds like you are very passionate about it; however, that was a long time ago and quite a bit has changed. Just my opinion, but I think it's time to move on. If you can't you probably need to talk to a professional about this.
I am so sorry about the hell your grandmother and your father went through for 60 years. I really appreciate the harsh reality you acknowledge they dealt with in raising a child/adult with the mental capacity of a 3 year old.
When my grandson was diagnosed at age 9 months with a severe mental disability I felt like my daughter, son-in-law, and my life had entered hell. (A nurse on Allnurses said I was a bad grandmother for thinking that about my grandson!) If it had happened 30 plus years ago I am certain the obstetrician and nurses would be blamed, sued. Many children born with birth defects years ago were blamed on a bad delivery. Now days with ultrasound, amniocentesis, etc., we know many birth defects can be seen in utero. His condition wasn't one that can be seen or tested for in utero.
Anyhow.....I am sorry, I hope, think, that your feelings about the hell your family went through are out of proportion. Yes my daughter's family have some hard realities to deal with. It took me about five years to get over the grief. But he can smile, laugh, cuddle, and can bring them, and us joy.
I am glad, hope you feel comfortable "venting" here and that is all it is. Honestly your anger scares me a little. You may need to see a therapist. No one can know what happened that day. No hospital in the USA, even one run by LDS, is going to allow that to happen today.
I listened to my grandmother tell me about that day. Doubt you might, but it happened. She said that they were on campus, but not responding. Probably doing their worship. It may have been 90 years, but it was 60 years of dealing with the tragedy, providing care, and whatching what could have been a productive life, being basically thrown away. Look up your history of treatment. Don't continue to keep your head in the sand. So some nurses and doctors didn't go to Hell, while my grandmother and father entered their own special hell that day and days to come. Your god is an unjust god, if one believes as the SDAs do.
What I'm not understanding is that humans have been having children for centuries. The Sabbath and hospitals didn't stop in 1923, there must have been protocols in place, that women may come in on a 'Saturday' to have a child and to not ignore a laboring woman. Something seems amiss here. It may have been pure negligence, but to attribute it to one faith seems a little much. Sorry this happened, anyway.
First of all your Grandmother recounting of events might not include what really happened.It is a sad outcome.
As for those that observe saturday as religious ,we have many like that and they come in and work every sunday.So there is a trade off.If you are in a hospital on a saturday ,it is because you are there to work.
From what I have read on the comments page, SDA people are still asking for special dispensation so they don't work on Saturdays. So it is still going on. So.......my opinion and the facts still stand. God and his/her decisions are still much bigger than a puny bunch of "traditional activities". (Aka religious restrictions).
So what if SDA-ers ask off for Saturdays? That is NOT THE SAME THING as showing up for work but refusing to do patient care. That's ridiculous,and not happening in 2018. I'm sure those hospitals staff Saturday shifts with nurses who are not SDA (because it would be illegal to not hire nurses just because they are of a different religion or no religion at all) and who have no problem attending to the needs of the women on their floors who are in labor (or there with any condition).
From what I have read on the comments page, SDA people are still asking for special dispensation so they don't work on Saturdays. So it is still going on. So.......my opinion and the facts still stand. God and his/her decisions are still much bigger than a puny bunch of "traditional activities". (Aka religious restrictions).
And there are also a lot of nurses who will cover their shifts for them. I've covered holy days for my coworkers who needed time off. And they have worked Samhain and Beltane for me. So what? So long as they are getting their shifts covered it shouldn't matter!
Flatline, BSN, RN
375 Posts
I have worked at Loma Linda several times in the past few years (not as a Loma Linda employee) on the ground floor and with the leadership and can tell you that I am 100% confident that things have changed since 1923.
They do have some restrictions still though such as no caffeine (nurses can bring they own) and nothing beyond medical care on Saturdays (no meetings/training etc).
Pretty typical hospital IMO.