Praying in the work place

lovinlife11 · Apr 25, 2013

I'm all for prayer but prayer in the workplace would be odd. I pray with my patients if they ask, I never bring up religion or prayer otherwise. I have seen spiritual distress but would never make the judgement that someone is in distress due to lack of a religious belief. People are people, I accept that, sounds like you do too! Good luck to you, hospice is the greatest nursing specialty I have found!

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2013

Depends on where you are. I keep my head bowed and my mouth shut during the daily prayer. I'm in TX and diversity here means Protestants AND Catholics. I moved here from NYC. Can you imagine my surprise!

ybanurse · Apr 25, 2013

If you are a Christian, I believe that you must not stand down because someone denounces Christ. I may not be right but I always pray with my patients, ask God to have mercy on their souls and then ask them if they have taken Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. What is EOL?

bigsick_littlesick · Apr 25, 2013

Wow, meetings start with prayer?! I would definitely be fighting that if it were me. I would ask to come into the meeting after prayer was over. I think that is completely asinine since not everybody prays or if they do, prays the same way. I'm an atheist so I would be insanely uncomfortable if that started happening at my hospital.

EOL, I am assuming is end of life. I think it's very insensitive for your co-workers to judge those patients for their beliefs or lack thereof. If someone said a Christian prayer for my Buddhist grandparent, I would be livid. That is why we ask and document if they have any religious or spiritual needs on admit and if they want to see a chaplain sometime during their admission.

If religion comes up with patients, I always try to keep it on them and all about them. As for prayer and religious talk in the workplace, I think it's unprofessional to try to force it on everybody. I think it's a pretty easy way to offend someone.

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Apr 25, 2013

I worked in Texas, too. We had a church inside of our hospital, and that's where our meetings were always held. They were always started with a prayer, and I am not religious- at all. I did find it odd, but the hospital was religious in origin and I did apply to work there, so I accepted it and simply remained silent during the prayers.

There were also prayer schedules posted all over the place. At certain hours we were to pray for the physicians, and at other hours, for the patients. There were other types of people listed, but I don't remember them all.

akatsos · Apr 25, 2013

Funny, I had the same issues that you guys did.. all in Texas. I moved to Texas from Boston for 2 years to get my expirience before traveling. I worked all around the hospital (adults/peds/nicu) and ran into most issues with adults. Even at nightime the chaplain had come around and would have everybody hold hands and pray in the hallway. We had regular excorsisms performed on the floors too. I guess being an atheist myself, if you want to pray, do your thing, it doesn't bother me. But don't try and make me feel guilty for not joining your circle. A lot of patients seemed to be having crisis of faith, which isn't a situation I know how to handle, but luckily there are plenty of people who know how to help!

mvm2 · Apr 25, 2013

I do not see a problem or think it is weird at all with prayer in the work place. God Bless it it is what this country was founded on is to be able to freely express our religious beleifs. Though I also do not think it right to make people a part of it against their will and make them feel uncomfortable. As you stated having to be in a room and start the meeting with prayer is wrong too. I would simply have a conversation with your boss about it. Just be honest and say that the prayer before the meetings make you feel uncomfortable because you do not share their beleifs. I would suggest having a set prayer time that people can come and join before the meeting starts. If the meeting is at 8:00 have the prayer meeting time be 7:50. Then you can come into the meeting room later without being late for the meeting and not having to be part of the prayer. Even better yet have the prayer in a different room, and everyone can come to the meeting room when they get there. Would then make it less awkward to come into the room with everyone that prayed already there. (Hope I made sence there) This way everyone wins and nobodies rights are being taken away.

DebblesRN, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2013

I'm not sure why this is such an issue for people (the praying thing), but if it is, maybe you should bring it up with your manager instead of brooding over it and being uncomfortable. You do not have to practice any religion to sit and be respectful while others pray. Maybe they can change things around and have a "moment of silence" instead of an announced prayer to make everyone feel more comfortable. I have friends who practice many different religions, and I try to be respectful regarding their beliefs, even if I myself do not agree.

As far as the comment that a patient is having a difficult time with EOL due to a lack of a belief system, I don't think staff is trying to be insensitive at all. I think they are addressing a concern that is valid, and a spiritual need of a patient (whether it is a Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Atheist) that needs to be addressed in order for the patient to relax, make peace, and let go. Some people are afraid because NO-ONE knows what happens after we die and when you are faced with your mortality, it is a scary thing. I would hope that someone addressed that need and comforted me in the best way for ME to be at peace; religion aside.

If you feel that isn't happening where you are, then you should speak up!

Everyone should have their spiritual needs met based on their belief system. If they don't have a faith based religion, they should be counseled, not to change their viewpoint, but to give them peace and help them through the EOL transition.

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Apr 25, 2013

Funny, I had the same issues that you guys did.. all in Texas. I moved to Texas from Boston for 2 years to get my expirience before traveling. I worked all around the hospital (adults/peds/nicu) and ran into most issues with adults. Even at nightime the chaplain had come around and would have everybody hold hands and pray in the hallway. We had regular excorsisms performed on the floors too. I guess being an atheist myself, if you want to pray, do your thing, it doesn't bother me. But don't try and make me feel guilty for not joining your circle. A lot of patients seemed to be having crisis of faith, which isn't a situation I know how to handle, but luckily there are plenty of people who know how to help!

Exorcisms? Oh, wow!

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2013

If you are a Christian I believe that you must not stand down because someone denounces Christ. I may not be right but I always pray with my patients, ask God to have mercy on their souls and then ask them if they have taken Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. What is EOL?[/quote']
I hope you mean you always pray with your CHRISTIAN patients.
Posting from my phone, ease forgive my fat thumbs! :)

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2013

If you are a Christian, I believe that you must not stand down because someone denounces Christ. I may not be right but I always pray with my patients, ask God to have mercy on their souls and then ask them if they have taken Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. What is EOL?

If your patient isn't a Christian, you aren't denouncing Christ by not ramming your beliefs down their throats. Christ never tried to force anyone to believe, and he never told us to try that method, either.