"No One Respects My Religious Beliefs"

BlueDevil, DNP · Jun 10, 2014

I'd write up each and every instance. She needs to be sacked. No excuse for practice/discussion of religion at work, ever. IMO no one should even know what, if any, religion their coworkers observe. She should pray silently to herself while she does her job. If she can't do that, she needs to find another line of work that permits multiple personal breaks per day. Health care isn't it.

Regardless, one should never discuss religion, sex, politics or money. It's just very poor form, but when it is affecting work flow, it must be disciplined.

Mikey31079 · Jun 10, 2014

Exactly my thought! I'm all for someone being faithful to their higher power, but it should not be discussed at work and it DEFINITELY should not get to the point that it disrupts the floor.

RNfaster · Jun 10, 2014

I wonder how she would feel if someone from her family that she loved was a patient on the floor. How would she feel if her loved one's care were jeopardized by staff stepping away without someone to cover them?

The U.S. has many Christians, yet most hospitals require staff to work on Christmas Day and Easter, major Christian holidays.

I think this woman should be written up and if she does not adjust, she should find other employment where she may step away for prayer as she wishes.

vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN · Jun 10, 2014

Muslims do have to pray a certain number of times each day. From what I understand some Muslims choose to do it quietly so no one else knows while others feel they need to observe certain rituals associated with prayer like kneeling on a special cloth, etc.

I agree she shouldn't step off of the floor when she's needed, but I just wanted to point out that formal prayer multiple times per day is part of that faith.

suga_junkie, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2014

I don't see a problem with her praying if she does it during her allocated breaks. I know of several nurses who do this, they're certainly entitled to use their break time to discreetly pray for a few minutes. But she should definitely not leave the ward unstaffed whenever she pleases, that's not on!

Mikey31079 · Jun 10, 2014

Muslims do have to pray a certain number of times each day. From what I understand some Muslims choose to do it quietly so no one else knows while others feel they need to observe certain rituals associated with prayer like kneeling on a special cloth, etc.
I agree she shouldn't step off of the floor when she's needed, but I just wanted to point out that formal prayer multiple times per day is part of that faith.

I can certainly understand that, but I would also think that she would know enough to at least wait until the other person was able to relieve her. It's not like the patients magically disappear every time she needs a prayer break. And I agree with a previous poster (and I'm paraphrasing): There are certain work situations that allow for multiple breaks per day, and healthcare is not one of them, which she should have known going in. If she can't fit her prayers in with her breaks and lunch that she is allotted, that is HER issue and it should not be up to the rest of the unit to bend over backwards to accommodate her "prayer breaks" which sometimes last up to 20 minutes at a stretch.

allnurses Guide · Jun 10, 2014

I'm not a Muslim, but the topic of religious accomodations comes up pretty frequently in the news, and doing a little research on the topic I found things to be . . .inconclusive. Most of the guidelines come about as a result of ongoing lawsuits it seems, but Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act requires an employer to provide "reasonable accomodation" of religious practices.

It doesn't sound like any attempt was made between the employer and employee to come to an agreement, so I'm pretty sure this person would have her EEOC complaint thrown out if she made one. Seems like the missing link here would be management and/or human resources.

RHITtoRN · Jun 10, 2014

I agree with the thought of choosing one's career based on the reality of the workload of nursing and all that is required. Here is a flip side. Many eons ago when I was a new mom and we all had room mates and even had nonsmoking rooms because smoking was allowed back then, I had a room mate who was Muslim. She would fervently read her Koran and I assume pray for her son. She had a 13 yr old daughter and many miscarriages since then. She would always deliver at 6 months. I went past the room where they were working on her son you could catch a glimpse of this group of providers working hard on this baby. I never learned the outcome of their efforts. Now suppose someone on that team had to suddenly take off for prayers. Maybe that would work during a group effort. Maybe each of these people had their specific role and no one else could replicate their duties while maintaining their own job on this infant. Is this how you'd want a NICU or ICU to work for your family? And by the way she never got up to kneel on the floor to pray.

Elle23 · Jun 10, 2014

IMO no one should even know what, if any, religion their coworkers observe.

I am doing something wrong if no one knows I am a Christian. Besides, I look very different from most nurses which is a give away.

I honestly don't understand this notion that we must hide our faith. I am not a part time Christian. It (He) infuses every aspect of who I am and what I do.

I am not going to shove it down your throat, but I am also not going to hide who I am because some overly sensitive people may get offended.

Regarding the OP, of course the nurse assistant is wrong for leaving the floor without adequate coverage. If she feels she needs special accomodations, that is something she should take up with her manager.

Mikey31079 · Jun 10, 2014

All very good points, everyone! Let me just clarify, I'm not offended by her religion per se and as far as I know, no one else is either. The only thing I have an issue with is her leaving the floor simply because she feels she has a right to because of it, especially when the call lights are going crazy and she is unavailable to tend to the patient's needs. In a nutshell, what I'm saying is: if she wants to pray then that's perfectly okay, just that it shouldn't come at the expense of patients and coworkers.

Oh, btw, this has been brought up to her a couple times before by charge nurses, and each time, she has to throw a tantrum like a little kid and say "well, this person does this and this person does that and this person does the other thing and no one says a word to them!" One time I was told to page her overhead because she was gone off the floor and nowhere to be found, and you'd have thought I shot her in the leg on purpose based on her reaction...oh well, like charge told her: if you don't want paged, don't disappear! *smh*

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2014

I am doing something wrong if no one knows I am a Christian. Besides, I look very different from most nurses which is a give away.
I honestly don't understand this notion that we must hide our faith. I am not a part time Christian. It (He) infuses every aspect of who I am and what I do.
I am not going to shove it down your throat, but I am also not going to hide who I am because some overly sensitive people may get offended.
Regarding the OP, of course the nurse assistant is wrong for leaving the floor without adequate coverage. If she feels she needs special accomodations, that is something she should take up with her manager.

Agree completely. Of course I don't go around at work asking people Ray Comfort style, "Do you consider yourself to be a good person?" Nor do I debate with people at work--either my own beliefs or theirs.

But I wear a nail cross around my neck. I pray before I eat my lunch in the common breakroom. I have prayed w/ pts WHEN THEY'VE ASKED ME TO (and no, I definitely don't ask my pts "Would you consider yourself to be a good person?" But I've taken care of people whose paths I've crossed in the Christian community, I've done peculiar little things like take the juice cup off of their Bible after the CNA has chosen to leave it there...). During downtime if we talk about plans for the day, those plans might include church. My baby has an unusual name--he's named after a Reformer--and my colleagues have asked where I came up w/ it. Heck I have plans to join the VOMedical

when I grow up lol, and that's no secret. Kind of hard to justify my willingness to go somewhere hostile and provide trauma care to people who've been attacked by a mob or church bombed, if I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm a Christian.

Should female Muslims also leave their hair uncovered, lest their hijab etc. give their faith away?

But getting back to the OP, yeah I feel your frustration. Accommodation for religious practices can't put a strain on the employer. As a Christian I've worked countless Sundays, Christmases, and Easters. Jews work on the Sabbath and their High Holy Days. I don't see the issue with a Muslim taking her prayer breaks as long as she doesn't exceed the amount of break time everyone else gets...so if 3 of her daily prayers fall during her shift, take her lunch and 2 breaks around those times and pray during her breaks. Break times are hers to do with as she wishes.

But staff can't just leave the floor anytime they want to with no relief. Breaks ALWAYS have to be coordinated with other staff, regardless of the reason for the break.